Crossword Challenge Puzzle 971 Clues and Answers
Stuck somewhere in Crossword Challenge Puzzle 971? All 30 clues on this 8×10 grid are solved below, one card per clue.
Expect plenty of tiny answers, 11 of them only one or two letters. 3 clues are pictures; 5 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 1 wants 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 the picture clue in the top row.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 971: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to “Notion”. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to the picture clue in the top row. One of those two words unlocks the first letter of 15 others.
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
One word for the picture, starting with C. The sixth square is also part of “Untruth”.
CHAIRLIFT
OCEANIC AREA
2Oceanic area
Top row 2/7 · 2 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
OA
ATOMIC BOMB
3Atomic bomb
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with N; pattern N _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Invasive japanese vine”.
NUKE
CLUSTER
4Cluster
Top row 4/7 · 5 letters · down
Fits C _ _ M _. “Catalogue” crosses it at the fourth square.
CLUMP
MUSICAL NOTE
5Musical note
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
A single letter or symbol answers “Musical note”.
E
6Picture clue
Top row 6/7 · 6 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: P _ _ Z _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Catalogue”.
PUZZLE
NOT A LIE
7Not a lie
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Invasive japanese vine”.
TRUE
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
NOTION
8Notion
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with C. Solving “Musical note” first gives you its fifth letter.
CONCEPT
MOVE WITH EFFORT
9Move with effort
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: H _ _ _. Solving “Atomic bomb” first gives you its third letter.
HAUL
10Picture clue
Left column 3/9 · 1 letter · across
Look at the picture and fit it to A.
A
CATALOGUE
11Catalogue
Left column 4/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with I; pattern I _ _ M _ _ E. Solving “Precious gem” first gives you its fifth letter.
ITEMIZE
RADIO WAVE
12Radio wave
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
RW
UNTRUTH
13Untruth
Left column 6/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with L. Its third letter is shared with “Extra time”.
LIE
OPENING REMARKS
14Opening remarks
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with I. Its fourth letter is shared with “Russia”.
INTRO
FUEL GAS
15Fuel gas
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
FG
7 + 3
167 + 3
Left column 9/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits T _ _. Its third letter is shared with “New”.
TEN
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
ADVENT__E
17ADVENT__E
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fill the gap in “ADVENT__E”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with U.
UR
PRECIOUS GEM
18Precious gem
Row 3, col 6 · 7 letters · down
Begins with D. Its fifth letter is shared with “Opening remarks”.
DIAMOND
INVASIVE JAPANESE VINE
19Invasive japanese vine
Row 4, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with K; pattern K _ _ Z _. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its fourth letter.
KUDZU
PANG
20Pang
Row 4, col 3 · 6 letters · down
Begins with T. Solving “Opening remarks” first gives you its fourth letter.
TWINGE
MATE
21Mate
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Starts with P; pattern P _ _. Solving the picture clue in the top row first gives you its third letter.
PAL
EXTRA TIME
22Extra time
Row 6, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
ET
"GET ___ IT!"
23"GET ___ IT!"
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Which word finishes “GET ___ IT!”? It fits W _ _ _.
WITH
KITTEN SOUND
24Kitten sound
Row 7, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shape: M _ _. Its third letter is shared with “GET ___ IT!”.
MEW
RUSSIA
25Russia
Row 7, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Starts with R; pattern R _. Check the second letter against “Single entity”.
RU
AFTER H
26After h
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Recite the alphabet up to H; the answer is its next letter.
I
INTER UNIT
27Inter unit
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
IU
SINGLE ENTITY
28Single entity
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits U _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Inter unit”.
UNIT
NEW
29New
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
New starts with the answer.
N
OBVIOUS REACTION
30Obvious reaction
Row 10, col 5 · 3 letters · across
D _ _. Solving “GET ___ IT!” first gives you its third letter.
DUH
Crossword Challenge Level 971 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 971 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 971 with us. Puzzle 972 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.