Difficulty in fight with European

Latest answer — August 24, 2026

14 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

SCRAPE means a difficulty or awkward predicament. It is SCRAP, a fight, followed by E, abbreviation for European.

Clue type:
Abbreviation
A close-up of a minor scrape on a person’s knee.

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 24, 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. 1Number Ten popular after reversing policy at last
  2. 4Remembered name adopted by grass
  3. 9Profit from revolutionary magnet, perhaps?
  4. 10Romeo, young man wearing ring in private
  5. 11A playful seal pup's clapping
  6. 13Bishop was in charge of church subdivision
  7. 15An opinion broadcast with curt way of speaking
  8. 18Scans cut crime, bizarre state of affairs
  9. 22Amount produced in unfashionable place
  10. 24Antlered animals in river run after drained relative
  11. 26Did former English copper start to threaten editor?
  12. 27Dressed up, took court action to protect it
  13. 28Island group handles closure of airport badly
  14. 29Annoy weak-kneed leftie, to an extent

Down

  1. 1Liberal supporting opera – typical!
  2. 2Snapper we arranged for The Telegraph?
  3. 3Storm split a party
  4. 5Regular type of rugby not using wings
  5. 6Country song about just leaving Jack
  6. 7Row over new fabric
  7. 8Swimmers note records broken by China endlessly
  8. 12Crush culinary vegetable
  9. 14Difficulty in fight with European
  10. 16Looked closely at centipedes lacking energy to run
  11. 17Maybe Glaswegian periodically learns to conserve old vehicles
  12. 19Upper-class university admitting group of students nearly all odd
  13. 20Bewilder Conservative and join
  14. 21Edgings from clothier adorned large bed
  15. 23Some other extremely comforting word
  16. 25Observed part of play, we hear

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Number Ten popular after reversing policy at last — Answer: NINETY. Hint: Think of the number that follows eighty-nine, with a Downing Street twist 🔢
  2. 4. Remembered name adopted by grass — Answer: RECALLED. Hint: This means brought back to mind, and can also describe something summoned again 🧠
  3. 9. Profit from revolutionary magnet, perhaps? — Answer: REWARD. Hint: Look for a benefit gained from an effort, perhaps with a magnetic pun 🧲
  4. 10. Romeo, young man wearing ring in private — Answer: PERSONAL. Hint: Something private or individual fits both the definition and the discreet wordplay 🔒
  5. 11. A playful seal pup's clapping — Answer: APPLAUSE. Hint: Imagine an audience showing approval with enthusiastic handclaps 👏
  6. 13. Bishop was in charge of church subdivision — Answer: BRANCH. Hint: A church subdivision shares its name with a limb growing from a tree 🌿
  7. 15. An opinion broadcast with curt way of speaking — Answer: PRONUNCIATION. Hint: It refers to how a word is spoken, especially in a broadcast 🎙️
  8. 18. Scans cut crime, bizarre state of affairs — Answer: CIRCUMSTANCES. Hint: These are the surrounding facts or conditions of a situation 🧩
  9. 22. Amount produced in unfashionable place — Answer: OUTPUT. Hint: Think of what a factory or process produces, hidden in an unfashionable setting 🏭
  10. 24. Antlered animals in river run after drained relative — Answer: REINDEER. Hint: Picture Santa's antlered team, assembled through river and family wordplay 🦌
  11. 26. Did former English copper start to threaten editor? — Answer: EXECUTED. Hint: This can mean carried out, while the surface hints at an old threat ⚖️
  12. 27. Dressed up, took court action to protect it — Answer: SUITED. Hint: It can mean dressed smartly or brought a legal case, making the double meaning useful 👔
  13. 28. Island group handles closure of airport badly — Answer: SHETLAND. Hint: The Scottish island group is the destination suggested by the clue 🗺️
  14. 29. Annoy weak-kneed leftie, to an extent — Answer: NEEDLE. Hint: The verb for irritating someone also has a sewing-related sense 😈

Down

  1. 1. Liberal supporting opera – typical! — Answer: NORMAL. Hint: Typical or usual is the definition, with a liberal and opera-themed surface 🎭
  2. 2. Snapper we arranged for The Telegraph? — Answer: NEWSPAPER. Hint: A Telegraph-associated publication is suggested by the snapper and arrangement 📰
  3. 3. Storm split a party — Answer: TORNADO. Hint: A violently rotating storm is formed when the party is split in the wordplay 🌪️
  4. 5. Regular type of rugby not using wings — Answer: EVEN. Hint: Regular and level both point to the same short mathematical idea ⚖️
  5. 6. Country song about just leaving Jack — Answer: AUSTRIA. Hint: A European country emerges from a lyric about departing and a familiar man's name 🎵
  6. 7. Row over new fabric — Answer: LINEN. Hint: This fabric is made from flax, while the clue begins with a quarrel 🧵
  7. 8. Swimmers note records broken by China endlessly — Answer: DOLPHINS. Hint: Think of intelligent marine swimmers known for clicks and leaps. 🐬
  8. 12. Crush culinary vegetable — Answer: SQUASH. Hint: This word names both a softening action and a familiar gourd. 🎃
  9. 14. Difficulty in fight with European — Answer: SCRAPE. Hint: A tough predicament can also describe a close physical tussle. 🤼
  10. 16. Looked closely at centipedes lacking energy to run — Answer: INSPECTED. Hint: Use a verb meaning examined carefully. 🔍
  11. 17. Maybe Glaswegian periodically learns to conserve old vehicles — Answer: SCOOTERS. Hint: These small two-wheeled vehicles can zip around town. 🛴
  12. 19. Upper-class university admitting group of students nearly all odd — Answer: UNUSUAL. Hint: Something strange or out of the ordinary fits this description. 🤔
  13. 20. Bewilder Conservative and join — Answer: CONFUSE. Hint: A verb for leaving someone puzzled is wanted here. 😵
  14. 21. Edgings from clothier adorned large bed — Answer: CRADLE. Hint: Think of something that gently supports a baby or holds an object. 👶
  15. 23. Some other extremely comforting word — Answer: THERE. Hint: A reassuring word can point to a place or offer emotional support. 🤗
  16. 25. Observed part of play, we hear — Answer: SEEN. Hint: This describes what you did when you watched something. 👀

The answer to “Difficulty in fight with European” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is SCRAPE — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 24, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 14-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.

“Difficulty in fight with European” answer

SCRAPE (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 SCRAPE.

What does SCRAPE mean?

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

(verb)

  • drag or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or object) so as to remove dirt or other matter
  • rub or cause to rub by accident against a rough or hard surface, causing damage or injury
  • narrowly pass by or through something

When else has “Difficulty in fight with European” 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 24, 2026 (most recent) → SCRAPE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Difficulty in fight with European”?

The answer is SCRAPE, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 24, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Difficulty in fight with European”?

6 letters: SCRAPE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 24, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 14-Down.

Can “Difficulty in fight with European” 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 24, 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.