White mark on animal's face - inferno (5)

Latest answer — August 28, 2026

21 Across

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Clue explained

A BLAZE is both a white facial marking on an animal, especially a horse, and a large or fierce fire—an inferno. This is a double definition using two distinct senses of the same noun.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A horse with a prominent white blaze running down its face.

Guardian Quick Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 28, 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. 1Money in and out (of a business) (4,4)
  2. 5German composer, 1685-1750 (4)
  3. 9Not sparkling (water) (5)
  4. 10Quick, irregular motion (7)
  5. 11No tax on alcohol, perfume etc here (4-4,4)
  6. 13Tumble - overthrow (6)
  7. 14Exhausted (4-2)
  8. 17Handless timer (7,5)
  9. 20Innocent trust, unworldliness (7)
  10. 21White mark on animal's face - inferno (5)
  11. 22Underworld river (4)
  12. 23Pigs' feet (8)

Down

  1. 1Truncheon (4)
  2. 2Steeply sloping, snowy ramp (3,4)
  3. 3Decent (5,7)
  4. 4Bags, blue or shoes (6)
  5. 6H or h (5)
  6. 7Traditional sailor's dance (8)
  7. 8Chess opening - bisque magnet (anag) (6,6)
  8. 12Those engaged in learning (8)
  9. 15Lay down with authority (7)
  10. 16Actor or gamer (6)
  11. 18Coated with ingrained dirt (5)
  12. 19Part of eye or camera (4)

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Money in and out (of a business) (4,4) — Answer: CASHFLOW. Hint: Think of the movement of funds through a company’s accounts. 💼
  2. 5. German composer, 1685-1750 (4) — Answer: BACH. Hint: This prolific musician wrote the Brandenburg Concertos. 🎼
  3. 9. Not sparkling (water) (5) — Answer: STILL. Hint: It describes water without bubbles or fizz. 💧
  4. 10. Quick, irregular motion (7) — Answer: FLUTTER. Hint: Think of a butterfly’s rapid, wavering movement. 🦋
  5. 11. No tax on alcohol, perfume etc here (4-4,4) — Answer: DUTYFREESHOP. Hint: Travelers often browse one of these in an airport terminal. ✈️
  6. 13. Tumble - overthrow (6) — Answer: TOPPLE. Hint: A tower might do this when it loses its balance. 🏛️
  7. 14. Exhausted (4-2) — Answer: USEDUP. Hint: You might feel this after a very long day. 😩
  8. 17. Handless timer (7,5) — Answer: DIGITALWATCH. Hint: This wrist device displays the time in numerals rather than using hands. ⌚
  9. 20. Innocent trust, unworldliness (7) — Answer: NAIVETY. Hint: It describes a lack of worldly experience and suspicion. 🌱
  10. 21. White mark on animal's face - inferno (5) — Answer: BLAZE. Hint: A broad facial marking on a horse shares its name with a fierce fire. 🔥
  11. 22. Underworld river (4) — Answer: STYX. Hint: In Greek mythology, souls crossed this river of the dead. ⚰️
  12. 23. Pigs' feet (8) — Answer: TROTTERS. Hint: These are both porcine hooves and a name for fast walkers. 🐷

Down

  1. 1. Truncheon (4) — Answer: COSH. Hint: A short club once associated with police equipment. 🚓
  2. 2. Steeply sloping, snowy ramp (3,4) — Answer: SKIJUMP. Hint: Winter athletes launch from this ramp into the air. ⛷️
  3. 3. Decent (5,7) — Answer: FULLYCLOTHED. Hint: It means properly dressed rather than wearing very little. 👔
  4. 4. Bags, blue or shoes (6) — Answer: OXFORD. Hint: This word can describe a roomy bag, a university color, or a style of footwear. 👞
  5. 6. H or h (5) — Answer: AITCH. Hint: This is the spoken name of that consonant. 🔤
  6. 7. Traditional sailor's dance (8) — Answer: HORNPIPE. Hint: Picture sailors performing a lively traditional dance on deck. ⚓
  7. 8. Chess opening - bisque magnet (anag) (6,6) — Answer: QUEENSGAMBIT. Hint: This famous opening begins by offering a pawn for strategic advantage. ♟️
  8. 12. Those engaged in learning (8) — Answer: STUDENTS. Hint: They attend classes to gain knowledge and skills. 🎓
  9. 15. Lay down with authority (7) — Answer: DICTATE. Hint: To impose instructions is also to speak aloud for someone to transcribe 🗣️
  10. 16. Actor or gamer (6) — Answer: PLAYER. Hint: This person may perform onstage or take part in a game 🎭
  11. 18. Coated with ingrained dirt (5) — Answer: GRIMY. Hint: Think of something covered in stubborn, embedded muck 🧼
  12. 19. Part of eye or camera (4) — Answer: LENS. Hint: This focusing component belongs equally to an eye and a camera 📷

The answer to “White mark on animal's face - inferno (5)” in the The Guardian Quick crossword is BLAZE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 28, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 21-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.

“White mark on animal's face - inferno (5)” answer

BLAZE (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 BLAZE.

What does BLAZE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a very large or fiercely burning fire
  • used in various expressions of anger, bewilderment, or surprise as a euphemism for ‘hell’

When else has “White mark on animal's face - inferno (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 28, 2026 (most recent) → BLAZE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “White mark on animal's face - inferno (5)”?

The answer is BLAZE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 28, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “White mark on animal's face - inferno (5)”?

5 letters: BLAZE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 28, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 21-Across.

Can “White mark on animal's face - inferno (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 28, 2026 is on the Guardian Quick answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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