Crossword Challenge Puzzle 861 Clues and Answers
Stuck somewhere in Crossword Challenge Puzzle 861? All 32 clues on this 8×10 grid are solved below, one card per clue.
Short answers dominate here: 13 of 32 fit in one or two squares. 3 clues are pictures, and 3 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 5 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 4 clues are fill-ins, and 3 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “City-related”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Society joiners”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “City-related”. 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.
CITY-RELATED
1City-related
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Fits M _ _ I _ _ P _ _. Solving “Frozen water” first gives you its sixth letter.
MUNICIPAL
v--sel
2Picture clue
Top row 2/7 · 2 letters · down
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“v--sel”). What is left starts with E.
ES
SIMPLY, NOTHING BUT
3Simply, nothing but
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
M _ _ _. “Answer” crosses it at the third square.
MERE
PAUSE
4Pause
Top row 4/7 · 5 letters · down
Shape: B _ _ A _. The fourth square is also part of “Goal”.
BREAK
EFFORT
5Effort
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Effort.
E
bar-
6Picture clue
Top row 6/7 · 3 letters · down
Say what the picture shows. “bar-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with R.
REL
"___ WHO?"
7"___ WHO?"
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Which word finishes “___ WHO?”? It fits S _ _ _.
SAYS
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
SOCIETY JOINERS
8Society joiners
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits M _ _ B _ _ S. The fifth square is also part of “Effort”.
MEMBERS
ACCOUNT HOLDER
9Account holder
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
U _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Simply, nothing but”.
USER
BEFORE O
10Before o
Left column 3/9 · 1 letter · across
The alphabet letter right before O.
N
GOAL
11Goal
Left column 4/9 · 5 letters · across
Fits I _ _ A _. The fourth square is also part of “Pause”.
IDEAL
offi-
12Picture clue
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“offi-”). What is left starts with C.
CE
FROZEN WATER
13Frozen water
Left column 6/9 · 3 letters · across
Shape: I _ _. Solving “East indian” first gives you its third letter.
ICE
BEST RATE
14Best rate
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with P. Check the fourth letter against “Greeted”.
PRIME
AFTER EVENT
15After event
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “After event” to its initials.
AE
OPPOSITE OF RIGHT
16Opposite of right
Left column 9/9 · 4 letters · across
Fits L _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Fluorine symbol”.
LEFT
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
B__CH
17B__CH
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
“B__CH” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with E.
EA
ACTED IN FILM
18Acted in film
Row 3, col 6 · 6 letters · down
Shape: P _ _ Y _ _. Check the fourth letter against “NEW___R”.
PLAYED
ANSWER
19Answer
Row 4, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with R; pattern R _ _ L _. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its fourth letter.
REPLY
OFFICIAL ORDER
20Official order
Row 4, col 3 · 6 letters · down
D _ _ R _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Best rate”.
DECREE
SAFARI
21Safari
Row 5, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Safari.
S
YEAR-END
22Year-end
Row 5, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
YE
___AK
23___AK
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
“___AK” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with K.
KAY
EAST INDIAN
24East indian
Row 6, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
EI
EONS
25Eons
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ _. Solving “Rim” first gives you its third letter.
AGES
NEW___R
26NEW___R
Row 7, col 5 · 3 letters · across
“NEW___R” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with Y.
YEA
GREETED
27Greeted
Row 7, col 5 · 3 letters · down
Shape: M _ _. Solving “Opposite of right” first gives you its third letter.
MET
AFTER F
28After f
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Step one letter forward from F in the alphabet.
G
GIRL FRIEND
29Girl friend
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
GF
RIM
30Rim
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with E. Check the third letter against “Girl friend”.
EDGE
FLUORINE SYMBOL
31Fluorine symbol
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Think of one character, not a word, for “Fluorine symbol”.
F
FIELD SERVICE
32Field service
Row 10, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Field service” to its initials.
FS
Crossword Challenge Level 861 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 861 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 861 with us. Puzzle 862 is next, with 31 clues on a 8×10 board.