Return something removed - delay (3,4)

Latest answer — August 22, 2026

18 Across

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Clue decoded

To PUT BACK something is to return it to the place from which it was removed; to put an event back is also to delay it. The clue uses both senses of the phrase.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A hand returning a book to a shelf

Guardian Quick Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 22, 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. 1Rolls piled up here? (5,6)
  2. 9Jerusalem or globe (9)
  3. 10Dark, viscous mixture (3)
  4. 11Author of poem with opening line 'Stop all the clocks' (5)
  5. 13Complying with (7)
  6. 14Not more than (2,4)
  7. 15Frustrate, obstruct (6)
  8. 18Return something removed - delay (3,4)
  9. 20Look at with intense interest or desire (3,2)
  10. 21Objections (with buts) (3)
  11. 22Nervous chewer (4-5)
  12. 24Aggressive - waging war - rebel tingle (anag) (11)

Down

  1. 2Furrow made by wheels (3)
  2. 3eg grave and acute (7)
  3. 4Yogi's pal - silly mistake (3-3)
  4. 5Eg Thunberg - root vegetable (5)
  5. 6Free from entanglements (9)
  6. 7Ice-cream dish - with shared fruit? (6,5)
  7. 8Person that's clever, or foolish (sarcastically) (6,5)
  8. 12Small coffee cup - missed tea (anag) (9)
  9. 16Where cobblers work and where cads drink? (4,3)
  10. 17Going down snow-slopes (6)
  11. 19Historical record of events (5)
  12. 23Large cask (3)

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Rolls piled up here? (5,6) — Answer: BREADBASKET. Hint: Think of a household container for freshly baked rolls. 🥖
  2. 9. Jerusalem or globe (9) — Answer: ARTICHOKE. Hint: These are both varieties of the same unusual vegetable. 🌱
  3. 10. Dark, viscous mixture (3) — Answer: TAR. Hint: This thick substance coats roads and roofs. 🛣️
  4. 11. Author of poem with opening line 'Stop all the clocks' (5) — Answer: AUDEN. Hint: This poet wrote the famous elegy beginning with that line. ✍️
  5. 13. Complying with (7) — Answer: OBEYING. Hint: Following rules means doing this. ✅
  6. 14. Not more than (2,4) — Answer: ATMOST. Hint: This phrase sets an upper limit. 📏
  7. 15. Frustrate, obstruct (6) — Answer: THWART. Hint: To block someone’s plans is to do this. 🚧
  8. 18. Return something removed - delay (3,4) — Answer: PUTBACK. Hint: It can mean restoring an item or postponing an action. 🔄
  9. 20. Look at with intense interest or desire (3,2) — Answer: EYEUP. Hint: To regard someone with keen interest or longing is to do this. 👀
  10. 21. Objections (with buts) (3) — Answer: IFS. Hint: Tiny conditional objections often follow the word “but.” 🤔
  11. 22. Nervous chewer (4-5) — Answer: NAILBITER. Hint: This anxious person gnaws at a fingertip under pressure. 😬
  12. 24. Aggressive - waging war - rebel tingle (anag) (11) — Answer: BELLIGERENT. Hint: This adjective describes someone ready to fight or make war. ⚔️

Down

  1. 2. Furrow made by wheels (3) — Answer: RUT. Hint: A wheel-made groove in a muddy track is this. 🚜
  2. 3. eg grave and acute (7) — Answer: ACCENTS. Hint: Grave and acute marks are examples of these. ´
  3. 4. Yogi's pal - silly mistake (3-3) — Answer: BOOBOO. Hint: Yogi Bear’s little companion shares a name with a minor mistake. 🐻
  4. 5. Eg Thunberg - root vegetable (5) — Answer: SWEDE. Hint: Greta and a Scandinavian root vegetable point to the same word. 🌍
  5. 6. Free from entanglements (9) — Answer: EXTRICATE. Hint: To free someone or something from a tangle is to do this. 🪢
  6. 7. Ice-cream dish - with shared fruit? (6,5) — Answer: BANANASPLIT. Hint: Picture a classic sundae featuring a fruit divided lengthwise beneath the scoops. 🍨
  7. 8. Person that's clever, or foolish (sarcastically) (6,5) — Answer: BRIGHTSPARK. Hint: It can praise a clever person or sarcastically mock a fool. 💡
  8. 12. Small coffee cup - missed tea (anag) (9) — Answer: DEMITASSE. Hint: Think of the petite cup traditionally used for a strong after-dinner coffee. ☕
  9. 16. Where cobblers work and where cads drink? (4,3) — Answer: HEELBAR. Hint: Think of a place linked both to shoe repair and disreputable drinkers. 👞
  10. 17. Going down snow-slopes (6) — Answer: SKIING. Hint: This is what you do while descending a snowy slope. ⛷️
  11. 19. Historical record of events (5) — Answer: ANNAL. Hint: A year-by-year chronicle is the target. 📜
  12. 23. Large cask (3) — Answer: TUN. Hint: Look for the old-fashioned word for a very large barrel. 🛢️

Recent Guardian Quick Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

Guardian Quick 21 August 2026Guardian Quick 20 August 2026Guardian Quick 19 August 2026Guardian Quick 18 August 2026Guardian Quick 17 August 2026Guardian Quick 15 August 2026Guardian Quick 14 August 2026

The answer to “Return something removed - delay (3,4)” in the The Guardian Quick crossword is PUTBACK — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 22, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 18-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.

“Return something removed - delay (3,4)” answer

PUTBACK (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 PUTBACK.

When else has “Return something removed - delay (3,4)” 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 22, 2026 (most recent) → PUTBACK. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the Guardian Quick Crossword on August 22, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full The Guardian Quick answer list for August 22, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live Guardian Quick answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the Guardian Quick Crossword

The Guardian Quick Crossword is a British straight-definition daily (typically around 13×13) — no cryptic wordplay, just clean definitions and abbreviations. This page covers a Saturday puzzle. Because answers favour common UK vocabulary and short fill, seeing a confirmation once makes the next appearance easy to spot.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Return something removed - delay (3,4)”?

The answer is PUTBACK, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 22, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Return something removed - delay (3,4)”?

7 letters: PUTBACK.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 22, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 18-Across.

Can “Return something removed - delay (3,4)” 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 22, 2026 is on the Guardian Quick answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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