Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2156 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2156 is an 8×10 board with 32 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
10 of the 32 answers are one or two letters long. 4 clues are pictures, and 2 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 3 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 1 wants just the first letter of a single word; 3 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.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 2156: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to “Areas of expertise”. 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
Describe the picture in one word that fits D _ _ C _ _ A _ _. Its sixth letter is shared with “After a”.
DISCOBALL
2Picture clue
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: O _ _ O _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Wheel tooth”.
ONION
SELF-REFERENCE
3Self-reference
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
Starts with M; pattern M _. Check the second letter against “Clumsy oaf”.
ME
pine---le
4Picture clue
Top row 4/7 · 3 letters · down
The image carries “pine---le”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with A.
APP
THINGY
5Thingy
Top row 5/7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with I; pattern I _ _ _. Solving “Hang loosely” first gives you its third letter.
ITEM
AFTER M
6After m
Top row 6/7 · 1 letter · down
The alphabet letter right after M.
N
EVERGLADES GRASS
7Everglades grass
Top row 7/7 · 5 letters · down
Starts with S; pattern S _ _ G _. The fourth square is also part of “Ceramic cup”.
SEDGE
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
8Areas of expertise
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
D _ _ A _ _ S. Solving “Thingy” first gives you its fifth letter.
DOMAINS
CLUMSY OAF
9Clumsy oaf
Left column 2/9 · 5 letters · across
Shape: I _ _ P _. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its fourth letter.
INEPT
PHY__CAL
10PHY__CAL
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “PHY__CAL” go in the grid. First one: S.
SI
WHEEL TOOTH
11Wheel tooth
Left column 4/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits C _ _. “Watch over” crosses it at the third square.
COG
BURDEN
12Burden
Left column 5/9 · 4 letters · across
Fits O _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Watch over”.
ONUS
AFTER A
13After a
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Step one letter forward from A in the alphabet.
B
ASSEMBLY
14Assembly
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with A. Check the fourth letter against “Sauna site”.
ARRAY
sa-
15Picture clue
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “sa-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with L.
LAD
LONG PLAY
16Long play
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Long play”.
LP
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
LETTER AFTER D
17Letter after d
Row 3, col 7 · 1 letter · across
The alphabet letter right after D.
E
ATOMIC BOMB
18Atomic bomb
Row 3, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: N _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Kinetic energy”.
NUKE
HANG LOOSELY
19Hang loosely
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with P. Check the third letter against “Atomic bomb”.
PEND
WATCH OVER
20Watch over
Row 4, col 4 · 5 letters · down
Fits G _ _ R _. The fourth square is also part of “Assembly”.
GUARD
CERAMIC CUP
21Ceramic cup
Row 5, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits M _ _. Check the third letter against “Everglades grass”.
MUG
SAUNA SITE
22Sauna site
Row 5, col 5 · 3 letters · down
Fits S _ _. Solving “Assembly” first gives you its third letter.
SPA
KINETIC ENERGY
23Kinetic energy
Row 6, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
KE
HARMONY, BRIEFLY
24Harmony, briefly
Row 6, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Begins with S. Solving “HO___ARY” first gives you its third letter.
SYNC
ALTAR AREA
25Altar area
Row 7, col 3 · 4 letters · across
A _ _ _. “Harmony, briefly” crosses it at the third square.
APSE
HIP-HOP MUSIC
26Hip-hop music
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
Begins with R. Check the third letter against “Long play”.
RAP
DO THE WRONG THING
27Do the wrong thing
Row 7, col 8 · 3 letters · down
Shape: E _ _. Solving “Healing trace” first gives you its third letter.
ERR
POR_
28POR_
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only the hidden letters of “POR_” go in the grid. First one: E.
E
OFFICE ASSISTANT
29Office assistant
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
OA
HO___ARY
30HO___ARY
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fill the gap in “HO___ARY”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with N.
NOR
SKILIFT
31Skilift
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Skilift starts with the answer.
S
HEALING TRACE
32Healing trace
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
S _ _ _. “Office assistant” crosses it at the third square.
SCAR
Crossword Challenge Level 2156 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 2156 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 2156 with us. Puzzle 2157 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.