Crossword Challenge Puzzle 414 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 29 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 414, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 29 fit in one or two squares. 3 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; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 2 clues are fill-ins, and 1 of them needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Before the final”.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Not joking”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Before the final”, read top to bottom.
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.
BEFORE THE FINAL
1Before the final
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: S _ _ I _ _ N _ _. The sixth square is also part of the picture clue in the left column.
SEMIFINAL
EXCLUSIVE
2Exclusive
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
Begins with E. “___ A GIRL!” crosses it at the fourth square.
ELITE
he-
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “he-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with R.
RB
ATOMIC CHARGE
4Atomic charge
Top row 4/7 · 3 letters · down
Begins with I. The third square is also part of “Adjacent to”.
ION
HAS DEBTS
5Has debts
Top row 5/7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with O; pattern O _ _ _. Solving “Adjacent to” first gives you its third letter.
OWES
UPLOAD
6Upload
Top row 6/7 · 1 letter · down
Upload starts with the answer.
U
GIVE UP
7Give up
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: S _ _ R _ _ D _ _. Solving “Criminal burning” first gives you its sixth letter.
SURRENDER
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
NOT JOKING
8Not joking
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
S _ _ I _ _ S. Solving “Has debts” first gives you its fifth letter.
SERIOUS
ARM JOINT
9Arm joint
Left column 2/9 · 5 letters · across
Shape: E _ _ O _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Atomic charge”.
ELBOW
-xer
10Picture clue
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “xer” gives the answer. First letter: M.
MI
"___ A GIRL!"
11"___ A GIRL!"
Left column 4/9 · 3 letters · across
The missing word in “___ A GIRL!” starts with I.
ITS
HAT FABRIC
12Hat fabric
Left column 5/9 · 4 letters · across
Starts with F; pattern F _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Unfree worker”.
FELT
13Picture clue
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Name the object in the picture. I.
I
MARITIME
14Maritime
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with N. Solving “_____LATE” first gives you its fourth letter.
NAVAL
DNA COMP-ONENT
15Dna comp-onent
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ N _ _ E. Its fifth letter is shared with “Minor mistake”.
ADENINE
LOW-DENSITY
16Low-density
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
LD
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
UNIVERSE
17Universe
Row 3, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Universe, nothing more.
U
CAR
18Car
Row 3, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: A _ _ _. Solving “Tight end” first gives you its third letter.
AUTO
ADJACENT TO
19Adjacent to
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with N; pattern N _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Car”.
NEAR
UNFREE WORKER
20Unfree worker
Row 4, col 4 · 5 letters · down
Starts with S; pattern S _ _ V _. Solving “Maritime” first gives you its fourth letter.
SLAVE
PREFIX FOR 'NAME'
21Prefix for 'name'
Row 5, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with S; pattern S _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Give up”.
SUR
_____LATE
22_____LATE
Row 5, col 5 · 5 letters · down
Fill the gap in “_____LATE”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with T.
TRANS
TIGHT END
23Tight end
Row 6, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
TE
MINOR MISTAKE
24Minor mistake
Row 6, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Begins with S. Check the third letter against “Dna comp-onent”.
SLIP
CRIMINAL BURNING
25Criminal burning
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Shape: A _ _ O _. “Car” crosses it at the fourth square.
ARSON
SUM
26Sum
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
Starts with A; pattern A _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Low-density”.
ADD
DOC
27Doc
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Doc.
D
NAUTICAL UNIT
28Nautical unit
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Nautical unit” to its initials.
NU
INSTIGATE
29Instigate
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
S _ _ _. Solving “Nautical unit” first gives you its third letter.
SPUR
Crossword Challenge Level 414 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 414 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 414 with us. Puzzle 415 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.