Slow on the uptake (6)

Latest answer — August 08, 2026

16 Down

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Clue explained

OBTUSE can mean slow to understand or slow on the uptake. Here it is an adjective describing a person’s comprehension, not the geometric meaning of the word.

Clue type:
Definition
A person looking puzzled while trying to understand something.

Guardian Quick Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 08, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Toy, target or top (4)
  2. 3On the other side of the page (8)
  3. 9Cockle or mussel, say (7)
  4. 10One goes to the polls (5)
  5. 11Support - acceptance (3-2)
  6. 12Rectangle (6)
  7. 14Sober - as OAP insisted (anag) (13)
  8. 17Soluble substance which can neutralise acids (6)
  9. 19It's raised in support (5)
  10. 22Layered vegetable (5)
  11. 23Small waterfall (7)
  12. 24Forte or Fawlty? (8)
  13. 25Top of the range? (4)

Down

  1. 1A person of consequence (8)
  2. 2Ornamental garden building (5)
  3. 4Where one problem leads to another, compounding the original difficulty (7,6)
  4. 5Competitor (5)
  5. 6Baltic state bordering Russia and Latvia (7)
  6. 7Plant which reproduces via spores (4)
  7. 8South American plant grown for its rice-like seeds (6)
  8. 13Time for a drink (3,5)
  9. 15One plays alone (7)
  10. 16Slow on the uptake (6)
  11. 18Cancel (5)
  12. 20Treatment (5)
  13. 21Heavy hitter? (4)

The answer to “Slow on the uptake (6)” in the The Guardian Quick crossword is OBTUSE — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 8, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 16-Down, and it has also run on 1 earlier date with the same answer. 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.

“Slow on the uptake (6)” answer

OBTUSE (6 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 OBTUSE.

What does OBTUSE mean?

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

(adjective)

  • annoyingly slow to understand; dull-witted
  • (of an angle) more than 90° and less than 180°
  • not sharp-pointed or sharp-edged; blunt

When else has “Slow on the uptake (6)” 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Slow on the uptake (6)”?

The answer is OBTUSE, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Slow on the uptake (6)”?

6 letters: OBTUSE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 8, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 16-Down. Earlier appearances: August 7, 2026 → OBTUSE.

Can “Slow on the uptake (6)” 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 8, 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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