Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2014 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2014 is an 8×10 board with 30 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 30 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 3 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 4 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 5 clues are fill-ins, and 4 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to the picture clue in the top row.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “By means of”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to the picture clue in the top row. 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.
+s
1Picture clue
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
The image carries “+s”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with T.
THOUSANDS
t---der
2Picture clue
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Picture word minus “tder” gives the answer. First letter: H.
HUN
LIKE A BILLIONAIRE
3Like a billionaire
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
R _ _ _. Check the third letter against “I'LL ONLY SAY THIS ___ …”.
RICH
AFTER N
4After n
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Recite the alphabet up to N; the answer is its next letter.
O
bo--uet
5BO__UET
Top row 5/7 · 2 letters · down
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“bo--uet”). What is left starts with U.
UQ
6Picture clue
Top row 6/7 · 8 letters · down
Describe the picture in one word that fits G _ _ D _ _ C _. Its fifth letter is shared with “Real energy activated”.
GUIDANCE
SACRED OR BLESSED
7Sacred or blessed
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
H _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “APR__”.
HOLY
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
BY MEANS OF
8By means of
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
T _ _ O _ _ H. Check the fifth letter against the picture clue in the top row.
THROUGH
HUMAN USER INTERFACE
9Human user interface
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
HUI
"I'LL ONLY SAY THIS ___ …"
10"I'LL ONLY SAY THIS ___ …"
Left column 3/9 · 4 letters · across
The missing word in “I'LL ONLY SAY THIS ___ …” starts with O.
ONCE
UPLOAD
11Upload
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Upload, nothing more.
U
STAY TRUE
12Stay true
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Stay true”.
ST
COMING UP
13Coming up
Left column 6/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ S _ _ G. The fifth square is also part of “Msnbc host joy”.
ARISING
"THE MATRIX" ROLE FOR KEANU REEVES
14"the matrix" role for keanu reeves
Left column 7/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with N. The third square is also part of “The music man" locale”.
NEO
EARLY MORNING LIGHT
15Early morning light
Left column 8/9 · 4 letters · across
D _ _ _. Check the third letter against “The music man" locale”.
DAWN
AFFIRM
16Affirm
Left column 9/9 · 5 letters · across
S _ _ T _. Its fourth letter is shared with “RE__”.
STATE
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
TUR___ISE
17TUR___ISE
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
“TUR___ISE” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with Q.
QUO
HEARING ORGANS
18Hearing organs
Row 3, col 5 · 4 letters · down
E _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Real energy activated”.
EARS
APR__
19APR__
Row 4, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “APR__” go in the grid. First one: I.
IL
MSNBC HOST JOY
20Msnbc host joy
Row 4, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Starts with R; pattern R _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Coming up”.
REID
STALWART
21Stalwart
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Fits H _ _ D _. Its fourth letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
HARDY
DOG'S GOODIE
22Dog's goodie
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Shape: T _ _ A _. Solving “Early morning light” first gives you its fourth letter.
TREAT
REAL ENERGY ACTIVATED
23Real energy activated
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Real energy activated” to its initials.
REA
"THE MUSIC MAN" LOCALE
24"the music man" locale
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Shape: I _ _ _. Solving “Early morning light” first gives you its third letter.
IOWA
PROFIT
25Profit
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Starts with G; pattern G _ _ _. “N__GHBOR” crosses it at the third square.
GAIN
DOLLAR-COST AVERAGING
26Dollar-cost averaging
Row 8, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
DCA
RE__
27RE__
Row 8, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Only the hidden letters of “RE__” go in the grid. First one: N.
NT
N__GHBOR
28N__GHBOR
Row 9, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fill the gap in “N__GHBOR”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with E.
EI
EGO
29Ego
Row 9, col 6 · 1 letter · down
Write the first letter of Ego, nothing more.
E
NUT
30Nut
Row 10, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Nut.
N
Crossword Challenge Level 2014 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 2014 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 2014 with us. Puzzle 2015 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.