It's not how it looks (8)

Latest answer — September 29, 2026

5 Down

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Clue explained

An ILLUSION is something that is not how it looks: an appearance that misleads the observer. The clue is a compact definition rather than a construction.

Clue type:
Definition
An optical illusion depicting an apparently impossible staircase.

Guardian Quick Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 29, 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. 1Male role model (6,6)
  2. 9Company member (5)
  3. 10Struck out (7)
  4. 11Cry or customer? (4)
  5. 12Jelly and ice cream, say (8)
  6. 14Get together (4,2)
  7. 15Sweet or savoury dish with an airy texture (6)
  8. 18Sufficient (8)
  9. 20Find one on the floor? - mah-jong piece (4)
  10. 22Spoilsport (7)
  11. 23One of the Montagues - or Beckhams (5)
  12. 24Breaking the rules - I decode Ibsen (anag) (12)

Down

  1. 2Perennial with fern-like foliage and feathery flowers - bestial (anag) (7)
  2. 3At this point (4)
  3. 4Show embarrassment (6)
  4. 5It's not how it looks (8)
  5. 6Pronounce - complete (5)
  6. 7Animal bones (12)
  7. 8Hermetically sealed (6-6)
  8. 13Fraudulent business (3-2,3)
  9. 16Earthquake-related (7)
  10. 17Suspended (6)
  11. 19___ Island, former Port of New York immigration station (5)
  12. 21On the house or on the loose (4)

The answer to “It's not how it looks (8)” in the The Guardian Quick crossword is ILLUSION — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 29, 2026, a Tuesday 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.

“It's not how it looks (8)” answer

ILLUSION (8 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 ILLUSION.

What does ILLUSION mean?

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

(noun)

  • an instance of a wrong or misinterpreted perception of a sensory experience

When else has “It's not how it looks (8)” 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.

September 29, 2026 (most recent) → ILLUSION. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “It's not how it looks (8)”?

The answer is ILLUSION, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 29, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “It's not how it looks (8)”?

8 letters: ILLUSION.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 29, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 5-Down.

Can “It's not how it looks (8)” 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 September 29, 2026 is on the Guardian Quick answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Guardian Quick Crossword is published by The Guardian; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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