Crossword Challenge Puzzle 309 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 309 is an 8×10 board with 31 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
Short answers dominate here: 11 of 31 fit in one or two squares. 5 clues are pictures; 4 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 2 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
Look at the picture and fit it to S _ _ I _ _ L _ _. Its sixth letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
SPRINKLER
CLIMBING PLANT
2Climbing plant
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Fits I _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Deli bread”.
IVY
ROMAN TEN
3Roman ten
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
A single letter or symbol answers “Roman ten”.
X
GROW__
4GROW__
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Only the hidden letters of “GROW__” go in the grid. First one: T.
TH
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 5 letters · down
Describe the picture in one word that fits E _ _ E _. Check the fourth letter against “Checkmate game”.
EASEL
6Picture clue
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Describe the picture in one word that fits E _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Female pig”.
EROS
MAGAZINE KIOSK
7Magazine kiosk
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
Begins with N. Check the sixth letter against “Overtime”.
NEWSSTAND
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Picture clue
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
One word for the picture, starting with S. Check the fifth letter against the picture clue in the top row.
SIXTEEN
PROVERB
9Proverb
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
Fits P _. The second square is also part of “Climbing plant”.
PV
DELI BREAD
10Deli bread
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Starts with R; pattern R _ _. “Sound rebound” crosses it at the third square.
RYE
INTERVAL
11Interval
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Interval.
I
NOTHING, IN LATIN
12Nothing, in latin
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
Shape: N _ _ I _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Strikes”.
NIHIL
13Picture clue
Left column 6/9 · 4 letters · across
Describe the picture in one word that fits K _ _ _. “Sound rebound” crosses it at the third square.
KNOT
LIEU-TENANT
14Lieu-tenant
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
LT
ECHO RECON SYSTEM
15Echo recon system
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Echo recon system”.
ERS
ITCH CAUSE
16Itch cause
Left column 9/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with R. Solving “Steam-ship” first gives you its third letter.
RASH
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
FAST RABBIT
17Fast rabbit
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with H. Check the third letter against the picture clue in the top row.
HARE
SOUND REBOUND
18Sound rebound
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Starts with E; pattern E _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Nothing, in latin”.
ECHO
FEMALE PIG
19Female pig
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits S _ _. The third square is also part of “Magazine kiosk”.
SOW
STRIKES
20Strikes
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
H _ _ _. Solving the picture clue in the left column first gives you its third letter.
HITS
CHECKMATE GAME
21Checkmate game
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Begins with C. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its fourth letter.
CHESS
PREFIX FOR WITHIN
22Prefix for within
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Begins with I. Check the fourth letter against “Echo recon system”.
INTRA
SADDLE
23Saddle
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Saddle.
S
SCENT
24Scent
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Fits O _ _ _. Solving “Not hither” first gives you its third letter.
ODOR
OVERTIME
25Overtime
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fits O _. Check the second letter against “Magazine kiosk”.
OT
ENJ__
26ENJ__
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · down
“ENJ__” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with O.
OY
FIZZY DRINK
27Fizzy drink
Row 8, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: S _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Scent”.
SODA
STEAM-SHIP
28Steam-ship
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Steam-ship” to its initials.
SS
NOT HITHER
29Not hither
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with Y; pattern Y _ _. The third square is also part of “Magazine kiosk”.
YON
HOTEL
30Hotel
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Hotel.
H
RIGHT DIRECTION
31Right direction
Row 10, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Right direction” to its initials.
RD
Crossword Challenge Level 309 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 3108×10 · 31 clues · 5 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 1 clue is a fill-in-the-blank.See hints and answersCrossword Challenge Puzzle 3118×10 · 30 clues · 5 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 1 clue is a fill-in-the-blank.See hints and answers
Puzzle 309 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 309 with us. Puzzle 310 is next, with 31 clues on a 8×10 board.