Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1686 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 30 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1686, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 30 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 2 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; 3 clues are fill-ins, and 1 of them needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Building frame-work”.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Initiated”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Building frame-work”, 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.
BUILDING FRAME-WORK
1Building frame-work
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
S _ _ U _ _ U _ _. Solving the picture clue in the left column first gives you its sixth letter.
STRUCTURE
COURT EVENT
2Court event
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
T _ _ A _. “United airlines” crosses it at the fourth square.
TRIAL
-io
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
Picture word minus “io” gives the answer. First letter: A.
AUD
MINIATU__
4MINIATU__
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Fill the gap in “MINIATU__”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with R.
RE
BEFORE U
5Before u
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Step one letter back from U in the alphabet.
T
"WHO ___ IS WITH ME?"
6"WHO ___ IS WITH ME?"
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Say “WHO ___ IS WITH ME?” out loud and the blank fills itself: E _ _ _.
ELSE
REJECTED
7Rejected
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
Fits D _ _ M _ _ S _ _. Check the sixth letter against “Scenic sights”.
DISMISSED
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
INITIATED
8Initiated
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: S _ _ R _ _ D. “Before u” crosses it at the fifth square.
STARTED
9Picture clue
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
What is shown in the image? Shape: T _ _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
TRUE
CLEANSE (OF)
10Cleanse (of)
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits R _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
RID
UNITED AIRLINES
11United airlines
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “United airlines”.
UA
OBVIOUS
12Obvious
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
Fits C _ _ A _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Couple”.
CLEAR
13Picture clue
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Name the object in the picture. T.
T
WEBSITE MEMBER
14Website member
Left column 7/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with U. The third square is also part of “Social gathering”.
USER
saff-
15Picture clue
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “saff-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with R.
RON
WENT IN
16Went in
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits E _ _ E _ _ D. Check the fifth letter against “Choice connector”.
ENTERED
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
ROMAN NUMERAL 51
17Roman numeral 51
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Starts with L; pattern L _. Its second letter is shared with “Rejected”.
LI
EXTRA
18Extra
Row 3, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Starts with M; pattern M _ _ _. Solving “Obvious” first gives you its third letter.
MORE
MEDICAL SCHOOL STUDENT
19Medical school student
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
MSS
COUPLE
20Couple
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Begins with P. The third square is also part of “Scenic sights”.
PAIR
LYRIC CREATION
21Lyric creation
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: P _ _ _. Solving “WHO ___ IS WITH ME?” first gives you its third letter.
POEM
SOCIAL GATHERING
22Social gathering
Row 5, col 4 · 5 letters · down
E _ _ N _. Check the fourth letter against the picture clue in the left column.
EVENT
ICE
23Ice
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Ice, nothing more.
I
"___ NUMBER ONE!"
24"___ NUMBER ONE!"
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Complete the phrase “___ NUMBER ONE!”. Shape: W _ _ _.
WERE
SCENIC SIGHTS
25Scenic sights
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with V; pattern V _ _ W _. Check the fourth letter against “___ NUMBER ONE!”.
VIEWS
MALE HEIR
26Male heir
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
Fits S _ _. “Went in” crosses it at the third square.
SON
EXTRA SENSORY
27Extra sensory
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Extra sensory” to its initials.
ES
CHOICE CONNECTOR
28Choice connector
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · down
O _. Check the second letter against “Went in”.
OR
ASSAYER'S MATERIAL
29Assayer's material
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits O _ _. The third square is also part of “Rejected”.
ORE
ELITE
30Elite
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Only one square: take the initial of Elite.
E
Crossword Challenge Level 1686 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 1686 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 1686 with us. Puzzle 1687 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.