A new instalment of the quick crossword series has been released, offering puzzle enthusiasts engaging challenges with its 17,575th puzzle. The crossword, available both on app and as a downloadable PDF, presents a variety of word problems, ranging from straightforward clues to more cryptic wordplays.
Across Clues
Participants will find themselves deciphering a mix of word lengths and complexities. For instance, a nine-letter challenge involves a ‘Holiday escort’. A shorter four-letter puzzle prompts solvers to find a term synonymous with ‘In the altogether’. Those with a knack for clever phrasing will enjoy figuring out a ‘Tub with a prize’, which spans five and three letters.
More intriguing clues include a six-letter definition for an ‘Eerie – like a spy?’, and a reference to an inspirational Polynesian island tied to artist Gauguin, also six letters. Cocktail lovers might crack the six-letter ‘Small pointed tool’ connection, while trivia fans may decipher a ‘Belisha ___’, which seeks a six-letter fill-in.
The puzzle doesn’t let up in challenge, with an eight-letter description of ‘Wet, boggy ground’ and a nod to well-known names ‘Timothy, Samuel or Mae’ in four letters. Technology and creativity merge with a ‘Computer storage component – tarmacked surface?’ scattered across nine letters.
Down Clues
Solvers looking for something a bit different can turn to the down clues. A well-loved, Hawaiian-inspired dish layout emerges with ‘prod it?’ over an eight-letter spread. A nod to literature fans involves uncovering a six-letter term linking a ‘Hat’ to an 1894 novel by du Maurier.
For those drawn to ambience, a six-letter ‘Sweet, melodious’ challenge awaits. Emotionally-driven solvers can confront the nerve-wracking four-letter clue ‘Nervous, emotionally intense’. An anagram adds spice with the nine-letter ‘Offensively self-important – opium bust’. Meanwhile, a familiar adage becomes a solution with ‘Equine present – don’t look it in the mouth’, across nine letters.
Further down the puzzle, weather enthusiasts might recognise the eight-letter answer to ‘Hot spell’. Appetite-driven clues surface with a gluttonous ‘What a glutton might have after seconds’, spanning six letters, and the sleepy ‘Dull with sleep – ___-eyed’ requires six letters for completion. A four-letter ‘Bite – worry’ rounds off the set, ensuring a thorough mental workout for anyone up for the challenge.
Reporting based on coverage first published by theguardian.com.