Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2303 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2303 is an 8×10 board with 32 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
Short answers dominate here: 14 of 32 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; 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 3 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 the picture clue in the left column, 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
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“+s”). What is left starts with D.
DECREASES
FLIGHTLESS BIRD
2Flightless bird
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: E _ _. “CAL__LUS” crosses it at the third square.
EMU
CULINARY INSTITUTE
3Culinary institute
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
CI
APPOINT
4Appoint
Top row 4/7 · 6 letters · down
Starts with O; pattern O _ _ A _ _. Solving “User agent” first gives you its fourth letter.
ORDAIN
AFTER C
5After c
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Recite the alphabet up to C; the answer is its next letter.
D
WIDE AREA
6Wide area
Top row 6/7 · 7 letters · down
Fits E _ _ A _ _ E. Solving “Naval banner” first gives you its fifth letter.
EXPANSE
7Picture clue
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Name the object in the picture. R _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Fool”.
REEL
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Picture clue
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Name the object in the picture. D _ _ O _ _ R. Its fifth letter is shared with “After c”.
DECODER
MIDEAST RULER
9Mideast ruler
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: E _ _ _. Solving “Culinary institute” first gives you its third letter.
EMIR
CAL__LUS
10CAL__LUS
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
“CAL__LUS” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with C.
CU
AFTER Q
11 after q
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
The alphabet letter right after Q.
R
NAVAL BANNER
12Naval banner
Left column 5/9 · 6 letters · across
Starts with E; pattern E _ _ I _ _. “Appoint” crosses it at the fourth square.
ENSIGN
ABDOMINAL
13Abdominal
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Abdominal starts with the answer.
A
DIP
14Dip
Left column 7/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with S. Solving “Gas bill info” first gives you its third letter.
SAG
BUILD UP
15Build up
Left column 8/9 · 5 letters · across
Shape: E _ _ C _. The fourth square is also part of “Clock-wise”.
ERECT
SIGNAL KERNEL
16Signal kernel
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Signal kernel”.
SK
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
PICKA__
17PICKA__
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “PICKA__” and enter only the missing part, starting with X.
XE
ORANGE
18Orange
Row 3, col 6 · 1 letter · down
Orange starts with the answer.
O
FOOL
19Fool
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with D. Its third letter is shared with “Wide area”.
DOPE
GAS BILL INFO
20Gas bill info
Row 4, col 4 · 5 letters · down
Fits U _ _ G _. “Dip” crosses it at the fourth square.
USAGE
USER AGENT
21User agent
Row 5, col 3 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “User agent” to its initials.
UA
BEFORE O
22Before o
Row 5, col 3 · 1 letter · down
The alphabet letter right before O.
N
NUMER__
23NUMER__
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “NUMER__” and enter only the missing part, starting with A.
AL
DISTANCE AROUND
24Distance around
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
G _ _ T _. “Build up” crosses it at the fourth square.
GIRTH
HARDLY _____ (RARELY)
25HARDLY _____ (RARELY)
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Complete the phrase “HARDLY _____ (RARELY)”. Shape: E _ _ _.
EVER
OUZO HERB
26Ouzo herb
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Begins with A. Its fourth letter is shared with “Wide area”.
ANISE
NOAH'S ___
27NOAH'S ___
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
Say “NOAH'S ___” out loud and the blank fills itself: A _ _.
ARK
SPEED UP AN ENGINE
28Speed up an engine
Row 8, col 5 · 3 letters · across
R _ _. Solving “HARDLY _____ (RARELY)” first gives you its third letter.
REV
CLOCK-WISE
29Clock-wise
Row 8, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Clock-wise” to its initials.
CW
E FOR EFFORT
30E for effort
Row 9, col 7 · 1 letter · across
A single letter or symbol answers “E for effort”.
E
INTRO
31Intro
Row 9, col 7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Intro.
I
FAN'S SOUND
32Fan's sound
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits W _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Intro”.
WHIR
Crossword Challenge Level 2303 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 23048×10 · 30 clues · 3 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 5 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answersCrossword Challenge Puzzle 23058×10 · 32 clues · 3 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 4 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answers
Puzzle 2303 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 2303 with us. Puzzle 2304 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.