One likely to get tipsy cake?

Latest answer — August 12, 2026

13 Across

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Clue explained

A SPONGE is a cake, and a sponge cake could literally get “tipsy” by being soaked in alcohol. The question mark flags this humorous double meaning; “one likely to get tipsy” is the playful definition.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A slice of sponge cake that has been soaked with alcohol.

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 12, 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. 1Clement Freud's first fiancée appearing regularly
  2. 3Canine maybe excessively hot, nursing temperature
  3. 6Groom horse hurdling last at Epsom
  4. 8Large United Reformed Church oven, one provider of a meal
  5. 9English police force in charge? That's sickening
  6. 10Carry winter sport equipment back in Russian fur hat
  7. 11"Over weight" slogan created self-inflicted damage
  8. 13One likely to get tipsy cake?
  9. 15Curse what a beaver might do to a stream, it's said
  10. 17Badly behaved, Bart hits out
  11. 19Drag everybody outside new hospital community building
  12. 21Very large mother given injection of iodine element
  13. 22Keeps floating unrealistic plans
  14. 23Endlessly amusing retired peer
  15. 24Starts to put rosewater in very yucky outside loo
  16. 25Aquatic mammal left to follow the tide

Down

  1. 1Fabrication of shoe lad engineered
  2. 2Granny enthusiastic for fabric
  3. 3Cutting defensive position, soldier?
  4. 4Coach upset substitute at home and Salah
  5. 5Fuss embodied by Cornish "ooh arr"
  6. 6Prepares to fire former Labour leader Michael, being a grass
  7. 7Gathering support for driver heading north with trendy sports car around
  8. 12Paired with good artist Tracey on wild date
  9. 13Theory was pulled to pieces so it should hold water
  10. 14English pub on green barring daughter just for a brief period
  11. 16One from Mexico getting stoned before dinner?
  12. 17Almost ringing international artist
  13. 18Copy current friend installing tech
  14. 20Some Eurocrat (EU politician) cleaned his plate

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Clement Freud's first fiancée appearing regularly — Answer: FINE. Hint: A word of approval is formed from Freud’s first letter and regularly appearing letters of “fiancée.” 😉
  2. 3. Canine maybe excessively hot, nursing temperature — Answer: TOOTH. Hint: A canine can be one of these, especially noticeable when it’s sensitive to heat. 🦷
  3. 6. Groom horse hurdling last at Epsom — Answer: COMB. Hint: Think of the simple grooming tool used to tidy a horse’s mane. 🐴
  4. 8. Large United Reformed Church oven, one provider of a meal — Answer: LUNCHEONVOUCHER. Hint: Think of a workplace perk that helps cover the cost of your midday meal. 🍽️
  5. 9. English police force in charge? That's sickening — Answer: EMETIC. Hint: Think of a word meaning nauseating, assembled from an English abbreviation, a London police force, and “in charge.” 🤢
  6. 10. Carry winter sport equipment back in Russian fur hat — Answer: BEARSKIN. Hint: A Russian fur hat is defined here, while the wordplay pairs a synonym for “carry” with winter-sport equipment reversed. 🐻
  7. 11. "Over weight" slogan created self-inflicted damage — Answer: OWNGOALS. Hint: These are blunders that hurt your own side, especially when a slogan backfires. ⚽
  8. 13. One likely to get tipsy cake? — Answer: SPONGE. Hint: Think of a cake that readily soaks up a boozy drizzle. 🍰
  9. 15. Curse what a beaver might do to a stream, it's said — Answer: DAMMIT. Hint: Think of a playful exclamation that combines a beaver’s handiwork with a mild curse. 🦫
  10. 17. Badly behaved, Bart hits out — Answer: BRATTISH. Hint: Think of a mischievous cartoon youngster when describing this naughty behavior. 😈
  11. 19. Drag everybody outside new hospital community building — Answer: TOWNHALL. Hint: Think of the place where a community gathers for local meetings and decisions 🏛️
  12. 21. Very large mother given injection of iodine element — Answer: OSMIUM. Hint: Look for a famously heavy metal built from a synonym for mother, iodine’s chemical symbol, and an abbreviation for something very large. ⚗️
  13. 22. Keeps floating unrealistic plans — Answer: CASTLESINTHEAIR. Hint: These are fanciful dreams with no solid foundation. ☁️
  14. 23. Endlessly amusing retired peer — Answer: LORD. Hint: Reverse a synonym for amusing after removing its final letter to find this title for a peer. 🧩
  15. 24. Starts to put rosewater in very yucky outside loo — Answer: PRIVY. Hint: Think of an old-fashioned word for an outdoor toilet. 🚻
  16. 25. Aquatic mammal left to follow the tide — Answer: SEAL. Hint: Think of a sleek ocean dweller often seen basking on rocks or barking from the shore 🦭

