Crossword Challenge Puzzle 153 Clues and Answers
Stuck somewhere in Crossword Challenge Puzzle 153? All 30 clues on this 8×10 grid are solved below, one card per clue.
Expect plenty of tiny answers, 9 of them only one or two letters. 3 clues are pictures, and 1 of those asks you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 3 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 3 clues are fill-ins, and 2 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “In essence”.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Showy display”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to “In essence”, 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.
IN ESSENCE
1In essence
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Starts with B; pattern B _ _ I _ _ L _ _. Check the sixth letter against “Antigen”.
BASICALLY
SEVERITY
2Severity
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
Shape: R _ _ O _. The picture clue in the left column crosses it at the fourth square.
RIGOR
33
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: A _ _. “Military rank” crosses it at the third square.
ANT
VIRTUAL TOUR
4Virtual tour
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Virtual tour”.
VT
UPON
5Upon
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Upon starts with the answer.
U
COLLECT
6Collect
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Begins with R. “To droop” crosses it at the third square.
REAP
AVERAGE ABBR.
7Average abbr.
Top row 7/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: A _ _. Check the third letter against “To droop”.
AVG
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
SHOWY DISPLAY
8Showy display
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with B; pattern B _ _ V _ _ A. “Upon” crosses it at the fifth square.
BRAVURA
ISN'T, INFORM-ALLY
9Isn't, inform-ally
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with A. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its third letter.
AINT
MILITARY RANK
10Military rank
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with S. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its third letter.
SGT
rat-
1111
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“rat-”). What is left starts with I.
IO
LOUD WEEPER
12Loud weeper
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
C _ _ E _. “Move back” crosses it at the fourth square.
CRIER
ANTIGEN
13Antigen
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Antigen.
A
SOLO
14Solo
Left column 7/9 · 4 letters · across
L _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “THIS ___ FAIR!”.
LONE
FAIL TO MEET
15Fail to meet
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
L _ _ D _ _ N. “Office assistant” crosses it at the fifth square.
LETDOWN
YEAR
16Year
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Starts with Y; pattern Y _. Solving “Not 'neath” first gives you its second letter.
YR
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
__ERYDAY
17__ERYDAY
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “__ERYDAY” and enter only the missing part, starting with E.
EV
YOUR MAJESTY
18Your majesty
Row 3, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Begins with S. Solving “Loud weeper” first gives you its third letter.
SIRE
TO DROOP
19To droop
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with S; pattern S _ _. Solving “Average abbr.” first gives you its third letter.
SAG
MOVE BACK
20Move back
Row 4, col 5 · 6 letters · down
R _ _ E _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Solo”.
RECEDE
REST IN PEACE
21Rest in peace
Row 5, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Rest in peace”.
RIP
"THIS ___ FAIR!"
22"THIS ___ FAIR!"
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · down
The missing word in “THIS ___ FAIR!” starts with I.
ISNT
BOXER'S FAKE
23Boxer's fake
Row 5, col 8 · 5 letters · down
Begins with F. “Fail to meet” crosses it at the fourth square.
FEINT
FAR
24Far
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Far, nothing more.
F
THE LATEST
25The latest
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with N; pattern N _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Fail to meet”.
NEWS
PART OF A MOVIE
26Part of a movie
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Begins with S. Its fourth letter is shared with “The latest”.
SCENE
NOT 'NEATH
27Not 'neath
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
Shape: O _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Year”.
OER
__THER
28__THER
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fill the gap in “__THER”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with E.
EI
OFFICE ASSISTANT
29Office assistant
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
OA
3030
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Name the object in the picture. E _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “The latest”.
EAST
Crossword Challenge Level 153 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 153 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 153 with us. Puzzle 154 is next, with 29 clues on a 8×10 board.