Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect

Latest answer — September 21, 2026

8 Down

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Clue explained

MOTHER means “mum”. It is MOTH, a flying insect, followed by ER, a hesitant expression; “holding up” indicates the components are joined in the down entry.

Clue type:
Definition
A close-up photograph of a moth resting on a leaf

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Monday, September 21, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1A little helper for mum's do
  2. 5Opposition to change in slum did badly
  3. 9Upset, I panic shy doctor
  4. 10Munch nuts, shelled and whole
  5. 11Scottish singer lout regularly put on repeat
  6. 12Wild hen gets on English monument
  7. 13Amusing guards run, dribbling
  8. 16Independent politician's a troublemaker
  9. 191950s youth finally cut the mustard
  10. 20Prepare to fight Conservative from France
  11. 22Shun a bleak moving firm
  12. 25Protest comedy from the right lacks boundaries
  13. 27Fleshy fruit picked, primarily
  14. 28Perhaps batsman caught, less stable after losing international
  15. 29Vacuous thinker finished and went viral on social media
  16. 30Gosh, punched by South African capital's big cheese

Down

  1. 1Live in ramshackle Aleppo hut, not hotel
  2. 2Organisation that exists to make money?
  3. 3God's love leads to divine inspiration normally
  4. 4Keeps Republican away from principal tutors
  5. 5Russian leader left Benin, having ousted leader
  6. 6More resolute bank propping up cash
  7. 7Ancient civilisation's food container missing lid
  8. 8Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect
  9. 14Held to ransom, fool slept
  10. 15Demanding thin porridge and fish
  11. 17Defended professional court in tweed, having ditched wife
  12. 18Certainly astray, but with only one fine
  13. 21Model's young dog and cat?
  14. 23Impudent behaviour is beginning, according to reports
  15. 24Bowed and served brilliantly, welcoming king
  16. 26Regularly cook great edible plant

The answer to “Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is MOTHER — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 21, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 8-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.

“Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect” answer

MOTHER (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 MOTHER.

What does MOTHER mean?

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

(noun)

  • a woman in relation to her child or children

When else has “Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect” 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 21, 2026 (most recent) → MOTHER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect”?

The answer is MOTHER, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect”?

6 letters: MOTHER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 21, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 8-Down.

Can “Mum's hesitant expression, holding up flying insect” 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 21, 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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