Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1268 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1268 is an 8×10 board with 32 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
12 of the 32 answers are one or two letters long. 4 clues are pictures, and 2 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; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 4 clues are fill-ins, and 3 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Almost”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to the picture clue in the left column, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Almost”. 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.
ALMOST
1Almost
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
V _ _ T _ _ L _ _. The sixth square is also part of “Passage”.
VIRTUALLY
IBEX
2Ibex
Top row 2/7 · 1 letter · down
Ibex starts with the answer.
I
SQUEEZE
3Squeeze
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
Starts with E; pattern E _ _. The third square is also part of “Curse the day”.
EKE
-paz
4Picture clue
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “-paz”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with T.
TO
NECK'S REAR
5Neck's rear
Top row 5/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits N _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Bacon source”.
NAPE
PEN NAME
6Pen name
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
A _ _ A _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Academic official”.
ALIAS
7Picture clue
Top row 7/7 · 6 letters · down
Look at the picture and fit it to M _ _ N _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Academic official”.
MAGNET
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Picture clue
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Describe the picture in one word that fits V _ _ T _ _ M. “Neck's rear” crosses it at the fifth square.
VIETNAM
ANALYT_C
9ANALYT_C
Left column 2/9 · 1 letter · across
Fill the gap in “ANALYT_C”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with I.
I
CURSE THE DAY
10Curse the day
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
R _ _. The third square is also part of “Squeeze”.
RUE
TOILET PAPER
11Toilet paper
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
TP
DESIRE
12Desire
Left column 5/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with U. “Google sheets” crosses it at the third square.
URGE
PASSAGE
13Passage
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Shape: A _ _ L _. The fourth square is also part of “Bagel shop”.
AISLE
ROMAN 55
14Roman 55
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
Begins with L. Check the second letter against “Against current”.
LV
wal-
15Picture clue
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “wal-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with L.
LET
YEMENI RIYAL
16Yemeni riyal
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Yemeni riyal” to its initials.
YR
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
AUSSIE "BEAR"
17Aussie "bear"
Row 3, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Begins with K. “Pen name” crosses it at the fourth square.
KOALA
AGAINST CURRENT
18Against current
Row 3, col 3 · 7 letters · down
Fits U _ _ I _ _ R. Its fifth letter is shared with “Roman 55”.
UPRIVER
BACON SOURCE
19Bacon source
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shape: P _ _. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its third letter.
PIG
BAGEL SHOP
20Bagel shop
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Shape: D _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Passage”.
DELI
ACADEMIC OFFICIAL
21Academic official
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with D. The third square is also part of “Pen name”.
DEAN
GOOGLE SHEETS
22Google sheets
Row 5, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Google sheets”.
GS
SEARCH ENGINE
23Search engine
Row 6, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
SE
"IF ALL ___ FAILS…"
24"IF ALL ___ FAILS…"
Row 6, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Complete the phrase “IF ALL ___ FAILS…”. Shape: E _ _ _.
ELSE
TALK
25Talk
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Talk.
T
CHILD
26Child
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
K _ _. Check the third letter against “Hand over”.
KID
TYPE
27Type
Row 8, col 4 · 3 letters · across
I _ _. Check the third letter against “Child”.
ILK
AFTER S
28After s
Row 8, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Recite the alphabet up to S; the answer is its next letter.
T
MOTIVA__
29MOTIVA__
Row 8, col 8 · 2 letters · down
Only the hidden letters of “MOTIVA__” go in the grid. First one: T.
TE
"GET COMFY"
30"get comfy"
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits S _ _. Its third letter is shared with “MOTIVA__”.
SIT
_ABBAGE
31_ABBAGE
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Rebuild the word in “_ABBAGE” and enter only the missing part, starting with C.
C
HAND OVER
32Hand over
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: C _ _ _. Solving “Child” first gives you its third letter.
CEDE
Crossword Challenge Level 1268 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 1268 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 1268 with us. Puzzle 1269 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.