Decryptic #28 - 25th July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 25 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
1G
R
2A
N
3D
S
4O
N
5S
6N
A
7G
I
A
V
I
U
H
8S
I
D
E
S
C
E
N
E
9M
A
E
T
H
R
R
E
T
10O
A
11T
12I
N
T
E
R
P
R
E
T
R
I
A
I
O
M
13T
R
14I
P
L
E
S
E
C
I
C
L
M
A
Z
15E
Y
E
B
A
L
16L
E
17D
18L
E
I
L
P
M
U
I
N
19L
E
A
20A
S
C
E
N
D
21I
N
G
A
G
T
R
G
M
22R
Y
E
23E
Y
E
P
O
P
P
E
R
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Across
1 Across Large sum plus offspring produce male grandchildren (9) → GRANDSONS Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 5 and 4 letters long.
6 Across Old horse fails to stop pestering (3) → NAG Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
8 Across Minor dramatic episode from seen dices, rearranged (4,5) → SIDE SCENE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “seen dices”.
9 Across Actress West's name, sounding like a spring month (3) → MAE Homophone
The answer sounds like “may”.
10 Across Cereal grain found in no attempt to escape (3) → OAT Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “no attempt”.
12 Across Explain, having cooked tripe rent (9) → INTERPRET Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “tripe rent”.
13 Across Orange liqueur made from pelts, rice mixed up (6,3) → TRIPLE SEC Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “pelts rice”.
15 Across Organ once rolled into a ball, stared hard (9) → EYEBALLED Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 6 letters long.
18 Across Garland that sounds like something one might lay down (3) → LEI Homophone
The answer sounds like “lay”.
19 Across Meadow that sounds like a sheltered spot (3) → LEA Homophone
The answer sounds like “lee”.
20 Across Cans deign, oddly, to climb (9) → ASCENDING Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “cans deign”.
22 Across Grain that sounds twisted (3) → RYE Homophone
The answer sounds like “wry”.
23 Across Amazing sight: organ, then snap fastener (9) → EYEPOPPER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 6 letters long.
Down
2 Down Apples in disguise initially provide assistance (3) → AID Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Apples, In, Disguise.
3 Down Rush, adding myself, to make Japanese broth (5) → DASHI Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 1 letters long.
4 Down Overtly docked, plainly evident (5) → OVERT Deletion
Remove 2 letters from the end of a longer word.
5 Down Mountain ranges made from raisers, chaotic (7) → SIERRAS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “raisers”.
6 Down Relating to numbers: a digit system, then aluminium (9) → NUMERICAL Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 7 and 2 letters long.
7 Down Zit, night, ego jumbled bring about segregation (11) → GHETTOIZING Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “zit night ego”.
8 Down Shelter from twister found in rainstorm cellarage (5,6) → STORM CELLAR Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “rainstorm cellarage”.
11 Down Rank of an attendant found at a book's opening (5,4) → TITLE PAGE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 5 and 4 letters long.
14 Down Muslim leader, having dined, assumes religious rule (7) → IMAMATE Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 3 letters long.
16 Down Cruel, when rearranged, gives money (5) → LUCRE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “cruel”.
17 Down Doing something wild, an Australian dog (5) → DINGO Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “doing”.
21 Down Insects multiply prodigiously, initially - little devil (3) → IMP Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Insects, Multiply, Prodigiously.