Ear, tube or city (5)

Latest answer — August 24, 2026

5 Down

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Clue explained

INNER forms familiar phrases in all three examples: inner ear, inner tube, and inner city. “Ear, tube or city” supplies those compounds as examples of the answer.

Clue type:
Example
A simple illustration representing an inner ear, an inner tube, and an inner city

Guardian Quick Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 24, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Fumbler - briefest grunt (anag) (13)
  2. 8Ostentation (4)
  3. 9Relative by marriage (3-2-3)
  4. 10Moderately loudly (music) (5-5)
  5. 12eg an HB or a 2B (6)
  6. 14Jenny ___ (comedian) - choux pastry (6)
  7. 15From that point on (10)
  8. 19Large Hadron ___ (8)
  9. 20Entranced (4)
  10. 21Sad tree? (7,6)

Down

  1. 2Still sealed (8)
  2. 3Precious stone - 1969 Hitchcock thriller (5)
  3. 4Tranquil (7)
  4. 5Ear, tube or city (5)
  5. 6Well-bred (7)
  6. 7Madrid, time or life (4)
  7. 11Satisfy, as in expectations (4,2,2)
  8. 13Pet door (7)
  9. 14Hairy arch (7)
  10. 16Counterpart to broadside (3-2)
  11. 17Untamed (5)
  12. 18Only - fish (4)

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Fumbler - briefest grunt (anag) (13) — Answer: BUTTERFINGERS. Hint: Think of a playful nickname for someone who repeatedly drops things 🤹
  2. 8. Ostentation (4) — Answer: POMP. Hint: A flamboyant display intended to impress is an example of this ✨
  3. 9. Relative by marriage (3-2-3) — Answer: SONINLAW. Hint: This male in-law is the son of your spouse 👨‍👩‍👦
  4. 10. Moderately loudly (music) (5-5) — Answer: MEZZOFORTE. Hint: This musical dynamic sits between moderately soft and loud 🎼
  5. 12. eg an HB or a 2B (6) — Answer: PENCIL. Hint: This writing tool is graded by how hard or dark its graphite is ✏️
  6. 14. Jenny ___ (comedian) - choux pastry (6) — Answer: ECLAIR. Hint: A comedian and a French pastry share this name 🍰
  7. 15. From that point on (10) — Answer: THEREAFTER. Hint: After a particular moment, events continue in this way ⏩
  8. 19. Large Hadron ___ (8) — Answer: COLLIDER. Hint: Complete the name of the famous particle-smashing machine near Geneva ⚛️
  9. 20. Entranced (4) — Answer: RAPT. Hint: Completely captivated, as if under a spell ✨
  10. 21. Sad tree? (7,6) — Answer: WEEPINGWILLOW. Hint: Picture a drooping tree whose branches seem to shed tears 🌳

Down

  1. 2. Still sealed (8) — Answer: UNOPENED. Hint: It has not yet been opened or unsealed 🔒
  2. 3. Precious stone - 1969 Hitchcock thriller (5) — Answer: TOPAZ. Hint: The same name belongs to a gemstone and a Hitchcock film from 1969 🎬
  3. 4. Tranquil (7) — Answer: RESTFUL. Hint: Calm and undisturbed, like a peaceful retreat 🧘
  4. 5. Ear, tube or city (5) — Answer: INNER. Hint: This word can describe parts of the ear, a tube, or a city 🏙️
  5. 6. Well-bred (7) — Answer: GENTEEL. Hint: Polished manners and refined upbringing suggest this quality 🎩
  6. 7. Madrid, time or life (4) — Answer: REAL. Hint: This word links a famous Madrid football club with both time and life ⚽
  7. 11. Satisfy, as in expectations (4,2,2) — Answer: LIVEUPTO. Hint: To fulfill what was promised is to do this to expectations ✅
  8. 13. Pet door (7) — Answer: CATFLAP. Hint: A small flap lets a household animal come and go 🐾
  9. 14. Hairy arch (7) — Answer: EYEBROW. Hint: The strip of hair above your eye forms this expressive facial feature 👁️
  10. 16. Counterpart to broadside (3-2) — Answer: ENDON. Hint: The opposite viewing angle to a broadside is directly toward the front or rear 🚢
  11. 17. Untamed (5) — Answer: FERAL. Hint: Think of something wild and not domesticated. 🌿
  12. 18. Only - fish (4) — Answer: SOLE. Hint: This fish can also describe being the only one. 🐟

The answer to “Ear, tube or city (5)” in the The Guardian Quick crossword is INNER — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 24, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 5-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Ear, tube or city (5)” answer

INNER (5 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is INNER.

What does INNER mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of INNER is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(adjective)

  • situated inside or further in; internal
  • mental or spiritual

When else has “Ear, tube or city (5)” appeared?

The Guardian Quick reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 24, 2026 (most recent) → INNER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Ear, tube or city (5)”?

The answer is INNER, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 24, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Ear, tube or city (5)”?

5 letters: INNER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 24, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 5-Down.

Can “Ear, tube or city (5)” have a different answer?

Yes — The Guardian Quick sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's Guardian Quick answers?

The full grid for August 24, 2026 is on the Guardian Quick answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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