Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1990 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 32 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1990, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
Short answers dominate here: 11 of 32 fit in one or two squares. 5 clues are pictures, and 3 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 4 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 6 clues are fill-ins, and 5 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to the picture clue in the top row.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Holds out”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to the picture clue in the top row. Solve one of those two and every edge clue starts with a known letter.
Hints and answers, clue by clue
Clues look the way they do in the game. Tap Hint for a nudge or Answer to see the letters. The fully solved grid is below the hints.
Top row
These sit along the top edge and every answer runs down.
1Picture clue
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
One word for the picture, starting with E. Check the sixth letter against “Advisory panels”.
EIGHTBALL
AFTER XII
2After xii
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
X _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Global initiative”.
XIII
-ck
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“-ck”). What is left starts with T.
TI
EATERY
4Eatery
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Eatery.
E
ca-
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Picture word minus “ca” gives the answer. First letter: N.
NON
NIGHT VISIONS
6Night visions
Top row 6/7 · 6 letters · down
D _ _ A _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “__RATION”.
DREAMS
BREW IN A TEAPOT
7Brew in a teapot
Top row 7/7 · 5 letters · down
Starts with S; pattern S _ _ E _. The fourth square is also part of “__RATION”.
STEEP
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
HOLDS OUT
8Holds out
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits E _ _ E _ _ S. Its fifth letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
EXTENDS
NUMBER AFTER II
9Number after ii
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Shape: I _ _. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its third letter.
III
GLOBAL INITIATIVE
10Global initiative
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Global initiative” to its initials.
GI
11___ AND SEEK
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
Use the text “___ AND SEEK” if the picture is unclear. First letter H.
HIDE
BEFORE U
12Before u
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
Step one letter back from U in the alphabet.
T
ADVISORY PANELS
13Advisory panels
Left column 6/9 · 6 letters · across
B _ _ R _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “ALBAT___S”.
BOARDS
HOOD'S WEAPON
14Hood's weapon
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
A _ _ O _. The fourth square is also part of “ALBAT___S”.
ARROW
PARTIC__
15PARTIC__
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “PARTIC__” go in the grid. First one: L.
LE
LOCAL SIDEREAL TIME
16Local sidereal time
Left column 9/9 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Local sidereal time” to its initials.
LST
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
FOOD SCRAP
17Food scrap
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Begins with O. The third square is also part of “Brew in a teapot”.
ORT
KINETIC ENERGY
18Kinetic energy
Row 3, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
KE
MIDLEG JOINT
19Midleg joint
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with K; pattern K _ _ _. “Night visions” crosses it at the third square.
KNEE
"_____ DIARY…"
20"_____ DIARY…"
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Complete the phrase “_____ DIARY…”. Shape: D _ _ _.
DEAR
__RATION
21__RATION
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “__RATION” go in the grid. First one: A.
AE
ASTRONOMER HUBBLE
22Astronomer hubble
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Shape: E _ _ I _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Not main”.
EDWIN
NON_
23NON_
Row 6, col 3 · 1 letter · across
Only the hidden letters of “NON_” go in the grid. First one: E.
E
MINE FINDS
24Mine finds
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Shape: O _ _ _. The third square is also part of “PARTIC__”.
ORES
EPIC MIND POWER
25Epic mind power
Row 6, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Epic mind power” to its initials.
EMP
ALBAT___S
26ALBAT___S
Row 6, col 5 · 3 letters · down
Fill the gap in “ALBAT___S”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with R.
ROS
-nis
27Picture clue
Row 7, col 8 · 3 letters · down
Picture word minus “nis” gives the answer. First letter: T.
TEN
THEORY
28Theory
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Theory starts with the answer.
T
GRA__ATE
29GRA__ATE
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
“GRA__ATE” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with D.
DU
NOT MAIN
30Not main
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
S _ _ _. “GRA__ATE” crosses it at the third square.
SIDE
THEORY
31Theory
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Theory starts with the answer.
T
CHURCH LADY
32Church lady
Row 10, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Begins with N. The third square is also part of the picture clue in the inside the grid.
NUN
Crossword Challenge Level 1990 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
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Puzzle 1990 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 1990 with us. Puzzle 1991 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.