The crossword solution for the term BLACKENS, AS CATFISH is SEARS. SEARS is a department store chain that was founded in 1886 by Richard Warren SEARS and Alvah Curtis Roebuck. The company sells a variety of products, including clothing, appliances, tools, and home goods. In addition to its retail stores, SEARS also operates an online store. The term BLACKENS, AS CATFISH refers to the process of cooking catfish, which involves coating the fish in a blackening seasoning before frying it.