Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)

Latest answer — September 04, 2026

22 Across

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Clue explained

A HOTLINE is a direct or speedy means of communication. The second reading is a pun: a “hot line” is where temperatures are raised.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A direct telephone line represented with a red, heat-themed handset.

Guardian Quick Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 04, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Job done - Robert is my father's brother (4,4,5)
  2. 8Cheaper fare period (7)
  3. 9eg Manchester Ship or Grand (5)
  4. 10Parched (4)
  5. 11Tell anxieties freely and with relief (with 'oneself') (8)
  6. 13The world is my ___ (6)
  7. 14Morning oats (6)
  8. 17Vine leaves with savoury filling (8)
  9. 19Shallowest Great Lake (4)
  10. 21Gut bacterium (1,4)
  11. 22Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)
  12. 24Tiny European principality (13)

Down

  1. 1Wouldn't say this to a goose (3)
  2. 2Scientific experts, eggheads (7)
  3. 3___ Saint Laurent, fashion designer (4)
  4. 4Mean and thoughtless (6)
  5. 5Smarmy (8)
  6. 6Hammered - upholstered with rattan (5)
  7. 7Sweetbrier - inelegant (anag) (9)
  8. 10Value for money - lots (1,4,4)
  9. 12Massive stone, part of prehistoric monument (8)
  10. 15Young pilchard (7)
  11. 16'Turn it off and on again' adviser (6)
  12. 18Slack (5)
  13. 20___ Redding, singer/songwriter (4)
  14. 23Poet's word, with inverted comma, for the end of the day (3)

The answer to “Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)” in the The Guardian Quick crossword is HOTLINE — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 4, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 22-Across. 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.

“Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)” answer

HOTLINE (7 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 HOTLINE.

What does HOTLINE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a direct phone line set up for a specific purpose, especially for use in emergencies or for communication between heads of government

When else has “Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)” 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 4, 2026 (most recent) → HOTLINE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)”?

The answer is HOTLINE, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 4, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)”?

7 letters: HOTLINE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 4, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 22-Across.

Can “Means of speedy communication - temperatures raised here? (7)” 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 4, 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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