Decryptic #20 - 17th July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 17 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
1M
A
2P
3K
E
4R
F
5U
F
6F
L
7E
E
E
I
N
U
N
8R
A
N
9P
L
A
T
F
O
R
M
S
C
U
R
A
O
I
10Y
E
L
L
O
W
11F
E
V
E
R
G
T
H
R
O
N
12B
A
S
S
I
A
13R
U
14S
E
S
U
B
N
A
N
S
15S
W
I
T
C
H
B
O
A
R
16D
L
I
T
L
F
A
17O
N
T
H
I
N
18I
C
E
19F
I
R
A
E
N
C
L
E
20D
I
S
A
G
R
E
E
S
21E
N
D
Advertisement
Across
1 Across Chart found in dogma passed on (3) → MAP Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “dogma passed”.
3 Across Commotion from kef ruffle, confused (9) → KERFUFFLE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “kef ruffle”.
8 Across Fled after cereal loses its head (3) → RAN Deletion
Remove 1 letter from the start of a longer word.
9 Across Plot shapes make railway stages (9) → PLATFORMS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 5 letters long.
10 Across Disease: every well of, mixed up (6,5) → YELLOW FEVER Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “every well of”.
12 Across Low singers: bass and one (5) → BASSI Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 1 letters long.
13 Across Tricks? Runners usually sidetrack every sleuth at first (5) → RUSES Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Runners, usually, sidetrack, every, sleuth.
15 Across Telephone operator's console - cord with abs twisted (11) → SWITCHBOARD Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “cord with abs”.
17 Across Working lean and frozen - skating dangerously (2,4,3) → ON THIN ICE Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 2, 4 and 3 letters long.
19 Across Conifer found if irritated (3) → FIR Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “if irritated”.
20 Across Insult one who concurs and falls out (9) → DISAGREES Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 6 letters long.
21 Across Finish goal (3) → END Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
Down
1 Down Forgiveness found in Homer cycles (5) → MERCY Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “homer cycles”.
2 Down Second-to-last syllables found when plus ten is rearranged (7) → PENULTS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “plus ten”.
4 Down Breath of fresh air returning to the inlet (3) → RIA Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “R”.
5 Down Mixed flavour bean proves adverse (11) → UNFAVORABLE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “flavour bean”.
6 Down Animal coat over gold creates uproar (5) → FUROR Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 2 letters long.
7 Down Energy from the north signals flags (7) → ENSIGNS Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 1, 1 and 5 letters long.
9 Down Big print, oh, I find broken - means banning (11) → PROHIBITING Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “big print oh I”.
11 Down Currency that sounds candid (5) → FRANC Homophone
The answer sounds like “frank”.
12 Down Scrambled bad soul makes a full load (7) → BUSLOAD Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “bad soul”.
14 Down Elf fans mixed up to steal (7) → SNAFFLE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “elf fans”.
15 Down Locations found in scrambled sties (5) → SITES Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “sties”.
16 Down Snake coiled and challenged (5) → DARED Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “adder”.
18 Down Freeze hidden in tonic effect (3) → ICE Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “tonic effect”.