Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2002 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 31 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2002, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
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; 1 wants 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 “Fun activity”.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 2002: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to “Plane landing”. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to “Fun activity”. One of those two words unlocks the first letter of 15 others.
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.
FUN ACTIVITY
1Fun activity
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
A _ _ S _ _ E _ _. Its sixth letter is shared with “Obsession”.
AMUSEMENT
OXIDIZE
2Oxidize
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: R _ _ _. “Avail oneself of” crosses it at the third square.
RUST
BETWEEN Q AND S
3Between q and s
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
The letter that sits between Q and S.
R
he--ht
4Picture clue
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “he--ht”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with I.
IG
BY WAY OF
5By way of
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Begins with V. “Six-pack” crosses it at the third square.
VIA
MONASTERY
6Monastery
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Shape: A _ _ E _. Its fourth letter is shared with “RES__”.
ABBEY
FOR FEAR THAT
7For fear that
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: L _ _ _. Solving “Six-pack” first gives you its third letter.
LEST
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
PLANE LANDING
8Plane landing
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ I _ _ L. The fifth square is also part of “By way of”.
ARRIVAL
-sket
9Picture clue
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
The image carries “-sket”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with M.
MU
AVAIL ONESELF OF
10Avail oneself of
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with U. The third square is also part of “Gain profit”.
USE
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
Look at the picture and fit it to S _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Gain profit”.
STAR
BETWEEN D AND F
12Between d and f
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
The letter that sits between D and F.
E
OBSESSION
13Obsession
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Starts with M; pattern M _ _ I _. Solving “Police operation” first gives you its fourth letter.
MANIA
ENERGY JOULE
14Energy joule
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Energy joule” to its initials.
EJ
DISMISSIVE REPLY
15Dismissive reply
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Shape: N _ _. Solving “Hello” first gives you its third letter.
NAH
ONE WITH INSTANT SIBLINGS
16One with instant siblings
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with T. The fifth square is also part of “Christmas song”.
TRIPLET
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
MOCKING REMARK
17Mocking remark
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
G _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Monastery”.
GIBE
GAIN PROFIT
18Gain profit
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · down
E _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Risqué”.
EARN
"SIX-PACK"
19"six-pack"
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits A _ _. “For fear that” crosses it at the third square.
ABS
POLICE OPERATION
20Police operation
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Fits R _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Obsession”.
RAID
RES__
21RES__
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
“RES__” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with E.
ET
CHRISTMAS SONG
22Christmas song
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
C _ _ O _. “I ___ YOU ONE!” crosses it at the fourth square.
CAROL
RISQUÉ
23Risqué
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · across
Begins with R. “Christmas song” crosses it at the third square.
RACY
OPEN A CRACK
24Open a crack
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Dismissive reply”.
AJAR
ASSIST WITH A CRIME
25Assist with a crime
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
A _ _ _. Solving “I ___ YOU ONE!” first gives you its third letter.
ABET
ALIEN
26Alien
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Alien.
A
WONDER
27Wonder
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: A _ _. Check the third letter against “One with instant siblings”.
AWE
DULLY COLORED
28Dully colored
Row 8, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: D _ _ _. “Wonder” crosses it at the third square.
DRAB
HELLO
29Hello
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Shape: H _. Check the second letter against “One with instant siblings”.
HI
"I ___ YOU ONE!"
30"I ___ YOU ONE!"
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
The missing word in “I ___ YOU ONE!” starts with O.
OWE
NEXT TO Q
31Next to q
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Think of one character, not a word, for “Next to q”.
P
Crossword Challenge Level 2002 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 2002 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 2002 with us. Puzzle 2003 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.