Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2285 Clues and Answers
Stuck somewhere in Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2285? All 30 clues on this 8×10 grid are solved below, one card per clue.
Expect plenty of tiny answers, 8 of them only one or two letters. 3 clues are pictures; 3 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 1 wants just the first letter of a single word; 2 clues are fill-ins, and 1 of them needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to the picture clue in the top row.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Sweet alcoholic drink”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to the picture clue in the top row, read top to bottom.
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 L. The sixth square is also part of “Left field”.
LOINCLOTH
GREEK VOWEL
2Greek vowel
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: I _ _ _. Check the third letter against “___ NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN”.
IOTA
QUEEN
3Queen
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Queen.
Q
A__OMATION
4A__OMATION
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Only the hidden letters of “A__OMATION” go in the grid. First one: U.
UT
GAZE AT
5Gaze at
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Fits E _ _. Solving “Flock female” first gives you its third letter.
EYE
TO THE STARS
6To the stars
Top row 6/7 · 6 letters · down
Fits U _ _ A _ _. Solving “Air force” first gives you its fourth letter.
UPWARD
7Picture clue
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Name the object in the picture. R _ _ _. “Flock female” crosses it at the third square.
REEF
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
SWEET ALCOHOLIC DRINK
8Sweet alcoholic drink
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: L _ _ U _ _ R. Its fifth letter is shared with “Gaze at”.
LIQUEUR
DOUBLE O
9Double o
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
O _. Solving “Greek vowel” first gives you its second letter.
OO
"___ NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN"
10"___ NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN"
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Say “___ NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN” out loud and the blank fills itself: I _ _.
ITS
MANICURE FOCUS
11Manicure focus
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with N. Check the third letter against “A little drink”.
NAIL
AFTER B
12After b
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
Step one letter forward from B in the alphabet.
C
LEFT FIELD
13Left field
Left column 6/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Left field”.
LF
OF DAYS GONE BY
14Of days gone by
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Fits O _ _ E _. Check the fourth letter against “Pointer pen”.
OLDEN
SMALL HUNTING DOG
15Small hunting dog
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits T _ _ R _ _ R. Its fifth letter is shared with “Charged, chem”.
TERRIER
16Picture clue
Left column 9/9 · 3 letters · across
One word for the picture, starting with H. The third square is also part of “Not wet”.
HAY
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
SORT
17Sort
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with T. Check the third letter against “To the stars”.
TYPE
A LITTLE DRINK
18A little drink
Row 3, col 4 · 3 letters · down
Fits S _ _. The third square is also part of “Couple”.
SIP
FLOCK FEMALE
19Flock female
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with E; pattern E _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
EWE
POINTER PEN
20Pointer pen
Row 4, col 5 · 5 letters · down
Fits L _ _ E _. “Of days gone by” crosses it at the fourth square.
LASER
AIR FORCE
21Air force
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
AF
CHARGED, CHEM
22Charged, chem
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Shape: I _ _ I _. Solving “Small hunting dog” first gives you its fourth letter.
IONIC
COUPLE
23Couple
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · across
Shape: P _ _ _. “Charged, chem” crosses it at the third square.
PAIR
JUMPING INSECT
24Jumping insect
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Starts with F; pattern F _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Small hunting dog”.
FLEA
A LITTLE OFF
25A little off
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
A _ _ _. Solving “Small hunting dog” first gives you its third letter.
AWRY
DRINK WITH A STRAW
26Drink with a straw
Row 7, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with S; pattern S _ _ _. The third square is also part of “To the stars”.
SODA
NOT WET
27Not wet
Row 7, col 4 · 3 letters · down
Shape: D _ _. Check the third letter against the picture clue in the left column.
DRY
AFTER V
28After v
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
The alphabet letter right after V.
W
ERROR RATE
29Error rate
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
ER
BREAK DOWN IN TEARS
30Break down in tears
Row 10, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with C; pattern C _ _. Check the third letter against “A little off”.
CRY
Crossword Challenge Level 2285 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 2285 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 2285 with us. Puzzle 2286 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.