Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1988 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1988 is an 8×10 board with 29 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
Expect plenty of tiny answers, 8 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; 1 wants just the first letter of a single word; 1 clue is a fill-in, and 1 of it needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Gossip chain”.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Transmission”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Gossip chain”, 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.
1Gossip chain
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Picture plus words: “GOSSIP CHAIN”. The answer opens with G.
GRAPEVINE
HEARING AID
2Hearing aid
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Fits E _ _. The picture clue in the left column crosses it at the third square.
EAR
WEAPONRY STOCK
3Weaponry stock
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Begins with A. Solving the picture clue in the left column first gives you its third letter.
AMMO
AFTER Q
4 after q
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
The alphabet letter right after Q.
R
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 6 letters · down
Name the object in the picture. B _ _ D _ _. Check the fourth letter against “Command”.
BRIDGE
NOT INNER
6Not inner
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Fits O _ _ E _. Check the fourth letter against “Command”.
OUTER
bo--r
7Picture clue
Top row 7/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “bo--r”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with X.
XE
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
TRANSMISSION
8Transmission
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
G _ _ R _ _ X. Its fifth letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
GEARBOX
ARIES ANIMAL
9Aries animal
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits R _ _. “Weaponry stock” crosses it at the third square.
RAM
10Picture clue
Left column 3/9 · 6 letters · across
One word for the picture, starting with A. Its fourth letter is shared with “Satisfied and honored”.
ARMPIT
AFTER O
11After o
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
The alphabet letter right after O.
P
ECHO DELTA
12Echo delta
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Echo delta” to its initials.
ED
PLACE FOR A GIG
13Place for a gig
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Starts with V; pattern V _ _ U _. The fourth square is also part of “Satisfied and honored”.
VENUE
APPLE MUSIC PLAYER
14Apple music player
Left column 7/9 · 4 letters · across
Fits I _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Lump”.
IPOD
NOT OUR DRAMA
15Not our drama
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Not our drama” to its initials.
NOD
NEVER-ENDING
16Never-ending
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with E. Its fifth letter is shared with “Private network”.
ETERNAL
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
BEMOAN
17Bemoan
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits R _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
RUE
SATISFIED AND HONORED
18Satisfied and honored
Row 3, col 5 · 5 letters · down
Begins with P. Check the fourth letter against “Place for a gig”.
PROUD
PROPERTY LEASE
19Property lease
Row 4, col 8 · 6 letters · down
R _ _ T _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “You too”.
RENTAL
COMMAND
20Command
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Fits O _ _ E _. Solving “Not inner” first gives you its fourth letter.
ORDER
POINT ALONG A LINE
21Point along a line
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Starts with D; pattern D _ _ O _. “Not our drama” crosses it at the fourth square.
DEPOT
BIG BRUTE
22Big brute
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with O. The third square is also part of “Not inner”.
OGRE
LUMP
23Lump
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Starts with N; pattern N _ _ _. “Not our drama” crosses it at the third square.
NODE
NICKNAME
24Nickname
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Nickname.
N
OPPOSITE OF NAY
25Opposite of nay
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Y _ _. Check the third letter against “Never-ending”.
YEA
YOU TOO
26You too
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “You too”.
YT
PRIVATE NETWORK
27Private network
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
PN
GREEN BIT IN FRIED RICE
28Green bit in fried rice
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
P _ _. The third square is also part of “Property lease”.
PEA
BA_
29BA_
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Fill the gap in “BA_”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with R.
R
Crossword Challenge Level 1988 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
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Puzzle 1988 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 1988 with us. Puzzle 1989 is next, with 34 clues on a 8×10 board.