Eagle circles a stone grave

Latest answer — September 01, 2026

19 Down

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Clue explained

EARNEST means “grave” in the sense of serious or solemn. The reference to an eagle circling a stone evokes a solemn grave scene, making the clue a visual cryptic description rather than a conventional letter construction.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
An eagle flying above a stone gravemarker.

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 01, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Start job on the radio
  2. 4Adult upset teen's mum for fun
  3. 9Over-zealous department – endless debts
  4. 10Manage holding top of shaving brush
  5. 11Gown her husband's taken off, revealing chest
  6. 12Invite cheers returning parcel
  7. 13Admits pale and sickly son moves to the back
  8. 15Bosses welcoming hospital department's trainees
  9. 18Unfortunately, 'e can't deny a shed's leaning
  10. 20Feel hot and sleep at intervals
  11. 23Book about Spanish golfer securing fifth of majors
  12. 24Show consideration for detail
  13. 26Informed American base about military conflict
  14. 27Boxers perhaps constrained by sport
  15. 28Delight chaps with conclusion of art therapy
  16. 29Cadet? Badly behaved

Down

  1. 1Bad actors spoilt television programme, possibly
  2. 2Learner found in extensive hunt
  3. 3Mediocre writer saying something that's cutting
  4. 4Bill hides black paddle on a boat?
  5. 5Parvenus at college? Jerks
  6. 6Thrilled by mention in East Germany
  7. 7Old Frank and Edward cleared up
  8. 8Flower not finally opening
  9. 14Constable could have made this criminal dance with pals
  10. 16Protected the elder's crackers
  11. 17Need bullies regularly removed under school's plan
  12. 19Eagle circles a stone grave
  13. 21Continent without a large country
  14. 22Acknowledgement about Marxist with sex appeal
  15. 23Criticise a shoe initially boxed by cobblers
  16. 25Athlete Chris running away from Premier League team

The answer to “Eagle circles a stone grave” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is EARNEST — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 19-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.

“Eagle circles a stone grave” answer

EARNEST (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 EARNEST.

What does EARNEST mean?

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

(adjective)

  • resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction

When else has “Eagle circles a stone grave” 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.

September 1, 2026 (most recent) → EARNEST. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Eagle circles a stone grave”?

The answer is EARNEST, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Eagle circles a stone grave”?

7 letters: EARNEST.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 19-Down.

Can “Eagle circles a stone grave” 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 September 1, 2026 is on the Telegraph Cryptic answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Telegraph Cryptic Crossword is published by The Telegraph; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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