Crossword Challenge Puzzle 980 Clues and Answers
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 980 is an 8×10 board with 30 clues, and every one of them is answered below.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 30 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 1 of those asks you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 4 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 1 clue is a fill-in, and 1 of it needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Mindsets”.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Deeds”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Mindsets”, 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.
MINDSETS
1Mindsets
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Begins with A. Its sixth letter is shared with “Unique”.
ATTITUDES
2Picture clue
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
Look at the picture and fit it to C _ _ N _. Its fourth letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
CHINA
#1
3#1
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
Starts with T; pattern T _ _. The third square is also part of “Table leaving”.
TOP
INTER UNIT
4Inter unit
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Inter unit”.
IU
AFTER N
5After n
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Step one letter forward from N in the alphabet.
O
EXIGENCY
6Exigency
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits N _ _ _. Check the third letter against “X or y preceder”.
NEED
7Picture clue
Top row 7/7 · 3 letters · down
Look at the picture and fit it to S _ _. “X or y preceder” crosses it at the third square.
SUN
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
DEEDS
8Deeds
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with A. “After n” crosses it at the fifth square.
ACTIONS
OLD "YOU"
9Old "you"
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
T _ _ _. Solving “#1” first gives you its third letter.
THOU
TABLE LEAVING
10Table leaving
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with T. Solving “#1” first gives you its third letter.
TIP
ga-
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “ga-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with I.
IN
SENSE OF FLAVOR
12Sense of flavor
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ T _. “Remaining ones” crosses it at the fourth square.
TASTE
UNIQUE
13Unique
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Unique, nothing more.
U
14Picture clue
Left column 7/9 · 7 letters · across
Look at the picture and fit it to D _ _ E _ _ E. Check the fifth letter against “Nature's hue”.
DEFENSE
AT ALL TIMES
15At all times
Left column 8/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: E _ _ _. Solving “Risk-free” first gives you its third letter.
EVER
SOUTH AMERICA
16South america
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “South america”.
SA
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
EUROPEAN UNION
17European union
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “European union”.
EU
NATURE'S HUE
18Nature's hue
Row 3, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Shape: G _ _ E _. Its fourth letter is shared with “In the lead”.
GREEN
X OR Y PRECEDER
19X or y preceder
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Begins with G. The third square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
GEN
REMAINING ONES
20Remaining ones
Row 4, col 5 · 6 letters · down
Starts with O; pattern O _ _ E _ _. Check the fourth letter against the picture clue in the left column.
OTHERS
REC___
21REC___
Row 5, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “REC___” and enter only the missing part, starting with O.
ORD
RISK-FREE
22Risk-free
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Begins with S. The picture clue in the left column crosses it at the third square.
SAFE
PERFECT STANDARD
23Perfect standard
Row 5, col 8 · 5 letters · down
I _ _ A _. The fourth square is also part of “Internal audit”.
IDEAL
IPAD
24Ipad
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Ipad starts with the answer.
I
TOKYO'S CONTINENT
25Tokyo's continent
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Internal audit”.
ASIA
IN THE LEAD
26In the lead
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Fits A _ _ A _. “Tokyo's continent” crosses it at the fourth square.
AHEAD
SPACE-WALK ACRONYM
27Space-walk acronym
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
E _ _. Its third letter is shared with “South america”.
EVA
INTERNAL AUDIT
28Internal audit
Row 9, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Internal audit” to its initials.
IA
ERA
29Era
Row 9, col 6 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Era.
E
MARINE MAMMAL
30Marine mammal
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: S _ _ _. Solving “Tokyo's continent” first gives you its third letter.
SEAL
Crossword Challenge Level 980 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 980 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 980 with us. Puzzle 981 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.