Crossword Challenge Puzzle 552 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 31 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 552, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 31 fit in one or two squares. 5 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; 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 “Get in touch”, 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 C _ _ K _ _ R _ _. The sixth square is also part of “Mass of people”.
CORKSCREW
OPTIC RELAY ACCESS
2Optic relay access
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
ORA
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Look at the picture and fit it to N _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
NECK
AFTER S
4After s
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
The alphabet letter right after S.
T
sw-
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “sw-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with A.
AB
ARTISAN SKILL
6Artisan skill
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Starts with C; pattern C _ _ F _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Butter cutter”.
CRAFT
GRAB
7Grab
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ _. The third square is also part of “MIST__E”.
TAKE
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
GET IN TOUCH
8Get in touch
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits C _ _ T _ _ T. The fifth square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
CONTACT
MINERAL SOURCE
9Mineral source
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
O _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
ORE
10Picture clue
Left column 3/9 · 4 letters · across
Describe the picture in one word that fits R _ _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
RACK
KALE
11Kale
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Kale starts with the answer.
K
STREET ABBR.
12Street abbr.
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Fits S _. “Opposite of lie” crosses it at the second square.
ST
MASS OF PEOPLE
13Mass of people
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with C. “Cognizes” crosses it at the fourth square.
CROWD
SPRINTS
14Sprints
Left column 7/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with R. Solving “One time” first gives you its third letter.
RUNS
AND SO ON
15And so on
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with E. “One time” crosses it at the third square.
ETC
IN VIEW OF
16In view of
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: W _ _ R _ _ S. Check the fifth letter against “Base editor”.
WHEREAS
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
BIKINI TOP
17Bikini top
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
B _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Grab”.
BRA
COGNIZES
18Cognizes
Row 3, col 5 · 5 letters · down
Begins with K. Solving “Mass of people” first gives you its fourth letter.
KNOWS
MIST__E
19MIST__E
Row 4, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Only the hidden letters of “MIST__E” go in the grid. First one: A.
AK
INDIANA
20Indiana
Row 4, col 6 · 3 letters · down
Starts with I; pattern I _ _. The third square is also part of “Mass of people”.
IND
BUTTER CUTTER
21Butter cutter
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with K; pattern K _ _ F _. The fourth square is also part of “Artisan skill”.
KNIFE
OPPOSITE OF LIE
22Opposite of lie
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Fits T _ _ T _. Check the fourth letter against “And so on”.
TRUTH
FR___
23FR___
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “FR___” and enter only the missing part, starting with O.
ONT
ONE TIME
24One time
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Fits O _ _ _. Solving “And so on” first gives you its third letter.
ONCE
25Picture clue
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
One word for the picture, starting with G. The third square is also part of “Hair knot”.
GUNS
GUITAR
26Guitar
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Guitar, nothing more.
G
ACTING AS
27Acting as
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Q _ _. Its third letter is shared with “In view of”.
QUA
QUICK UNSEAL
28Quick unseal
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Quick unseal”.
QU
BASE EDITOR
29Base editor
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Base editor” to its initials.
BE
HAIR KNOT
30Hair knot
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shape: B _ _. Its third letter is shared with the picture clue in the inside the grid.
BUN
RIGHT
31Right
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Right starts with the answer.
R
Crossword Challenge Level 552 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 552 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 552 with us. Puzzle 553 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.