Crossword Challenge Puzzle 117 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 117 is an 8×10 board with 30 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
9 of the 30 answers are one or two letters long. 5 clues are pictures; 6 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 1 wants just the first letter of a single word. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Behind the scenes”.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 117: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to “Suitcases”. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to “Behind the scenes”. One of those two words unlocks the first letter of 15 others.
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.
BEHIND THE SCENES
1Behind the scenes
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: B _ _ K _ _ A _ _. Its sixth letter is shared with “Skyscraper”.
BACKSTAGE
TIRE NEED
2Tire need
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Starts with A; pattern A _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Baby bed”.
AIR
PROFIT
3Profit
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: G _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Baby bed”.
GAIN
4-uitar
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Both the picture and the text “-UITAR” point to the same word. It begins with G.
G
SILVER SYMBOL
5Silver symbol
Top row 5/7 · 2 letters · down
Shape: A _. “Weapon” crosses it at the second square.
AG
WATCH OVER
6Watch over
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
G _ _ R _. The fourth square is also part of “The "n" in tnt”.
GUARD
GRAT-IFYING
7Grat-ifying
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
Begins with E. “Musical note” crosses it at the sixth square.
ENJOYABLE
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Suitcases
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Both the picture and the text “SUITCASES” point to the same word. It begins with B.
BAGGAGE
ALPHA INTEL AREA
9Alpha intel area
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Alpha intel area”.
AIA
10Baby bed
Left column 3/9 · 4 letters · across
Use the text “BABY BED” if the picture is unclear. First letter C.
CRIB
KILO
11Kilo
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Kilo starts with the answer.
K
SOME-BODY
12Some-body
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
SB
13Skyscraper
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Picture plus words: “SKYSCRAPER”. The answer opens with T.
TOWER
AIR TRANSP. RADIO
14Air transp. radio
Left column 7/9 · 3 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
ATR
15Attack
Left column 8/9 · 4 letters · across
Use the text “ATTACK” if the picture is unclear. First letter G.
GOAT
SCOUT'S ACTIVITY
16Scout's activity
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with E. Solving “After n” first gives you its fifth letter.
EXPLORE
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
WEAPON
17Weapon
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
G _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Grat-ifying”.
GUN
SMALL CHEW
18Small chew
Row 3, col 5 · 4 letters · down
B _ _ _. Solving “Not messy” first gives you its third letter.
BITE
AIRMAN JUNIOR
19Airman junior
Row 4, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
AJ
RUBBER WHEEL
20Rubber wheel
Row 4, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ _. “Skyscraper” crosses it at the third square.
TIRE
THE "N" IN TNT
21The "n" in tnt
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Fits N _ _ R _. Solving “Watch over” first gives you its fourth letter.
NITRO
WRINKLE REDUCER
22Wrinkle reducer
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Starts with B; pattern B _ _ O _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Attack”.
BOTOX
NOT MESSY
23Not messy
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits T _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Watch over”.
TIDY
COVER TIGHTLY
24Cover tightly
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Starts with W; pattern W _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Attack”.
WRAP
MUSICAL NOTE
25Musical note
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
One letter only. It is the standard short form for “Musical note”.
A
NOT NEAR
26Not near
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Begins with F. “Scout's activity” crosses it at the third square.
FAR
ELECTR. FLIGHT BAG
27Electr. flight bag
Row 8, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 3 squares.
EFB
TOO LONG
28Too long
Row 8, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Too long”.
TL
PACINO OR GORE
29Pacino or gore
Row 9, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Begins with A. The second square is also part of “Grat-ifying”.
AL
AFTER N
30After n
Row 9, col 6 · 1 letter · down
Step one letter forward from N in the alphabet.
O
Crossword Challenge Level 117 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1188×10 · 30 clues · 4 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 2 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answersCrossword Challenge Puzzle 1198×10 · 29 clues · 4 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, with no fill-in-the-blank clues.See hints and answers
Puzzle 117 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 117 with us. Puzzle 118 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.