Crossword Challenge Puzzle 278 Clues and Answers
Stuck somewhere in Crossword Challenge Puzzle 278? All 31 clues on this 8×10 grid are solved below, one card per clue.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 31 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 2 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 4 want just the first letter of a single word; 3 clues are fill-ins, and 2 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.
1Picture clue
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Describe the picture in one word that fits W _ _ S _ _ I _ _. Solving “Untight” first gives you its sixth letter.
WRESTLING
NERVOUS
2Nervous
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
Begins with E. Solving “Concern for self” first gives you its third letter.
EDGY
DIGITAL
3Digital
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
Write the first letter of Digital, nothing more.
D
WASHING-TON, ___
4WASHING-TON, ___
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Say “WASHING-TON, ___” out loud and the blank fills itself: D _.
DC
I OWE YOU
5I owe you
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Fits I _ _. The third square is also part of “Land of liberty”.
IOU
NOSE-RELATED
6Nose-related
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Begins with N. Check the fourth letter against “Adver-tisement”.
NASAL
QUITE PLEASED
7Quite pleased
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits G _ _ _. Solving “Land of liberty” first gives you its third letter.
GLAD
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: W _ _ D _ _ G. Its fifth letter is shared with “I owe you”.
WEDDING
awa-
9Picture clue
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “awa-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with R.
RD
CONCERN FOR SELF
10Concern for self
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits E _ _. The third square is also part of “Moving to”.
EGO
HARMONY
11Harmony
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: S _ _ _. Solving “Moving to” first gives you its third letter.
SYNC
TASK
12Task
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
Task starts with the answer.
T
UNTIGHT
13Untight
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Shape: L _ _ S _. The fourth square is also part of “Legal matter”.
LOOSE
-y
14Picture clue
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “y” gives the answer. First letter: I.
IV
FISHING GEAR
15Fishing gear
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Starts with N; pattern N _ _. Its third letter is shared with “__CTICAL”.
NET
BENT AND TWISTED
16Bent and twisted
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
G _ _ R _ _ D. Check the fifth letter against “Be straight”.
GNARLED
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
BLACK ROCK
17Black rock
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits C _ _ _. “Nose-related” crosses it at the third square.
COAL
MOVING TO
18Moving to
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Shape: O _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “High”.
ONTO
LAND OF LIBERTY
19Land of liberty
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Begins with U. Its third letter is shared with “Quite pleased”.
USA
LEGAL MATTER
20Legal matter
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Shape: C _ _ _. Solving “Untight” first gives you its third letter.
CASE
ADVER-TISEMENT
21Adver-tisement
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fits A _. “Quite pleased” crosses it at the second square.
AD
BE STRAIGHT
22Be straight
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
L _ _ E _. The fourth square is also part of “First woman”.
LEVEL
HIGH
23High
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · across
T _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Be straight”.
TALL
COOKER
24Cooker
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
O _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Fishing gear”.
OVEN
WINTER TOY
25Winter toy
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Starts with S; pattern S _ _ _. Check the third letter against “First woman”.
SLED
SKYHIGH
26Skyhigh
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Skyhigh, nothing more.
S
ACT___
27ACT___
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
“ACT___” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with I.
IVE
DEMONIC
28Demonic
Row 8, col 4 · 4 letters · across
E _ _ _. “ACT___” crosses it at the third square.
EVIL
__CTICAL
29__CTICAL
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Only the hidden letters of “__CTICAL” go in the grid. First one: T.
TA
FIRST WOMAN
30First woman
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
E _ _. The third square is also part of “Winter toy”.
EVE
RECEPTOR
31Receptor
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Write the first letter of Receptor, nothing more.
R
Crossword Challenge Level 278 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 2798×10 · 30 clues · 3 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 2 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answersCrossword Challenge Puzzle 2808×10 · 32 clues · 5 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 1 clue is a fill-in-the-blank.See hints and answers
Puzzle 278 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 278 with us. Puzzle 279 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.