Failure of almost all arson, incredibly

Latest answer — September 04, 2026

18 Down

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Clue explained

ALSORAN means a failure, specifically an also-ran. It is an anagram of AL (ALL almost) and ARSON, indicated by “incredibly”: AL + ARSON* = ALSORAN.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A racehorse finishing behind the leading competitors in a horse race.

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 04, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 4Nun hiding – is a church in trouble
  2. 8Newspaper exposed Stew
  3. 9Player invited to compete is unbroken facing deuce?
  4. 10Dogs graffiti artist Rob conclusively draws outside
  5. 11Idiot getting money back with it
  6. 12Doctor, doctor – who let mine be born?
  7. 13See 12 Across
  8. 16When rejected, Yellowcoat Ted never harbours bad blood
  9. 19Case for Hazel, say, to have lines after she pursues group of teachers once
  10. 21Jumble sale occasionally helps out
  11. 23Publication of article on playing chess – essentially rook captures bishop
  12. 24Abundance provided by Norse god through prayer
  13. 25Stock of wine retailer picked up
  14. 26Immaculate header from Uruguay devastated Denmark

Down

  1. 1Caretaker's rent reduced after New Year's Day
  2. 2Hotel offering British journo large drink at entrance
  3. 3Scarf – top of neck is hot
  4. 4Place where police found clue to dastardly con
  5. 5Man's man, for example
  6. 6American spy avoiding university town
  7. 7Friendly drink
  8. 14Aware of travelling to hen party
  9. 15Son with top tip – it helps manage leaks
  10. 17Musk penning letter to Aristotle – and another
  11. 18Failure of almost all arson, incredibly
  12. 20Stupor caused by knight taking smack? Quite the reverse
  13. 22More out of context rants

The answer to “Failure of almost all arson, incredibly” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is ALSORAN — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 4, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 18-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.

“Failure of almost all arson, incredibly” answer

ALSORAN (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 ALSORAN.

When else has “Failure of almost all arson, incredibly” 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 4, 2026 (most recent) → ALSORAN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Failure of almost all arson, incredibly”?

The answer is ALSORAN, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 4, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Failure of almost all arson, incredibly”?

7 letters: ALSORAN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 4, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 18-Down.

Can “Failure of almost all arson, incredibly” 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 4, 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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