Decryptic #16 - 13th July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 13 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
1S
A
M
U
2R
A
3I
4B
E
5R
Y
6L
P
E
R
A
E
O
7A
V
8O
C
A
D
O
9N
E
S
T
S
S
B
M
N
D
I
I
10M
A
J
E
S
T
Y
11A
R
G
O
N
E
N
N
G
12C
13C
Y
14C
L
O
R
A
M
A
S
O
T
A
T
15C
R
I
E
R
16R
H
17E
N
I
U
18M
H
V
R
H
T
O
E
19A
L
I
B
I
20E
N
H
A
N
C
E
I
T
O
A
I
T
21R
A
Y
O
N
22S
E
C
E
D
E
S
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Across
1 Across Warrior? Oddly, Maria touring the US (7) → SAMURAI Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “MARIA US”.
4 Across Gemstone hidden in amber ylang-ylang (5) → BERYL Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “amber ylang-ylang”.
7 Across Green fruit from audio-visual love, a cad, and love (7) → AVOCADO Charade
Join four pieces end to end, 2, 1, 3 and 1 letters long.
9 Across Homes for chicks: catches holding last of spiders (5) → NESTS Container
Put a 1-letter run inside a 4-letter word.
10 Across Mum's jest through the year - that's grandeur (7) → MAJESTY Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 2, 4 and 1 letters long.
11 Across Noble gas from one groan rearranged (5) → ARGON Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “groan”.
13 Across Panoramic backdrop formed by wild clay macro (9) → CYCLORAMA Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “CLAY MACRO”.
15 Across Lamenter, initially causing rather intense emotional reactions (5) → CRIER Initialism
Take the first letter of each: causing, rather, intense, emotional, reactions.
16 Across Right, a hen, one hesitant sound - an element (7) → RHENIUM Charade
Join four pieces end to end, 1, 3, 1 and 2 letters long.
19 Across Strange bail I put up as an excuse (5) → ALIBI Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “BAIL I”.
20 Across Improve by going in architectural curve (7) → ENHANCE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 5 letters long.
21 Across Synthetic fabric found in stray only (5) → RAYON Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “stray only”.
22 Across Southeast yields, then breaks away (7) → SECEDES Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 5 letters long.
Down
1 Down Convulsion hidden in crisp as morning (5) → SPASM Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “crisp as morning”.
2 Down Lots of paper from smear oddly rearranged (5) → REAMS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “smear”.
3 Down Sarcasm from pressing the unknown (5) → IRONY Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 1 letters long.
4 Down Prohibit musical note before collection of sayings - it's a head covering (7) → BANDANA Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 3, 1 and 3 letters long.
5 Down Notice charged particle again - that's quitting (11) → RESIGNATION Charade
Join four pieces end to end, 2, 4, 2 and 3 letters long.
6 Down Look, vocalizes - those are defeats (7) → LOSINGS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 5 letters long.
8 Down Challenge four IT systems and unknown variable shows impartiality (11) → OBJECTIVITY Charade
Join four pieces end to end, 6, 2, 2 and 1 letters long.
12 Down Shared leader: company, carbon, and locks (7) → COCHAIR Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 2, 1 and 4 letters long.
14 Down Rotting flesh from vehicle, right turn, and charged particle (7) → CARRION Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 3, 1 and 3 letters long.
16 Down Shear jumbled up - South American birds (5) → RHEAS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “shear”.
17 Down Moral principle hidden in worthwhile thickness (5) → ETHIC Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “worthwhile thickness”.
18 Down Encounters, primarily: many exciting events, tournaments, sports (5) → MEETS Initialism
Take the first letter of each: many, exciting, events, tournaments, sports.