Decryptic #35 - 1st August 2026
Solution & wordplay explained · Published 1 August 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
1L
I
2G
H
3T
B
4U
L
5B
6N
A
7M
U
A
U
R
L
A
8P
E
R
9N
O
N
P
U
B
10L
I
C
U
D
E
N
E
H
11S
T
E
A
R
I
12C
13D
O
G
I
E
N
O
E
A
T
14Y
E
S
15P
A
Y
E
R
16L
Y
E
A
P
R
E
T
17C
L
A
R
O
18R
E
19C
H
E
C
20K
H
D
N
R
N
I
21T
H
E
P
E
O
22P
L
E
23D
O
T
E
T
O
D
E
T
24D
A
M
25O
U
T
D
O
O
R
S
Y
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Across
1 Across Electric lamp made from tug, bill and HB pencil, oddly (5,4) → LIGHT BULB Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “tug bill hb”.
6 Across Vietnam War veteran hidden in cinnamon aroma (3) → NAM Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “cinnamon aroma”.
8 Across Salesman returning, for each (3) → PER Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “P”.
9 Across Confidential, not open to all with brief licence for bar (9) → NONPUBLIC Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 3, 3 and 3 letters long.
11 Across Fatty acid formed by grief held within error notation (7) → STEARIC Container
Put a 4-letter run inside a 3-letter word.
13 Across Motherless calf, puppy losing a G (5) → DOGIE Deletion
Remove 1 letter from the middle of a longer word.
14 Across Affirmative from Young Explorers Society, initially (3) → YES Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Young, Explorers, Society.
15 Across One who settles bills, showing hesitation after a payment (5) → PAYER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 2 letters long.
16 Across Alkali made from a confused ley (3) → LYE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “ley”.
17 Across Light cigar wrapper made from broken coral (5) → CLARO Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “coral”.
18 Across Verify again, hidden in store checkout register (7) → RECHECK Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “store checkout”.
21 Across Hotel peep, scrambled, describes the general public (3,6) → THE PEOPLE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “hotel peep”.
23 Across Fox retreating leaves a tiny mark (3) → DOT Reversal
Reverse a run of letters to build the answer, which begins with “D”.
24 Across Determined admirals, mobilised initially, form a barrier (3) → DAM Initialism
Take the first letter of each: Determined, Admirals, Mobilised.
25 Across Loving nature, missing entrances and an unknown quantity (9) → OUTDOORSY Charade
Join three pieces end to end, 3, 5 and 1 letters long.
Down
1 Down Lupin flower's heart removed reveals a wolf-like disease (5) → LUPUS Deletion
Remove 2 letters from the middle of a longer word.
2 Down A gaped sander, oddly, could be this tool for digging (6,5) → GARDEN SPADE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “gaped sander”.
3 Down Radio receiver needs a melody plus a king (5) → TUNER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 4 and 1 letters long.
4 Down Container for ashes hidden within Saturn's orbit (3) → URN Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “Saturn”.
5 Down Bundler in a mess makes an error (7) → BLUNDER Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “bundler”.
7 Down Large jungle blade fashioned wildly from the mace (7) → MACHETE Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “the mace”.
10 Down Genteel lard, oddly, turns out to be official currency (5,6) → LEGAL TENDER Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “genteel lard”.
12 Down More bashful after shyness gives way to hesitation (5) → COYER Charade
Join two pieces end to end, 3 and 2 letters long.
14 Down Decay, oddly, plus Thursday's start describes having sailed for pleasure (7) → YACHTED Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “decay th”.
15 Down Muddled repot on reveals a tendency towards (5,2) → PRONE TO Anagram
Rearrange the letters of “repot on”.
19 Down Statement of belief found in sacred oath (5) → CREDO Hidden word
The answer is hidden inside “sacred oath”.
20 Down Young cat guards communal fund (5) → KITTY Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.
22 Down Marijuana wins the jackpot (3) → POT Double definition
Look for two different meanings of the same word.