Decryptic #12 - 9th July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 9 July 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
1B
L
2A
S
3T
I
N
G
4C
A
5P
6R
B
I
U
A
E
7Q
U
I
N
T
U
8P
L
E
9H
O
P
U
L
L
O
U
10A
S
I
D
E
11T
H
12R
O
13W
A
T
R
T
P
B
O
H
A
14T
A
I
G
A
O
15O
D
I
S
T
E
E
G
I
M
R
I
16R
E
S
P
E
L
L
17M
O
L
T
O
N
E
A
P
N
18O
X
19O
20G
Y
R
A
T
I
O
N
S
T
A
O
E
O
E
21F
R
O
Z
E
N
S
O
L
I
D
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Across
1 Across Roughly scalping bat could be a detonator (8,3) → BLASTING CAP Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “SCALPING BAT”.
7 Across Five siblings alongside a data structure make fivefold (9) → QUINTUPLE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 5 letters long.
9 Across Hydrogen in operation - a skip (3) → HOP Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 1 and 2 letters long.
10 Across A team's private remark (5) → ASIDE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 1 and 4 letters long.
11 Across Hurl at a conflict hugging a hat (5,2) → THROW AT Container
Put a 3-letter run inside a 4-letter word.
14 Across Endless hunting dog found in boreal forest (5) → TAIGA Deletion
Remove 1 letter from the end of a longer word.
15 Across Poet: odes demand inspiration, style, talent, primarily (5) → ODIST Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Odes, demand, inspiration, style, talent.
16 Across Repeat a magic charm to write out differently (7) → RESPELL Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 5 letters long.
17 Across Mole unit with a preposition meaning very in music (5) → MOLTO Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 2 letters long.
18 Across Kisses found in a box of chocolates (3) → OXO Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “box of”.
20 Across Signatory confused in spinning movements (9) → GYRATIONS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “SIGNATORY”.
21 Across Florid zones rearranged - completely rigid (6,5) → FROZEN SOLID Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “FLORID ZONES”.
Down
2 Down Liabilities without lithium show skills (9) → ABILITIES Deletion
Remove 2 letters from the start of a longer word.
3 Down Book's opening has a heading for the servant (5,4) → TITLE PAGE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 5 and 4 letters long.
4 Down Signal, we hear, is a line (3) → CUE Homophone
The answer sounds like “queue”.
5 Down Fortune reversed - an exclamation of disdain (3) → PAH Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “P”.
6 Down Traipse unto disordered standings (11) → REPUTATIONS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “TRAIPSE UNTO”.
7 Down District observation - it's a crotchet (7,4) → QUARTER NOTE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 7 and 4 letters long.
8 Down Cooking vessel and old heater produce a cheap thriller (9) → POTBOILER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 6 letters long.
12 Down Housemates found in rearranged steam room (9) → ROOMMATES Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “steam room”.
13 Down Spin in the swimming area creates a vortex (9) → WHIRLPOOL Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 5 and 4 letters long.
19 Down Lout sent back for attention (3) → OAF Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “O”.
20 Down Sticky stuff primarily getting over obstacles (3) → GOO Initialism
Take the first letter of each: getting, over, obstacles.