Decryptic #25 - 22nd July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 22 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
1H
2M
E
3T
A
4F
I
C
T
5I
O
6N
I
O
R
L
N
A
7K
U
N
D
A
L
I
N
8I
9N
O
T
E
N
E
N
O
U
10R
E
11I
12S
T
R
E
E
T
C
A
R
N
L
X
U
E
13L
14S
T
A
N
D
U
P
T
O
D
A
I
T
E
U
15Y
E
L
L
O
W
16F
I
N
17S
P
18Y
O
E
R
A
S
E
19F
I
N
20S
E
C
T
I
O
21N
A
L
F
C
T
V
O
L
22S
T
E
P
S
I
S
T
E
R
S
S
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Across
2 Across Faulty time faction yields self-referential fiction (11) → METAFICTION Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “time faction”.
7 Across Awkwardly unlink aid, releasing yogic energy (9) → KUNDALINI Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “unlink aid”.
9 Across Large weight, turned, gives a negative (3) → NOT Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “N”.
10 Across Rare Egyptian idol, initially, is a Portuguese king (3) → REI Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Rare, Egyptian, Idol.
12 Across Public road, then car, gives a tram (9) → STREETCAR Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 6 and 3 letters long.
14 Across Confront comic routine followed by movement towards (5,2,2) → STAND UP TO Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 7 and 2 letters long.
15 Across Yellow finch docked yields a tuna type (9) → YELLOWFIN Deletion
Remove 2 letters from the end of a longer word.
17 Across Secret agent, or to catch sight of (3) → SPY Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
19 Across Some of stuff inside, a fish's flipper (3) → FIN Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “stuff inside”.
20 Across Coastline rearranged describes a modular furniture piece (9) → SECTIONAL Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “coastline”.
22 Across Pace followed by female siblings describes new family members (11) → STEPSISTERS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 7 letters long.
Down
1 Down Long walk, then right, taken by a rambler (5) → HIKER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 1 letters long.
2 Down Meeting Of Nations, initially, opens the week (3) → MON Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Meeting, Of, Nations.
3 Down Astral snort, rearranged, reveals language experts (11) → TRANSLATORS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “astral snort”.
4 Down Rifle rearranged describes a pilot (5) → FLIER Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “rifle”.
5 Down In harmful company, yet harmless (9) → INNOCUOUS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 7 letters long.
6 Down Character, then five hundred, shows how one's disposed (7) → NATURED Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 6 and 1 letters long.
8 Down Fashionable and costly combination surprisingly means cheap (11) → INEXPENSIVE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 2 and 9 letters long.
11 Down Nice lines arranged, without a sound (2,7) → IN SILENCE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “Nice lines”.
13 Down Bet followed by kills brings redundancies (7) → LAYOFFS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 4 letters long.
16 Down Find Aliens Causing Trouble Suddenly, initially - hard data (5) → FACTS Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Find, Aliens, Causing, Trouble, Suddenly.
18 Down Yankee and South, clutching an old measure, produce shouts (5) → YELLS Container
Put a 3-letter run inside a 2-letter word.
21 Down Son, turned back, gives refusals (3) → NOS Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “N”.