Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2053 Clues and Answers
Stuck somewhere in Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2053? All 30 clues on this 8×10 grid are solved below, one card per clue.
Short answers dominate here: 12 of 30 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures; 6 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 6 clues are fill-ins, and 4 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Mind controller”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to the picture clue in the left column, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Mind controller”. 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.
MIND CONTROLLER
1Mind controller
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Starts with H; pattern H _ _ N _ _ I _ _. The picture clue in the left column crosses it at the sixth square.
HYPNOTIST
HELPING HAND
2Helping hand
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
A _ _ _. “Public display affection” crosses it at the third square.
AIDE
BEFORE U
3Before u
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
The alphabet letter right before U.
T
CONTROL VALVE
4Control valve
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Control valve” to its initials.
CV
SHORE BIRD
5Shore bird
Top row 5/7 · 5 letters · down
Fits H _ _ O _. Its fourth letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
HERON
CULTURAL
6Cultural
Top row 6/7 · 6 letters · down
Begins with E. Its fourth letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
ETHNIC
___ CLOSE TO CALL
7___ CLOSE TO CALL
Top row 7/7 · 3 letters · down
The missing word in “___ CLOSE TO CALL” starts with T.
TOO
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Picture clue
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
What is shown in the image? Shape: H _ _ C _ _ T. “Shore bird” crosses it at the fifth square.
HATCHET
YOUNG'S INDEX
9Young's index
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Young's index”.
YI
PUBLIC DISPLAY AFFECTION
10Public display affection
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 3 squares.
PDA
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 6 letters · across
Look at the picture and fit it to N _ _ R _ _. Check the fourth letter against “Case outcome”.
NEURON
TEMP_
12TEMP_
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
Only the hidden letters of “TEMP_” go in the grid. First one: O.
O
13Picture clue
Left column 6/9 · 4 letters · across
One word for the picture, starting with T. Check the third letter against “Car”.
TOOL
NOT OUT
14Not out
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
I _. Solving “___ THE NEXT” first gives you its second letter.
IN
CUTOUT TO FILL IN
15Cutout to fill in
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with S. Check the fifth letter against “British columbia”.
STENCIL
16Picture clue
Left column 9/9 · 4 letters · across
What is shown in the image? Shape: T _ _ _. The third square is also part of “REFER__CE”.
TONG
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
DENIAL
17Denial
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
V _ _ _. “Cultural” crosses it at the third square.
VETO
CAR
18Car
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Shape: A _ _ _. Solving “Caesar's dressing” first gives you its third letter.
AUTO
GREEK LETTER AFTER PI
19Greek letter after pi
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with R; pattern R _ _. Its third letter is shared with “___ CLOSE TO CALL”.
RHO
CASE OUTCOME
20Case outcome
Row 4, col 5 · 6 letters · down
Shape: R _ _ I _ _. The fourth square is also part of “Infiniband”.
RULING
MIGHT
21Might
Row 5, col 8 · 5 letters · down
Fits C _ _ L _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Cutout to fill in”.
COULD
CAESAR'S DRESSING
22Caesar's dressing
Row 6, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Fits T _ _ I _. Solving “Cultural” first gives you its fourth letter.
TUNIC
"___ THE NEXT"
23"___ THE NEXT"
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Which word finishes “___ THE NEXT”? It fits O _ _ _.
ONTO
__NTENT
24__NTENT
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “__NTENT” and enter only the missing part, starting with C.
CO
BRITISH COLUMBIA
25British columbia
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
BC
INFINIBAND
26Infiniband
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · across
I _. “British columbia” crosses it at the second square.
IB
REFER__CE
27REFER__CE
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Only the hidden letters of “REFER__CE” go in the grid. First one: E.
EN
ANN_ALLY
28ANN_ALLY
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Fill the gap in “ANN_ALLY”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with U.
U
INJECTION JET
29Injection jet
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
IJ
JURIS DOCTOR
30Juris doctor
Row 10, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
JD
Crossword Challenge Level 2053 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 2053 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 2053 with us. Puzzle 2054 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.