Decryptic #23 - 20th July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 20 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
1T
A
2M
3L
O
V
E
4C
H
5I
L
6D
R
O
O
L
C
A
7A
R
D
E
N
C
8Y
9O
C
H
E
R
C
I
E
E
U
E
K
10F
O
R
W
A
R
D
P
11A
S
S
Y
R
E
G
A
12L
A
I
T
13H
L
14D
E
R
R
Y
A
N
O
I
E
15N
I
G
H
T
I
N
G
16A
L
E
17B
D
R
G
L
A
R
18I
M
19A
G
O
20S
T
U
M
B
L
E
N
V
D
M
L
A
21G
L
A
S
S
F
U
L
S
22E
L
K
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Across
1 Across Scottish cap hidden in float amber design (3) → TAM Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “float amber”.
3 Across Illegitimate offspring from devil loch disturbed (4,5) → LOVE CHILD Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “devil loch”.
7 Across One, right, den then Cyprus reveal fervour (7) → ARDENCY Charade
Join four pieces end to end, 1, 1, 3 and 2 letters long.
9 Across Che held within gold yields yellow-brown pigment (5) → OCHER Container
Put a 3-letter run inside a 2-letter word.
10 Across Dwarfs' Paros trip, jumbled, is a downfield throw (7,4) → FORWARD PASS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “DWARFS PAROS”.
12 Across Headless cloth, in old dialect, seems reluctant (5) → LAITH Deletion
Remove 1 letter from the start of a longer word.
14 Across Dogs eating rats rarely yelp, initially, near this Irish city (5) → DERRY Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Dogs, eating, rats, rarely, yelp.
15 Across Night, in a storm, brings the philomel (11) → NIGHTINGALE Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 5, 2 and 4 letters long.
18 Across Adult found within 'I'm a good sailor' (5) → IMAGO Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “Im a good”.
20 Across Muddled tumbles causes one to trip (7) → STUMBLE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “tumbles”.
21 Across Containers of drink found in big lass fulsomely (9) → GLASSFULS Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “big lass fulsomely”.
22 Across Large deer: end of buckle turned back (3) → ELK Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “E”.
Down
1 Down Path to follow, or monitor closely (5) → TRACK Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
2 Down Altering, or qualifying, as a clause might (9) → MODIFYING Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
3 Down Recluse is a beheaded cloner (5) → LONER Deletion
Remove 1 letter from the start of a longer word.
4 Down Old cued arrangement leaves things hazy (7) → CLOUDED Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “Old cued”.
5 Down Initially, interesting Chinese hobby yields the German 'I' (3) → ICH Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Interesting, Chinese, Hobby.
6 Down Suppose, or presume, perhaps (7) → DARESAY Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
8 Down Young horses found in wild angry isle (9) → YEARLINGS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “angry isle”.
11 Down Pleasant nature seen when we disagree, able to negotiate (9) → AGREEABLE Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “disagree able”.
12 Down Network's ringing bell signals a touchdown (7) → LANDING Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 4 letters long.
13 Down Steamy fishing poles turn out to be souped-up cars (7) → HOTRODS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 4 letters long.
16 Down Mauls rearranged: old students (5) → ALUMS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “MAULS”.
17 Down Fractures curtailed, allowing a pause (5) → BREAK Deletion
Remove 1 letter from the end of a longer word.
19 Down Always very anxious, initially, for a woman's name (3) → AVA Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Always, Very, Anxious.