Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1709 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 30 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1709, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
9 of the 30 answers are one or two letters long. 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; 4 clues are fill-ins, and 4 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Places”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Permanent”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Places”. 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.
PLACES
1Places
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Starts with L; pattern L _ _ A _ _ O _ _. Solving “After h” first gives you its sixth letter.
LOCATIONS
ACTOR
2Actor
Top row 2/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Actor.
A
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 8 letters · down
Describe the picture in one word that fits S _ _ U _ _ E _. Its fifth letter is shared with “Reveal”.
SHOULDER
ar---t
4Picture clue
Top row 4/7 · 3 letters · down
Picture word minus “art” gives the answer. First letter: T.
TIS
____ tea
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 4 letters · down
Picture word minus “____ tea” gives the answer. First letter: I.
ICED
NATURAL
6Natural
Top row 6/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Natural.
N
DUDES
7Dudes
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: G _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Intently”.
GUYS
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
PERMANENT
8Permanent
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
L _ _ T _ _ G. Its fifth letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
LASTING
AFTER N
9After n
Left column 2/9 · 1 letter · across
Step one letter forward from N in the alphabet.
O
INTENTLY
10Intently
Left column 3/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with C; pattern C _ _ S _ _ Y. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the fifth square.
CLOSELY
ACTIVITY YIELD UTILITY
11Activity yield utility
Left column 4/9 · 3 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Activity yield utility”.
AYU
REVEAL
12Reveal
Left column 5/9 · 4 letters · across
T _ _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
TELL
AFTER H
13After h
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Recite the alphabet up to H; the answer is its next letter.
I
DEEP WATER
14Deep water
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Fits O _ _ A _. Solving “Rent” first gives you its fourth letter.
OCEAN
PATIENT CARE FIELD
15Patient care field
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: N _ _ S _ _ G. Its fifth letter is shared with “Indigo plant”.
NURSING
-arkles
16Picture clue
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “-arkles” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with S.
SP
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
MYT___AL
17MYT___AL
Row 3, col 3 · 3 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “MYT___AL” and enter only the missing part, starting with H.
HIC
STRONG ALKALI
18Strong alkali
Row 3, col 3 · 3 letters · down
Begins with L. “Reveal” crosses it at the third square.
LYE
BEQ_EST
19BEQ_EST
Row 3, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Fill the gap in “BEQ_EST”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with U.
U
MISSING
20Missing
Row 3, col 7 · 4 letters · down
L _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “_NEAKER”.
LOST
DEGREE OF SUCCESS
21Degree of success
Row 5, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Degree of success” to its initials.
DOS
RENT
22Rent
Row 5, col 5 · 5 letters · down
Starts with L; pattern L _ _ S _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Patient care field”.
LEASE
_NEAKER
23_NEAKER
Row 6, col 6 · 1 letter · across
Only the hidden letters of “_NEAKER” go in the grid. First one: S.
S
INDIGO PLANT
24Indigo plant
Row 6, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Fits A _ _ _. “Patient care field” crosses it at the third square.
ANIL
PART OF XOXOX
25Part of xoxox
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Starts with H; pattern H _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Patient care field”.
HUGS
END OF LIFE
26End of life
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Shape: D _ _ T _. Check the fourth letter against “Missing”.
DEATH
COFFEE HOLDER
27Coffee holder
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
C _ _. Its third letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
CUP
CL_STER
28CL_STER
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
“CL_STER” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with U.
U
NAUTICAL MILE
29Nautical mile
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
NM
BLIGHTED TREES
30Blighted trees
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits E _ _ _. “Nautical mile” crosses it at the third square.
ELMS
Crossword Challenge Level 1709 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 1709 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 1709 with us. Puzzle 1710 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.