“Challenge starter”
The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “Challenge starter”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Friday, February 27, 2026 puzzle.
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The Answer
The answer to “Challenge starter” is IDARE
Letter analysis: the 5-letter answer
Vowels, consonants, and crossword construction notesThe clue “Challenge starter” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Friday, February 27, 2026 as a down entry. The verified answer is IDARE — a 5-letter word that begins with I and ends with E.
This answer contains 3 vowels and 2 consonants. The Newsday Crossword is published daily by Newsday on Long Island and edited by Stan Newman, whose Saturday Stumper is widely considered one of the toughest mainstream crosswords in print.
Other clues with the answer IDARE
IDARE has been used as the answer for these Newsday Crossword cluesMore clues from the February 27, 2026 puzzle
Friday Newsday CrosswordFrequently asked questions about “Challenge starter”
What is the answer to “Challenge starter” in the Newsday Crossword?
The verified answer is IDARE — a 5-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Friday, February 27, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Challenge starter”?
The answer IDARE contains 5 letters.
Was “Challenge starter” an across or down clue?
This clue ran as a Down entry.
Is this site affiliated with Newsday?
No. This is an independent fan reference site — we are not affiliated with Newsday. The Newsday Crossword is a trademark of its respective owner. We solve and verify each Newsday Crossword puzzle manually before publishing the answer key.