Decryptic

Decryptic #1 - 28th June 2026

Solution & wordplay explained · Published 28 June 2026

The solved grid and a clue-by-clue explanation of every piece of wordplay in this Decryptic daily. It's a past puzzle, and the archive lets you play older crosswords. Today's crossword is always free to play.

The solved grid

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Across

1 Across Trap for pests - steam pour broken (9) → MOUSETRAP Anagram Rearrange the letters of “steam pour”.
9 Across Not bright - middle reversed (3) → DIM Reversal Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “D”.
12 Across Infuriate - genera scrambled (6) → ENRAGE Anagram Rearrange the letters of “genera”.
13 Across Revised - red with one (6) → REDONE Charade Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 3 letters long.
15 Across Arctic plain - and rut broken (6) → TUNDRA Anagram Rearrange the letters of “and rut”.
16 Across Dark beers in west outskirts (6) → STOUTS Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “west outskirts”.
17 Across Period - are rearranged (3) → ERA Anagram Rearrange the letters of “are”.
19 Across Shadow - hesitation before bra (5) → UMBRA Charade Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 3 letters long.
20 Across Distributed - delta rearranged (5) → DEALT Anagram Rearrange the letters of “delta”.
22 Across Tropical fish from obi not rearranged (6) → BONITO Anagram Rearrange the letters of “obi not”.
24 Across Curve hidden in the essay (3) → ESS Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “the essay”.
25 Across Rotation - pinches turned around (4) → SPIN Reversal Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “S”.
26 Across Agreement found in compact (4) → PACT Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “compact”.
30 Across New Mexico town - oats rearranged (4) → TAOS Anagram Rearrange the letters of “oats”.
34 Across Earth - oils mixed (4) → SOIL Anagram Rearrange the letters of “oils”.
36 Across Pub concealed in spinning (3) → INN Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “spinning”.
38 Across Eight-armed creatures - topic O rearranged (6) → OCTOPI Anagram Rearrange the letters of “topic O”.
40 Across Small - stroke it (5) → PETIT Charade Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 2 letters long.
41 Across Ocean predator - harks rearranged (5) → SHARK Anagram Rearrange the letters of “harks”.
42 Across Greek letter in lapsing (3) → PSI Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “lapsing”.
44 Across Ventilate - tea are mixed (6) → AERATE Anagram Rearrange the letters of “tea are”.
46 Across Irregular - UN before level (6) → UNEVEN Charade Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 4 letters long.
50 Across Artist's stick - note C, ray, and on (6) → CRAYON Charade Join three pieces end to end, 1, 3 and 2 letters long.
51 Across Smoothly played - ogle at rearranged (6) → LEGATO Anagram Rearrange the letters of “ogle at”.
52 Across Group in upset (3) → SET Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “upset”.
53 Across Alias - spud money scrambled (9) → PSEUDONYM Anagram Rearrange the letters of “spud money”.

Down

1 Down Came across in comet (3) → MET Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “comet”.
2 Down Burdens - on plus uses (6) → ONUSES Charade Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 4 letters long.
3 Down Vessel found in burn (3) → URN Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “burn”.
4 Down Unhappy - in crusade (3) → SAD Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “crusade”.
5 Down Wading bird - greet scrambled (5) → EGRET Anagram Rearrange the letters of “greet”.
6 Down Rip - rate mixed up (4) → TEAR Anagram Rearrange the letters of “rate”.
7 Down Backsides in scars (3) → ARS Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “scars”.
8 Down Flower - peanut I scrambled (7) → PETUNIA Anagram Rearrange the letters of “peanut I”.
9 Down Uncertainty in redoubt (5) → DOUBT Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “redoubt”.
10 Down Beginnings found in paint rosette (6) → INTROS Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “paint rosette”.
11 Down Flat-topped hill in comes about (4) → MESA Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “comes about”.
14 Down Game piece - musical do, minimum, and zero (6) → DOMINO Charade Join three pieces end to end, 2, 3 and 1 letters long.
18 Down Core muscles in scabs (3) → ABS Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “scabs”.
20 Down Young socialite - bed turned over (3) → DEB Reversal Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “D”.
21 Down Viper in clasp (3) → ASP Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “clasp”.
23 Down Choose - found in adopt (3) → OPT Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “adopt”.
27 Down Off course - a stray (6) → ASTRAY Charade Join two pieces end to end, 1 and 5 letters long.
28 Down Hob - cook on top (7) → COOKTOP Charade Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 3 letters long.
29 Down Gratuity - pit reversed (3) → TIP Reversal Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “T”.
31 Down Be seated - in visit (3) → SIT Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “visit”.
32 Down Insect in grant (3) → ANT Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “grant”.
33 Down Stick together - company here (6) → COHERE Charade Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 4 letters long.
35 Down Edge in tulip (3) → LIP Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “tulip”.
37 Down Subtle point - NE city scrambled (6) → NICETY Anagram Rearrange the letters of “NE city”.
39 Down Gem weight - carta rearranged (5) → CARAT Anagram Rearrange the letters of “carta”.
40 Down Yearned - conifer and Roman five hundred (5) → PINED Charade Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 1 letters long.
41 Down Bags - ship containing alternating current (4) → SACS Container Put a 2-letter run inside a 2-letter word.
43 Down Philippine sea - Inuit blades reversed (4) → SULU Reversal Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “S”.
45 Down Beings in lens (3) → ENS Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “lens”.
47 Down Self - note E and go (3) → EGO Charade Join two pieces end to end, 1 and 2 letters long.
48 Down Vehicle in advance (3) → VAN Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “advance”.
49 Down Eat eagerly, hidden in gnome (3) → NOM Hidden word The answer is hidden inside “gnome”.