Crossword Challenge Puzzle 181 Clues and Answers
Puzzle 181 of Crossword Challenge gives you 31 clues on a 8×10 board. Each one is listed below with a hint first and the answer second.
Expect plenty of tiny answers, 9 of them only one or two letters. 4 clues are pictures, and 1 of those asks 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; 2 clues are fill-ins, and 1 of them needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Certainty”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Not verified”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Certainty”. 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.
CERTAINTY
1Certainty
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Begins with A. Solving “Film-maker woody” first gives you its sixth letter.
ASSURANCE
___ DIEGO
2___ DIEGO
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Say “___ DIEGO” out loud and the blank fills itself: S _ _.
SAN
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Look at the picture and fit it to S _ _ _. The third square is also part of the picture clue in the left column.
STOP
AFTER T
4After t
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Recite the alphabet up to T; the answer is its next letter.
U
-le
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 2 letters · down
Picture word minus “le” gives the answer. First letter: M.
MO
HAVE FUN WITH
6Have fun with
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Begins with E. “Airline captain” crosses it at the fourth square.
ENJOY
OWED MONEY
7Owed money
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits D _ _ _. Solving “Job board” first gives you its third letter.
DEBT
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
NOT VERIFIED
8Not verified
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: A _ _ U _ _ D. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the fifth square.
ASSUMED
WAS IDLE
9Was idle
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Starts with S; pattern S _ _. Its third letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
SAT
10Picture clue
Left column 3/9 · 4 letters · across
Name the object in the picture. S _ _ _. Check the third letter against the picture clue in the top row.
SNOW
UP
11Up
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Up.
U
RACING CAR
12Racing car
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
RC
FILM-MAKER WOODY
13Film-maker woody
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with A. “Sage” crosses it at the fourth square.
ALLEN
NEAR-EARTH OBJECT
14Near-earth object
Left column 7/9 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Near-earth object” to its initials.
NEO
15Picture clue
Left column 8/9 · 4 letters · across
Name the object in the picture. C _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Missing”.
CASE
WENT IN
16Went in
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits E _ _ E _ _ D. Check the fifth letter against “Russet”.
ENTERED
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
FIRST NUMBER
17First number
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
O _ _. The third square is also part of “Owed money”.
ONE
SAGE
18Sage
Row 3, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Shape: W _ _ _. “Speak out” crosses it at the third square.
WISE
JOB BOARD
19Job board
Row 4, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Job board” to its initials.
JB
GROUND
20Ground
Row 4, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Fits L _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Film-maker woody”.
LAND
AIRLINE CAPTAIN
21Airline captain
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
P _ _ O _. The fourth square is also part of “Have fun with”.
PILOT
TIDY UP
22Tidy up
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
C _ _ A _. Check the fourth letter against the picture clue in the left column.
CLEAN
SPEAK OUT
23Speak out
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
S _ _. “Have fun with” crosses it at the third square.
SAY
MISSING
24Missing
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
L _ _ _. The third square is also part of the picture clue in the left column.
LOST
CHEMICAL SOLUTION
25Chemical solution
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
A _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Rhode island”.
ACID
HIGH GRADE
26High grade
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Think of one character, not a word, for “High grade”.
A
BEFORE
27Before
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Starts with E; pattern E _ _. Solving “Went in” first gives you its third letter.
ERE
LAST MONTH
28Last month
Row 8, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with D; pattern D _ _. “Chemical solution” crosses it at the third square.
DEC
S__D
29S__D
Row 8, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Rebuild the word in “S__D” and enter only the missing part, starting with E.
EE
RHODE ISLAND
30Rhode island
Row 9, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Rhode island” to its initials.
RI
RUSSET
31Russet
Row 9, col 6 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Russet.
R
Crossword Challenge Level 181 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 181 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 181 with us. Puzzle 182 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.