Crossword Challenge Puzzle 1998 Clues and Answers
Puzzle 1998 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. 3 clues are pictures, and 2 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 1 clue wants only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 7 clues are fill-ins, and 3 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to the picture clue in the top row.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “___ COMMAND (CLASSIC ARCADE GAME)”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to the picture clue in the top row, 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.
1Picture clue
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
One word for the picture, starting with M. Solving “Grove” first gives you its sixth letter.
MORSECODE
"AMERICAN ___," TV TALENT SHOW
2"AMERICAN ___," TV TALENT SHOW
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
Complete the phrase “AMERICAN ___," TV TALENT SHOW”. Shape: I _ _ _.
IDOL
SAD
3Sad
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
Sad starts with the answer.
S
DOUBLE S
4Double s
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Shape: S _. Check the second letter against “Data point”.
SS
"___ SHOW TIME!"
5"___ SHOW TIME!"
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Which word finishes “___ SHOW TIME!”? It fits I _ _.
ITS
CHURCH GROUP
6Church group
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
L _ _ T _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Town hall”.
LAITY
ENGRAVE
7Engrave
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits E _ _ _. Solving “CLAS___AL” first gives you its third letter.
ETCH
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
___ COMMAND (CLASSIC ARCADE GAME)
8___ COMMAND (CLASSIC ARCADE GAME)
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Complete the phrase “___ COMMAND (CLASSIC ARCADE GAME)”. Shape: M _ _ S _ _ E.
MISSILE
blo-- test
9Picture clue
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“blo-- test”). What is left starts with O.
OD
THIN POLE
10Thin pole
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
R _ _. Check the third letter against “Humid”.
ROD
LARGE CHUNK
11Large chunk
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with S. “Humid” crosses it at the third square.
SLAB
LETTER AFTER D
12Letter after d
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
Recite the alphabet up to D; the answer is its next letter.
E
GROVE
13Grove
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with C. Check the fourth letter against “Lively party”.
COPSE
microsc--e
14Picture clue
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
The image carries “microsc--e”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with O.
OP
DAWN DROPS
15Dawn drops
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Shape: D _ _. Check the third letter against “Toilet”.
DEW
MAKE SECRET, IN A WAY
16Make secret, in a way
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
E _ _ R _ _ T. Solving “Requir-ing help” first gives you its fifth letter.
ENCRYPT
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
DATA POINT
17Data point
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
S _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Church group”.
STAT
HUMID
18Humid
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Fits D _ _ _. Solving “Lots” first gives you its third letter.
DAMP
CLAS___AL
19CLAS___AL
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “CLAS___AL” go in the grid. First one: S.
SIC
LIVELY PARTY
20Lively party
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Begins with B. The third square is also part of “Grove”.
BASH
TOWN HALL
21Town hall
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Town hall”.
TH
REQUIR-ING HELP
22Requir-ing help
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Begins with N. The fourth square is also part of “LAU___LE”.
NEEDY
LOTS
23Lots
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · across
Starts with M; pattern M _ _ _. “Requir-ing help” crosses it at the third square.
MANY
UNLOCK
24Unlock
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Shape: O _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Dawn drops”.
OPEN
OWED MONEY
25Owed money
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Begins with D. Solving “LAU___LE” first gives you its third letter.
DEBT
_OWN
26_OWN
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only the hidden letters of “_OWN” go in the grid. First one: D.
D
HIP-HOP GENRE
27Hip-hop genre
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Begins with R. Its third letter is shared with “Make secret, in a way”.
RAP
"___ COMES TROUBLE!"
28"___ COMES TROUBLE!"
Row 8, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Which word finishes “___ COMES TROUBLE!”? It fits H _ _ _.
HERE
TOILET
29Toilet
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Fits W _. The second square is also part of “Make secret, in a way”.
WC
LAU___LE
30LAU___LE
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “LAU___LE” go in the grid. First one: D.
DAB
REPLY
31Reply
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Only one square: take the initial of Reply.
R
Crossword Challenge Level 1998 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 19998×10 · 32 clues · 3 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 5 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answersCrossword Challenge Puzzle 20008×10 · 30 clues · 3 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 4 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answers
Puzzle 1998 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 1998 with us. Puzzle 1999 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.