Crossword Challenge Puzzle 254 Clues and Answers
Puzzle 254 of Crossword Challenge gives you 29 clues on a 8×10 board. Each one is listed below with a hint first and the answer second.
Short answers dominate here: 10 of 29 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 1 of those asks you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 3 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 2 clues are fill-ins. 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 “Stability”, 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.
1Picture clue
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Describe the picture in one word that fits B _ _ T _ _ F _ _. “Cheering for” crosses it at the sixth square.
BUTTERFLY
CALL (FOR)
2Call (for)
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
A _ _. Solving “Tool kit” first gives you its third letter.
ASK
smi-
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “smi-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with L.
LE
HABITUAL USER
4Habitual user
Top row 4/7 · 6 letters · down
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ I _ _. Solving “Eye makeup” first gives you its fourth letter.
ADDICT
NITROGEN
5Nitrogen
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Only one square: take the initial of Nitrogen.
N
6Picture clue
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: C _ _ _. Solving “Vacuum's target” first gives you its third letter.
CASE
FEMALE HORMONES
7Female hormones
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: E _ _ R _ _ E _ _. The sixth square is also part of “Cheering for”.
ESTROGENS
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
STABILITY
8Stability
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits B _ _ A _ _ E. The fifth square is also part of “Nitrogen”.
BALANCE
NOT NEW
9Not new
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with U. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
USED
TOOL KIT
10Tool kit
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
TK
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Look at the picture and fit it to T.
T
CHOOSE BY VOTE
12Choose by vote
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with E. The fourth square is also part of “Habitual user”.
ELECT
CHEERING FOR
13Cheering for
Left column 6/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits R _ _ T _ _ G. Check the fifth letter against “Up to”.
ROOTING
PLEASURE
14Pleasure
Left column 7/9 · 3 letters · across
Starts with F; pattern F _ _. Its third letter is shared with “SIERRA ___”.
FUN
LEGAL CLAIM
15Legal claim
Left column 8/9 · 4 letters · across
Starts with L; pattern L _ _ _. Check the third letter against “SIERRA ___”.
LIEN
YOUR SINCERELY
16Your sincerely
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Your sincerely” to its initials.
YS
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
LIKE THIS
17Like this
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fits A _. Its second letter is shared with “Female hormones”.
AS
UP TO
18Up to
Row 3, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Starts with U; pattern U _ _ I _. “Cheering for” crosses it at the fourth square.
UNTIL
VACUUM'S TARGET
19Vacuum's target
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
D _ _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
DUST
SIERRA ___
20SIERRA ___
Row 4, col 4 · 5 letters · down
Which word finishes “SIERRA ___”? It fits L _ _ N _.
LEONE
EYE MAKEUP
21Eye makeup
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Shape: L _ _ E _. The fourth square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
LINER
___ VUITTON
22___ VUITTON
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
The missing word in “___ VUITTON” starts with L.
LOUIS
OPTIMUM
23Optimum
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Optimum, nothing more.
O
AFTER THIS
24After this
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with N; pattern N _ _ _. “Xenon node” crosses it at the third square.
NEXT
ACTOR BRUCE
25Actor bruce
Row 8, col 5 · 3 letters · across
L _ _. Solving “Female hormones” first gives you its third letter.
LEE
NOT YES
26Not yes
Row 8, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Fits N _. The second square is also part of “Farm feed”.
NO
XENON NODE
27Xenon node
Row 9, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
XN
TOP OF ALPHABET
28Top of alphabet
Row 9, col 6 · 1 letter · down
A single letter or symbol answers “Top of alphabet”.
A
FARM FEED
29Farm feed
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits O _ _ _. The third square is also part of “After this”.
OATS
Crossword Challenge Level 254 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 254 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 254 with us. Puzzle 255 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.