Word Lanes Level 494 Answers

DERBY 5 letters - "A horse race, a kind of hat" is a straight definition, and DERBY is the word that matches. FIELD in this level is the same length, so check the crossing letters before you commit.

PUNTACANA 9 letters - the clue "A tourist destination in Dominican Republic" describes PUNTACANA directly. It begins with P and ends with A; use any crossing letters you already have to confirm it.

TRUSTEE 7 letters - "Board member who supervises business activity" leads to TRUSTEE by definition. The doubled E is a giveaway once one crossing lands on it.

OLYMPICGAMES 12 letters - the plural form is the giveaway here - "International sporting event held every four years" asks for more than one, and OLYMPICGAMES fits. It is the longest answer in Level 494, so solving it first exposes the most crossing letters.

FEW 3 letters - FEW is a short, common word - the clue "Not many" gives it away with a straight definition. It is the shortest lane here; leave it until the crossings make it obvious.

ANIMOSITY 9 letters - the clue "Strong feeling of hostility" describes ANIMOSITY directly. It begins with A and ends with Y; use any crossing letters you already have to confirm it.

DESK 4 letters - "Table-top writing surface in a classroom" leads to DESK by definition. At just 4 letters, it is a quick fill - the crossing letters from longer answers should confirm it.

EARWIG 6 letters - reading "To listen in, or an insect" literally points to EARWIG. It begins with E and ends with G; use any crossing letters you already have to confirm it.

FIELD 5 letters - the clue is a fill-in-the-blank: FIELD completes the phrase the puzzle is looking for. It begins with F and ends with D; use any crossing letters you already have to confirm it.

LOCK 4 letters - the clue "Turn the key to open this safety feature" describes LOCK directly. It begins with L and ends with K; use any crossing letters you already have to confirm it.