Ape – one with oomph in China

Latest answer — August 25, 2026

21 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

IMITATE means “ape”. I is “one”, IT supplies “oomph” or star quality, and IT is inserted into MATE, a Cockney-rhyming-slang term for “China” from “China plate”.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
Blue-and-white Chinese porcelain plate

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 25, 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. 1Holds up drinks after drink
  2. 5Lost penny in a crack
  3. 9Rich sailor and German social worker
  4. 10Hit second three-wheeler
  5. 12Constrained by fib about northern accent
  6. 13Checks rules, by the sound of it
  7. 14Some rowan we have flipping chopped
  8. 16Dog lead
  9. 19Dopiest mongrel getting stick
  10. 21Report penned in excitement
  11. 24Once more adult pursues profit? On the contrary!
  12. 25Get rid of dodgy email I sent, ignoring son
  13. 27Clergyman initially celebrated and left Morecambe?
  14. 28Found everyone following British sport
  15. 29Place in Washington no American is calm
  16. 30Perceived old Spanish coin instead, oddly

Down

  1. 1This could make pals very generous
  2. 2American poet's pens
  3. 3Command from king stuck in river
  4. 4Allowance for the elderly beginning to be changed, creating anxiety
  5. 6Discover men tried out exfoliating at first
  6. 7Start in Italy with fourth of exhibits in art gallery
  7. 8Adore sugar ultimately in hot drink? Certainly!
  8. 11Assist European husband lifting large piano
  9. 15New lease isn't necessary
  10. 17District Attorney picked up on US vice-president's sexual overtures
  11. 18Supposed dad upset mum?
  12. 20X enthrals English adolescent
  13. 21Ape – one with oomph in China
  14. 22Badger – tough, short animal
  15. 23Successfully treated the Parisian's cut bonce
  16. 26This writer would relish taking top off model

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Holds up drinks after drink — Answer: SUPPORTS. Hint: Think of what a sturdy bar might do for your glassware. 🥤
  2. 5. Lost penny in a crack — Answer: ADRIFT. Hint: Picture something lost and carried along without direction. 🌊
  3. 9. Rich sailor and German social worker — Answer: ABUNDANT. Hint: Look for a word meaning plentiful, with the clue’s people supplying the wordplay. 💰
  4. 10. Hit second three-wheeler — Answer: STRIKE. Hint: This can mean a hit, a work stoppage, or a bowling success. 🎳
  5. 12. Constrained by fib about northern accent — Answer: UNDERLINE. Hint: A constraint can also be a mark beneath writing, with a fib and northern sound involved. ✍️
  6. 13. Checks rules, by the sound of it — Answer: REINS. Hint: These can control a horse while sounding like something that verifies rules. 🐎
  7. 14. Some rowan we have flipping chopped — Answer: HEWN. Hint: The answer means chopped, while the surface disguises a reversal. 🪓
  8. 16. Dog lead — Answer: POINTER. Hint: This dog can indicate a direction and is also a breed. 🐕
  9. 19. Dopiest mongrel getting stick — Answer: DEPOSIT. Hint: Think of a sum put down, hidden behind a playful description of a foolish dog. 🏦
  10. 21. Report penned in excitement — Answer: ITEM. Hint: A short report or article can be one entry in a list, with excitement added to the wordplay. 📰
  11. 24. Once more adult pursues profit? On the contrary! — Answer: AGAIN. Hint: The simple repetition sense is key, with the wordplay reversing the apparent pursuit. 🔁
  12. 25. Get rid of dodgy email I sent, ignoring son — Answer: ELIMINATE. Hint: To remove something completely is the whole idea, despite the clue’s scrambled-looking email. 🗑️
  13. 27. Clergyman initially celebrated and left Morecambe? — Answer: CLERIC. Hint: A member of the clergy is indicated, with initials and a famously seaside town doing the construction. ⛪
  14. 28. Found everyone following British sport — Answer: BASEBALL. Hint: Think of the American pastime formed by placing a British abbreviation before a sport. ⚾
  15. 29. Place in Washington no American is calm — Answer: SETTLE. Hint: It can mean both to place something and to become calm, with the location supplying a capital-city hint. 🏛️
  16. 30. Perceived old Spanish coin instead, oddly — Answer: REALISED. Hint: This means perceived, while an old coin and an unusual arrangement are tucked into the wordplay. 🪙

Down

  1. 1. This could make pals very generous — Answer: SLAPUP. Hint: Think of an extravagantly good spread that might inspire friends to loosen their wallets. 🍽️
  2. 2. American poet's pens — Answer: POUNDS. Hint: The surname of an American poet also points to units of weight and animal enclosures. ✒️
  3. 3. Command from king stuck in river — Answer: ORDER. Hint: A command can also be a sequence, with royalty concealed in a watery setting. 👑
  4. 4. Allowance for the elderly beginning to be changed, creating anxiety — Answer: TENSION. Hint: Anxiety is the definition, while an allowance and an elderly person’s initial undergo alteration. 😟
  5. 6. Discover men tried out exfoliating at first — Answer: DETERMINE. Hint: Think of a verb meaning to discover or establish something with certainty. 🔎
  6. 7. Start in Italy with fourth of exhibits in art gallery — Answer: INITIATE. Hint: Look for a verb meaning to begin, perhaps with an Italian touch. 🚦
  7. 8. Adore sugar ultimately in hot drink? Certainly! — Answer: TREASURE. Hint: This verb can mean both deeply adore and value highly. 💖
  8. 11. Assist European husband lifting large piano — Answer: HELP. Hint: A very short verb for giving someone a hand. 🤝
  9. 15. New lease isn't necessary — Answer: ESSENTIAL. Hint: Seek an adjective describing something indispensable rather than optional. ✅
  10. 17. District Attorney picked up on US vice-president's sexual overtures — Answer: ADVANCES. Hint: These can be either steps forward or flirtatious overtures. 😉
  11. 18. Supposed dad upset mum? — Answer: APPARENT. Hint: Think of something seeming true or evident, even if not proven. 👀
  12. 20. X enthrals English adolescent — Answer: TEEN. Hint: A casual term for someone in their teenage years. 🎒
  13. 21. Ape – one with oomph in China — Answer: IMITATE. Hint: Choose the verb meaning to copy another's behavior. 🐒
  14. 22. Badger – tough, short animal — Answer: HARASS. Hint: This verb means to pester someone persistently. 🦡
  15. 23. Successfully treated the Parisian's cut bonce — Answer: HEALED. Hint: Look for a past-tense verb meaning made well again. ❤️‍🩹
  16. 26. This writer would relish taking top off model — Answer: IDEAL. Hint: This can describe a perfect example or a standard to aspire to. ✨

The answer to “Ape – one with oomph in China” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is IMITATE — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 25, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 21-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.

“Ape – one with oomph in China” answer

IMITATE (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 IMITATE.

What does IMITATE mean?

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

(verb)

  • take or follow as a model

When else has “Ape – one with oomph in China” appeared?

The Telegraph Cryptic 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 25, 2026 (most recent) → IMITATE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Ape – one with oomph in China”?

The answer is IMITATE, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 25, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Ape – one with oomph in China”?

7 letters: IMITATE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 25, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 21-Down.

Can “Ape – one with oomph in China” have a different answer?

Yes — The Telegraph Cryptic 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 Telegraph Cryptic answers?

The full grid for August 25, 2026 is on the Telegraph Cryptic answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.