Crossword Challenge Puzzle 97 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 97 is an 8×10 board with 30 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
10 of the 30 answers are one or two letters long. 5 clues are pictures, and 1 of those asks you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 2 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 3 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 “Untamed foliage”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Best possible”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Untamed foliage”. 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.
UNTAMED FOLIAGE
1Untamed foliage
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: O _ _ R _ _ O _ _. Its sixth letter is shared with “Beard shaver”.
OVERGROWN
PRODUCT
2Product
Top row 2/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Product.
P
ROOF GOOP
3Roof goop
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
T _ _. The picture clue in the left column crosses it at the third square.
TAR
muff-
4Picture clue
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“muff-”). What is left starts with I.
IN
COAL SITE
5Coal site
Top row 5/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits M _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Hard seed”.
MINE
ORDINARY ROUTINE
6Ordinary routine
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Begins with U. Check the fourth letter against “Fall fruit”.
USUAL
7Picture clue
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: M _ _ R _ _ O _ _. Check the sixth letter against “Nap”.
METRONOME
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
BEST POSSIBLE
8Best possible
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with O; pattern O _ _ I _ _ M. The fifth square is also part of “Coal site”.
OPTIMUM
VINTAGE
9Vintage
Left column 2/9 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Vintage, nothing more.
V
1010
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Name the object in the picture. E _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Roof goop”.
EAR
RESEARCH QUESTION
11Research question
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Research question” to its initials.
RQ
1212
Left column 5/9 · 4 letters · across
Name the object in the picture. G _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Landing zone”.
GULL
BEARD SHAVER
13Beard shaver
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with R. Check the fourth letter against “Story line”.
RAZOR
THIS ___ THAT
14THIS ___ THAT
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
Which word finishes “THIS ___ THAT”? It fits O _.
OR
15Picture clue
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Describe the picture in one word that fits W _ _. The third square is also part of “__EAT”.
WIG
TELL A STORY
16Tell a story
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: N _ _ R _ _ E. The fifth square is also part of “Indian king”.
NARRATE
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
OUZO HERB
17Ouzo herb
Row 3, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ S _. “Ordinary routine” crosses it at the fourth square.
ANISE
WATER HABITATS
18Water habitats
Row 3, col 3 · 7 letters · down
Shape: A _ _ A _ _ A. Solving “THIS ___ THAT” first gives you its fifth letter.
AQUARIA
HARD SEED
19Hard seed
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits N _ _. Its third letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
NUT
STORY LINE
20Story line
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Starts with P; pattern P _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Beard shaver”.
PLOT
FALL FRUIT
21Fall fruit
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits P _ _ _. Solving “Ordinary routine” first gives you its third letter.
PEAR
LANDING ZONE
22Landing zone
Row 5, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Landing zone” to its initials.
LZ
__CK
23__CK
Row 6, col 6 · 2 letters · across
“__CK” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with L.
LO
INDIAN KING
24Indian king
Row 6, col 6 · 4 letters · down
Shape: R _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Fruit spread”.
RAJA
NAP
25Nap
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Nap.
N
RODENT
26Rodent
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Starts with R; pattern R _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Tell a story”.
RAT
HAWAIIAN CROP
27Hawaiian crop
Row 8, col 4 · 4 letters · across
T _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Rodent”.
TARO
__EAT
28__EAT
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
“__EAT” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with G.
GR
FRUIT SPREAD
29Fruit spread
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with J; pattern J _ _. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the third square.
JAM
AFTER Q
30After q
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Recite the alphabet up to Q; the answer is its next letter.
R
Crossword Challenge Level 97 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 97 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 97 with us. Puzzle 98 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.