This page is intended to those new (or new-ish) to cryptic crosswords. If a clue has you completely bamboozled then post it here (together with anything you think you may have already determined for yourself) in the hope that one of the more seasoned solvers will assist.
For entries on this page before 2025-08-03, please click here.
Rules:
- Queries:
- Do not discuss any clue from any non-daily (prize) puzzle for which neither the solution nor blog has been published
- And, obviously, don’t expect a full explanation of all the clues – that’s what the blog is for
- Please cite where the clue can be found. Failure to do so will result in your query being ignored or deleted
- One clue per query please, except when you desperately need help for two intersecting answers
- Replies:
- When replying to a query please check to see if someone has got there before you unless you strongly disagree with the explanation given or you feel more could be added
- Please be polite, patient and understanding. Remember, you were a newbie once
Where is the explanation to Inquisitor 1917 (i paper), please?
This really belongs in General Discussion but look here: https://www.fifteensquared.net/2025/07/29/inquisitor-1917-by-blow-by-ruli/
Guardian Cryptic 29764 Harpo
Hideously bad for me I’m afraid! I’ve solved 5 clues all day.
5a,10a: Foot perhaps first place navvy protects (6,6)
I have no letters.
What the heck do you do?
Think of a famous “Foot” from seventies/eighties politics
Hi Steffen. The grammar.was a bit.difficult. “Protects” is a containment indicator. Did you look up navvy?
Thank you Admin and Paddymelon; there was very little I didn’t look up!
I continue to struggle to “see” the definition and my brain doesn’t seem to play ball with the construction of the clues.
I’m sorry for moaning about my lack of solving ability.
Steffen@6. The ones you ask about are often the ones that I and others have also paused over. So don’t give yourself a hard time.
Help needed please.
Quiptic Pasquale 1342
17a Part of military parade finds nobleman with hesitation at the start of month (12)
Where on earth do you begin to solve this?
Do you have any crossing letters?
Steffen
1. You must know by now that ‘hesitation’ almost invariably clues ER or UM.
2. The name of which month might associate it with a military procedure such as could feature in a parade?
3. What rank of nobleman would account for the remaining letters in the solution?
4. Stick the bits together, even if you haven’t come across the solution before, count it as a Jorum
I have assumed that you are cold-solving, but if your answer to Ken’s question is Yes, that will undoubtedly help things along.
Thank you. I’m not at the races today.
Guardian Cryptic Pangakupu 29779
1a – Likes to include piece of music in gymnastic exercise (8,4)
I have no letters. I have no crossing letters. I thought exercise was ‘PE’?
I don’t know what the definition is.
Steffen @12 – exercise is often PE, but not if it’s the definition – as it sort of is here. This is a cryptic definition and it helps knowing gymnastics and the exercises performed by the men in the Olympics. (It’s another random thing I’ve been involved in, both as a child and coaching as an adult, so I have played around on this particular bit of kit, trying out what we were asking the kids to do in very early exercises.)
Music might help with the second bit of the answer,
Shanne@13 thank you.
I saw an answer in one of The Guardian Cryptic crosswords that was a reference to an old coin.
I can’t remember the word, can anyone help me please as I can’t locate the original crossword.
Many thanks.
BH
@15 Have you tried entering “quiptic coin” (without the quotes) into search?
I am several days behind.
Carpathian 29789
25a Thought five lost out in misguided investment (9)
***t*m***
I have no earthly clue as to how to begin, if anyone is kind enough to give me a hand.
Words like ‘misguided’ can refer to an anagram. Five often translates to the letter V. Hope this helps.
Thank you Hovis
Guardian 29801
Other than 26a, 2d and 24d, I am lost!
How on earth do you start to interpret 1d?!
I’d love to think a few starting letters could help.
Steffen. Tbh, 1d is one of those clues that you either know or don’t. In the latter case, it is nigh impossible to guess without all the crossers. (The definition is at the start.) You may be able to work out the long anagram down the right. ‘Most gory’ is the definition. This suggests an EST or even an IEST ending. Good luck.
Ty
Guardian Cryptic Alia 29812
Good evening,
I am stuck and annoyed by many clues but …
16d Careless hit-and-run? (8)
*L**D***
I initially thought ACCIDENT, but the ‘L’ has thrown me.
Try splitting into two four-letter words:
1 means “hit”
2 means “run”
Thank you
Potential idiotic question…
Guardian Cryptic 29830 20/10/25
12a Inadequate lobby speaking for such transport (5,4)
S*O**-****
I don’t understand the clue at all if anyone can give me a pointer please?
Wordplay:
1. Inadequate (synonym)
2. sounds like a “lobby”
Def:
such transport. Not a specific form of transport more a description of some transport
The definition is ‘transport’. You want a word for ‘inadequate’ followed by a homophone (indicated by ‘speaking’) for ‘lobby’. Hope this helps.
kenmac just beat me.
Thank you both.
