Decryptic #30 - 27th July 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 27 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
I
2A
N
3T
S
T
E
4P
5M
E
6W
R
M
A
A
O
I
7A
G
A
I
N
8A
D
J
O
U
R
N
N
G
P
A
N
9D
E
10S
P
O
T
I
S
M
11T
W
12O
S
E
A
A
A
V
L
13M
A
14H
A
R
I
S
H
I
E
A
I
E
I
N
R
15M
I
S
16R
E
S
P
17O
N
S
E
S
O
O
T
V
T
18O
B
L
O
N
G
S
19I
N
20T
R
O
R
I
R
N
E
R
21C
O
D
22Y
E
S
T
E
R
D
A
Y
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Across
1 Across Enormous stride from disturbed stag pet in enclosure (5,4) → GIANT STEP Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “stag pet in”.
5 Across Cat's cry heard within same wet clothes (3) → MEW Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “same wet”.
7 Across A single letter followed by profit, once more (5) → AGAIN Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 1 and 4 letters long.
8 Across Adjective and north holding our belongings, to postpone (7) → ADJOURN Container
Put a 3-letter run inside a 4-letter word.
9 Across Autocrat with system leads to tyranny (9) → DESPOTISM Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 6 and 3 letters long.
11 Across Terrible weather outside, initially, gives a couple (3) → TWO Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Terrible, Weather, Outside.
13 Across Great sage turns out to be a spiritual guide (9) → MAHARISHI Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 5 letters long.
15 Across Prefix suggesting error sounds like a failed shot (3) → MIS Homophone
The answer sounds like “miss”.
16 Across Ness and spore, broken up, give reactions (9) → RESPONSES Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “SPORE NESS”.
18 Across Sob long, oddly, produces rectangular shapes (7) → OBLONGS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “sob long”.
19 Across Introduction found in Latin trombone piece (5) → INTRO Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “Latin trombone”.
21 Across Doctor going back to land a fish (3) → COD Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “C”.
22 Across Steady rye, mixed up, describes the day before (9) → YESTERDAY Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “STEADY RYE”.
Down
1 Down Glitzy look embracing South African money achieves total victory (5,4) → GRAND SLAM Container
Put a 5-letter run inside a 4-letter word.
2 Down Ask, Me, Anything, initially - doctors' body (3) → AMA Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Ask, Me, Anything.
3 Down Citrus fruit loses its middle to leave a dance (5) → TANGO Deletion
Remove 2 letters from the middle of a longer word.
4 Down A spa jam gets mixed up for nightwear (7) → PAJAMAS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “a spa jam”.
5 Down Scrambled minas unto reveal great heights (9) → MOUNTAINS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “MINAS UNTO”.
6 Down Success found within Darwin's theory (3) → WIN Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “Darwin”.
8 Down Bee keepers muddled: a pair sits (9) → APIARISTS Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “a pair sits”.
10 Down Extra firm, but a jelly-like state overall (9) → SEMISOLID Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 5 letters long.
12 Down Extra layer's account describes the treetop canopy (9) → OVERSTORY Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 5 letters long.
14 Down Wading bird's short railway forms a nesting colony (7) → HERONRY Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 5 and 2 letters long.
17 Down Headless cattle-like trait proves sheep-related (5) → OVINE Deletion
Remove 1 letter from the start of a longer word.
18 Down Fantasy monster: ogres rarely cook, initially (3) → ORC Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Ogres, Rarely, Cook.
20 Down Part of matted grass, spread out to dry (3) → TED Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “matted”.