Down

  1. 1. Fabrication of shoe lad engineered — Answer: FALSEHOOD. Hint: It’s a made-up claim that isn’t true. 🤥
  2. 2. Granny enthusiastic for fabric — Answer: NANKEEN. Hint: Think of a fabric whose name cleverly evokes both a grandmother and eager enthusiasm. 🧵
  3. 3. Cutting defensive position, soldier? — Answer: TRENCHANT. Hint: Think of something sharply expressed, with a battlefield flavor. ⚔️
  4. 4. Coach upset substitute at home and Salah — Answer: OMNIBUS. Hint: Think of a large passenger vehicle or a collected edition containing several works. 📚
  5. 5. Fuss embodied by Cornish "ooh arr" — Answer: HOOHA. Hint: Think of a playful word for a commotion, echoed by a stereotypical Cornish exclamation. 😄
  6. 6. Prepares to fire former Labour leader Michael, being a grass — Answer: COCKSFOOT. Hint: Think of a type of grass whose name combines getting ready to fire with a former Labour leader. 🌱
  7. 7. Gathering support for driver heading north with trendy sports car around — Answer: MEETING. Hint: Think of an arranged get-together, perhaps to discuss an important issue. 🤝
  8. 12. Paired with good artist Tracey on wild date — Answer: GEMINATED. Hint: Think of a term meaning doubled or paired, with a famous artist’s name hidden within it. 🎨
  9. 13. Theory was pulled to pieces so it should hold water — Answer: SEAWORTHY. Hint: Think of something built to remain afloat and safely carry people or cargo 🚢
  10. 14. English pub on green barring daughter just for a brief period — Answer: EPHEMERAL. Hint: Think of something that lasts only a fleeting moment. ⏳
  11. 16. One from Mexico getting stoned before dinner? — Answer: AVOCADO. Hint: This Mexican menu staple gets its “stoned” reputation from the pit tucked inside. 🥑
  12. 17. Almost ringing international artist — Answer: BELLINI. Hint: Think of the Italian Renaissance painter whose name evokes a sound at the door 🎨
  13. 18. Copy current friend installing tech — Answer: IMITATE. Hint: Think of what you do when you mimic someone’s actions or style. 🪞
  14. 20. Some Eurocrat (EU politician) cleaned his plate — Answer: ATEUP. Hint: Think of someone who finished every bite on the plate. 🍽️

The answer to “One likely to get tipsy cake?” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is SPONGE — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 12, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 13-Across. 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.

“One likely to get tipsy cake?” answer

SPONGE (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 SPONGE.

What does SPONGE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a primitive sedentary aquatic invertebrate with a soft porous body that is typically supported by a framework of fibres or calcareous or glassy spicules. Sponges draw in a current of water to extract nutrients and oxygen
  • a piece of a soft, light, porous absorbent substance originally consisting of the fibrous skeleton of an aquatic invertebrate but now usually made of synthetic material, used for washing and cleaning
  • a light cake made by beating eggs with sugar, flour, and usually butter or other fat

When else has “One likely to get tipsy cake?” 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 12, 2026 (most recent) → SPONGE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “One likely to get tipsy cake?”?

The answer is SPONGE, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 12, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “One likely to get tipsy cake?”?

6 letters: SPONGE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 12, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 13-Across.

Can “One likely to get tipsy cake?” 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 12, 2026 is on the Telegraph Cryptic answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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