Decryptic #21 - 18th July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 18 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
1R
I
2G
3R
E
4P
O
R
T
E
R
S
I
R
A
A
G
5I
N
T
O
X
I
6C
A
7T
E
8D
H
Z
T
O
H
E
T
9Z
I
L
L
10I
O
N
A
I
R
E
A
L
E
N
S
R
R
11S
T
Y
E
S
K
12T
I
D
E
S
R
B
N
E
R
D
T
13A
L
E
X
A
N
D
R
I
T
E
A
I
A
K
C
G
L
14N
E
R
V
E
C
15E
N
T
E
R
K
W
O
E
E
16R
A
C
O
N
T
E
U
R
17E
R
R
Advertisement
Across
1 Across Outfit used to manipulate results (3) → RIG Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
3 Across About bearers, people covering the news (9) → REPORTERS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 7 letters long.
5 Across In a toxic state after eating five hundred, drunk (11) → INTOXICATED Charade
Join four pieces end to end, 2, 5, 3 and 1 letters long.
9 Across Million or so inserted into old African nation gives a fabulously rich person (11) → ZILLIONAIRE Container
Put a 6-letter run inside a 5-letter word.
11 Across Street, then agreement, brings eyelid swellings (5) → STYES Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 3 letters long.
12 Across Sea movements from edits, rearranged (5) → TIDES Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “edits”.
13 Across Alex and a ceremony make a colour-changing gem (11) → ALEXANDRITE Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 4, 3 and 4 letters long.
14 Across Centre never jumbled - it's the hub of activity (5,6) → NERVE CENTER Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “centre never”.
16 Across Storyteller: recant our tale, all rearranged (9) → RACONTEUR Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “recant our”.
17 Across Right stuck into a hesitant sound, to blunder (3) → ERR Container
Put a 1-letter run inside a 2-letter word.
Down
1 Down Garish train mixed up leaves one completely fine (5,2,4) → RIGHT AS RAIN Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “garish train”.
2 Down Grizzle and bray, wildly mixed, describe a large brown predator (7,4) → GRIZZLY BEAR Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “grizzle bray”.
3 Down Baby's toy followed by serpent, a venomous reptile (11) → RATTLESNAKE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 6 and 5 letters long.
4 Down Peace found in parking plus an old axe (3) → PAX Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 1 and 2 letters long.
6 Down Swindle, severe, or squeezing snake (11) → CONSTRICTOR Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 3, 6 and 2 letters long.
7 Down Herded tiger, wildly, produces a grilling (5,6) → THIRD DEGREE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “herded tiger”.
8 Down Animal tracked by a stalker gives this hunting cap (11) → DEERSTALKER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 7 letters long.
10 Down Initially, idiots never know everything directly - tattooed (5) → INKED Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Idiots, Never, Know, Everything, Directly.
15 Down Female sheep hidden in newest fashion (3) → EWE Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “newest”.