Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2131 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2131 is an 8×10 board with 31 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
Short answers dominate here: 12 of 31 fit in one or two squares. 3 clues are pictures, and 1 of those asks you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 5 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 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.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 2131: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to the picture clue in the left column. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to the picture clue in the top row. 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.
1Picture clue
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: B _ _ E _ _ I _ _. Solving “Biological molecule” first gives you its sixth letter.
BLUEPRINT
USER AGENT
2User agent
Top row 2/7 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “User agent”.
UA
NEST BUILDER
3Nest builder
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: B _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Splendid”.
BIRD
DOG VARIETY
4Dog variety
Top row 4/7 · 5 letters · down
Fits B _ _ E _. The fourth square is also part of “Older person”.
BREED
AFTER K
5After k
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Recite the alphabet up to K; the answer is its next letter.
L
BIG SLICE OF HISTORY
6Big slice of history
Top row 6/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: E _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Splendid”.
ERA
ALL BY ONESELF
7All by oneself
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: S _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Splendid”.
SOLO
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Picture clue
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Describe the picture in one word that fits B _ _ B _ _ S. Solving “After k” first gives you its fifth letter.
BUBBLES
DEN
9Den
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with L. “Nest builder” crosses it at the third square.
LAIR
AFTER T
10After t
Left column 3/9 · 1 letter · across
The alphabet letter right after T.
U
OLDER PERSON
11Older person
Left column 4/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with E. “Dog variety” crosses it at the fourth square.
ELDER
shop--r
12Picture clue
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “shopr” gives the answer. First letter: P.
PE
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULE
13Biological molecule
Left column 6/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits R _ _. Check the third letter against “MATERI__”.
RNA
ICE HOUSE
14Ice house
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Shape: I _ _ O _. Check the fourth letter against “Boat equipment”.
IGLOO
NORMALIZED TIME
15Normalized time
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
NT
COUNSEL-ING SESSION
16Counsel-ing session
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ R _ _ Y. “Breakfast cereal” crosses it at the fifth square.
THERAPY
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
REACTIVE OUTPUT
17Reactive output
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
RO
BREAKFAST CEREAL
18Breakfast cereal
Row 3, col 6 · 7 letters · down
G _ _ N _ _ A. Solving “Ice house” first gives you its fifth letter.
GRANOLA
SPLENDID
19Splendid
Row 4, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with R; pattern R _ _ A _. Solving “Big slice of history” first gives you its fourth letter.
REGAL
EXTENT
20Extent
Row 4, col 3 · 6 letters · down
Begins with L. Check the fourth letter against “Ice house”.
LENGTH
ARR_W
21ARR_W
Row 5, col 7 · 1 letter · across
“ARR_W” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with O.
O
YOU ALL
22You all
Row 5, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
YA
"HAPPY MOTHER'S ___!"
23"HAPPY MOTHER'S ___!"
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Complete the phrase “HAPPY MOTHER'S ___!”. Shape: D _ _.
DAY
MATERI__
24MATERI__
Row 6, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Rebuild the word in “MATERI__” and enter only the missing part, starting with A.
AL
NOT FREE TO HANG OUT
25Not free to hang out
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Fits B _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Donations for the needy”.
BUSY
ARREST SUDDENLY
26Arrest suddenly
Row 7, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits N _ _. “Not free to hang out” crosses it at the third square.
NAB
BOAT EQUIPMENT
27Boat equipment
Row 7, col 5 · 3 letters · down
Shape: O _ _. The third square is also part of “Counsel-ing session”.
OAR
BEQ_EST
28BEQ_EST
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
“BEQ_EST” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with U.
U
MUSIC PRODUCER
29Music producer
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Music producer”.
MP
DONATIONS FOR THE NEEDY
30Donations for the needy
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: A _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Music producer”.
ALMS
_COLOGIST
31_COLOGIST
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Fill the gap in “_COLOGIST”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with E.
E
Crossword Challenge Level 2131 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 2131 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 2131 with us. Puzzle 2132 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.