Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1286 Clues and Answers
Puzzle 1286 of Crossword Challenge gives you 30 clues on a 8×10 board. Each one is listed below with a hint first and the answer second.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 30 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 3 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 3 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 2 clues are fill-ins, and 2 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Of one mind”.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 1286: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to “Entirely”. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to “Of one mind”. 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.
OF ONE MIND
1Of one mind
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Starts with U; pattern U _ _ N _ _ O _ _. The picture clue in the left column crosses it at the sixth square.
UNANIMOUS
ANIMAL TRAINER
2Animal trainer
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
Fits T _ _ E _. Its fourth letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
TAMER
TEXAS STATE POLICE
3Texas state police
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
TSP
EARLY ACCESS
4Early access
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
EA
REASON
5Reason
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Reason starts with the answer.
R
DEN
6Den
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: L _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “STA___TIC”.
LAIR
1000, 1500 AND 2000: ABBR.
71000, 1500 and 2000: abbr.
Top row 7/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: Y _ _. The third square is also part of “STA___TIC”.
YRS
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
ENTIRELY
8Entirely
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: U _ _ E _ _ Y. Check the fifth letter against “Reason”.
UTTERLY
DISCOVERY GRP.
9Discovery grp.
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with N. “Texas state police” crosses it at the third square.
NASA
CONCERT STAGE SIGHT
10Concert stage sight
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
A _ _. Check the third letter against “Texas state police”.
AMP
bo-
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “bo-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with N.
NE
FURIOUS
12Furious
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
I _ _ T _. Check the fourth letter against “Acid user”.
IRATE
-om
13Picture clue
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Say what the picture shows. “-om” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with M.
M
PROMISE
14Promise
Left column 7/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with O. Check the third letter against “Memo heading”.
OATH
MAKE UNEASY
15Make uneasy
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits U _ _ E _ _ E. The fifth square is also part of “Prefix for play”.
UNNERVE
-aple
16Picture clue
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
The image carries “-aple”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with S.
ST
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
LE__NER
17LE__NER
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “LE__NER” go in the grid. First one: A.
AR
FOREST UNIT
18Forest unit
Row 3, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Furious”.
TREE
STA___TIC
19STA___TIC
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “STA___TIC” and enter only the missing part, starting with T.
TIS
ACID USER
20Acid user
Row 4, col 5 · 6 letters · down
E _ _ H _ _. Check the fourth letter against “Promise”.
ETCHER
DROP A BRICK
21 drop a brick
Row 5, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Shape: E _ _. “Den” crosses it at the third square.
ERR
MEMO HEADING
22Memo heading
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Fits A _ _ _. “Promise” crosses it at the third square.
ATTN
23Picture clue
Row 5, col 8 · 5 letters · down
Name the object in the picture. B _ _ E _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Make uneasy”.
BLEED
BRAVE
24Brave
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Brave.
B
NOT TAPED
25Not taped
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
L _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Make uneasy”.
LIVE
ANTIGEN DISABLER
26Antigen disabler
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Fits T _ _ L _. Solving “Not taped” first gives you its fourth letter.
TCELL
TINY PEST
27Tiny pest
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
A _ _. The picture clue in the left column crosses it at the third square.
ANT
INTERNET EXPLORER
28Internet explorer
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
IE
PREFIX FOR PLAY
29Prefix for play
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · down
R _. Its second letter is shared with “Marsh plant”.
RE
MARSH PLANT
30Marsh plant
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
R _ _ _. Solving “Not taped” first gives you its third letter.
REED
Crossword Challenge Level 1286 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 1286 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 1286 with us. Puzzle 1287 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.