I’ve got the first 5 letters, but then TRIP, FUSE, STOP, CUTS don’t tick the box (I know they’re not soundalikes)
Lobby as a noun
Thank you kenmac
In today’s Quiptic 1355, can I please ask for guidance on 17a?
Critics ultimately coming in to sink amateur show (7)
I have no letters.
Hi Steffen @32 – that one was my last in on that puzzle and it took a while after I’d finished the rest of the puzzle. I’d try for some crossers first, but you’ll probably need some crossers on those crossers because none are that straightforward.
Critics ultimately suggests an S (the last letter of criticS)
“coming in” is an insertion indicator
you need synonyms for “sink” and “amateur”
The definition is “show”.
Thank you.
First time posting – Hope this is the right place!
I’m doing an old cryptic from The Week (23/08/2025) crossword number 1479.
I’m stuck with 14d.
“Woman and daughter break into shop and one lifts loads”
S***E*O*E
I think there’s a d for daughter. But that’s all I can seem to extract!
Welcome Gemma. This is, indeed, the right place.
Just two minor quibbles:
1. If possible, please indicate what publication it’s from
2. Please include the answer length – just makes thing easier
For this particular clue, definition is last three words. Hope that helps. If not, please come back.
If you want a bit more help (if not, read no further), you want a woman’s name + d (as you surmise) in a word for ‘shop’.
Gemma# 35. . It’s great that you’ve come here. This word may be difficult to get either from definition or wordplay, especially if either is unfamiliar or seems inaccessible.. If you want more help SPOILER
A good week perhaps for anyone wanting to transition from blocked to barred puzzles. Gemelo today is a straightforward “plain” puzzle very much reminiscent of Azed of old, and for a slightly easier challenge, Fieldfare (aka Imogen/Vulcan) sets the Spectator this week with a puzzle called “Jammy”.
Jay #39. Did you intend this as a post for Newbie Corner?
Hi PM @40, I did, thinking that newbies might also be those wanting to get into the world of barred puzzles.
I also thought that no-one has posted here for a while!
In today’s Guardian Cryptic by Fed I don’t seem to be able to get a foothold.
1a Prisoner finally does bird over murder (7)
It makes no sense to me. What kind of clue is it? How do you read it?
Prisoner=CON
Finally doeS
Bird reversed (over)
Def: murder as in I could murder a curry
Thank you very much
Good evening.
Today’s Guardian Cryptic 29926 Qaos
5a Free jumble sale held by Greece occasionally (7)
I have no idea where to start with this one (as well as 90% of the other clues)
Could someone please give me a nudge in the right direction?
@45
Jumble “SALE”
and stick it inside “GREECE” occasionally – so GrEeCe or gReEcE
Thanks. Seems so straightforward now!
Troops,
Today’s Guardian 29944 has flummoxed me completely.
I have revealed 1a/5a and it still makes no sense to me. I have solved 7d & 13d.
9a – A model turned storyteller (5) – how do you interpret this clue?
This time the definition is at the end. You need the name of a famous storyteller. “A model turned” suggests either a reverse of A and a word meaning ‘model’ (a verb in this case) or A followed by a reverse of a word meaning ‘model’. The latter is more likely as names more often begin with A than end in A (maybe not first names but that’s not wanted here). Not sure of your problem with 1a/5a. Perhaps you could elaborate?
Thanks for the input. With 1a I just do not understand the answer once I revealed it. I have no idea where either word comes from.
#hopeless
For 1a 5a, the definition is at the beginning (MEDIC) and the wordplay is an anagram (indicated by ‘poor’) of SCORE with GUARDIAN and the first letter (debut) of ‘crossword’, i.e. C. Don’t put yourself down. With practice, you start to see patterns and slowly but surely you improve. But do have fun doing it.
Daily Express Crusader 19th August 2025, 12 across “Tea time wasted taking boy home (11)”. The answer must be maisonnette, except I spell that with one N, not 2. Even so I get an anagram of tea time plus son for boy, giving 10 letters and my spelling of maisonette. But it is 11 letters. Where does the extra N come from in the clue? If boy doesn’t give son, then where do SSON come from in the clue?
For what it’s worth, I think your reasoning is correct Tracey and the clue is faulty, which, unfortunately, does happen from time to time.
Thank you Hovis. That makes me feel so much better.
G’Day!
What does the colon signify in a clue? An example from today’s Prize –
Order: comply with aid talks (9)
I don’t want the answer, just an explanation so I know instantly for next time. TIA!
J9 @55 – not necessarily anything. The usual rule is ignore all punctuation, it’s just trying to make sense of the surface, until it isn’t.
But look out for setters using the punctuation to clue the answer. Everyman had a series of such clues, and there’s been a recent example in this Maskarade.
Can I ask for help please?
Guardian Cryptic 29979
4a Fight to secure wizard (7)
I had GANDALF.
What kind of clue is it?
Fight(3) (think Trump)+secure(4)
More of a generic wizard
Very good. Ty!