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October 25, 2026

cryptic crossword 30,130 out now

Get ready to test your intellect with today’s cryptic crossword puzzle. Featuring a range of intriguing clues that will push the limits of your lateral thinking, this puzzle invites enthusiasts to dive into a stimulating mental exercise. Below you’ll find clues across various categories.

Across Clues

1 Across: Consider the reversal of an independent member in a political context, accompanied by an expression of approval (7 letters).

5 Across: Explore a theatrical performance where the leads have been resequenced following “Oedipus Rex” (7 letters).

9 Across: Find a spice-related item known for its contradiction in a place of rest (5 letters).

10 Across: Link animal control measures to a correction involving an ape (9 letters).

11 Across and 12 Across: Two parts forming a type of containment combining particle physics with kinetic discrepancy (9 and 5 letters).

13 Across: A sudden directional reversal where judicial appearances are negated (5 letters).

15 Across: Interpret the English transformation of “Up Attlee” to represent uniform insignia (9 letters).

18 Across: A nonsensical outburst stemming from a South Carolina windbag (9 letters).

19 Across: The act of removing flora from confinement, possibly for preservation (5 letters).

21 Across and 23 Across: A two-part design concept based on an affectionate card analogy for a malevolent character (5 and 9 letters).

25 Across: Visualise a trajectory on a peak, with one element subtly masked by a broader surface (9 letters).

26 Across: Discover the insertion of a particular plant type within an intricate pathway (5 letters).

27 Across: An audio feature characterised by a progressing void within musical decoration (7 letters).

28 Across: Identify a darkened tint enveloping a natural expansion (7 letters).

Down Clues

1 Down: Uncover a term for an aged patriarch, distressed and incomplete (7 letters).

2 Down: Figure out an individual’s unfortunate fate, recklessly moving around a lagoon (9 letters).

3 Down: Find an archaic craft hosting a man-made substance (5 letters).

4 Down: Picture an insect illustrated on a ceremonial cup (9 letters).

5 Down: Depict a mature colouring band missing its core (5 letters).

6 Down: Imagine a scene where an edible translation mistake disrupts a French calendar fruit (9 letters).

7 Down: Resolve the name of a gentleman approved character (5 letters).

8 Down: Envision an artist who innovatively integrates the start into Chinese ceramics (7 letters).

14 Down: Capture a highly cautious approach encompassing basic pioneering photography (4-5 letters).

16 Down: Understand a chaotic aggregation overwhelming academia unpleasantly (9 letters).

17 Down: Speculate on the offspring of a notable diarist, following a lead horticulturist (9 letters).

18 Down: Advise an aiming strategy fit for playful water activities (7 letters).

20 Down: Connect a past habitual indulgence in complimentary ale to its resultant effect (7 letters).

22 Down: Pin a bygone monarch warmly embracing a challenging artisan (5 letters).

23 Down: Diagnose a worn-out subject in need of rest (5 letters).

24 Down: Trace the sequence of movements within an ancient assembly dance hall (5 letters).

Happy puzzling! Whether you are a seasoned solver or a curious newcomer, this cryptic crossword promises to provide an engaging brain work-out. Dive into the clues and see how many you can solve!

Reporting based on coverage first published by theguardian.com.