Root ultimately getting in rake's way

Latest answer — August 11, 2026

23 Down

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Clue explained

ROUTE means “way”. It is ROUE, a rake or libertine, containing T, the ultimate letter of rooT.

Clue type:
Definition
A road winding through a countryside landscape.

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 11, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Nice stuff – I ordered enough
  2. 6Flick scum on liquid
  3. 10Hawk protects hard covering of an egg
  4. 11Parking guest's Ford?
  5. 12Cleaner with short coat lapels, primarily dark grey in colour
  6. 13Greeting husband with a sly look, regularly
  7. 15Train from Spain expected with Tom, perhaps, aboard
  8. 17Fun with silk pants? This could make you merry
  9. 19Run over and blabber about bare men
  10. 21All the best socialists eating fish
  11. 22Big flat-bottomed boat left for Belgium
  12. 24Current stifling weather finally gets hot and steamy
  13. 27Mum's eaten crackers for fun
  14. 28Best part of obscene literature
  15. 29Ask for religious disciple, we're told
  16. 30Shows salesman's bearing grudge

Down

  1. 1Pedestrian's shoe oddly small and ordinary
  2. 2Loosen stockings outside university bar
  3. 3Lazier actress Bette scratching head
  4. 4Refine this writer's document
  5. 5Bugs distress the Parisian
  6. 7Detective Inspector looking up genuine topless model
  7. 8Still lacking formal proposal in parliament?
  8. 9Noticing insulting line is removed
  9. 14This could be loaner's American location
  10. 16Aroused adult with naked dancing, squeezing bottom in silence
  11. 18Building roof – man, it's complicated!
  12. 20Former lover – tremendous, but not half intense
  13. 21Chicken broth's third in list
  14. 23Root ultimately getting in rake's way
  15. 25Things turning up in cosmetics
  16. 26Guy dropping off energy drinks

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Nice stuff – I ordered enough — Answer: SUFFICIENT. Hint: This adjective means there’s as much as needed, with no shortage. ✅
  2. 6. Flick scum on liquid — Answer: FILM. Hint: Think of the thin layer that can form across the surface of a drink or broth. 🥣
  3. 10. Hawk protects hard covering of an egg — Answer: SHELL. Hint: Think of the sturdy outer layer that keeps an egg’s contents safe. 🥚
  4. 11. Parking guest's Ford? — Answer: PRESIDENT. Hint: Think of the title associated with Gerald Ford, not the car company. 🇺🇸
  5. 12. Cleaner with short coat lapels, primarily dark grey in colour — Answer: CHARCOAL. Hint: Think of the deep gray shade linked to burned wood and popular in clothing and artwork. 🎨
  6. 13. Greeting husband with a sly look, regularly — Answer: HALLO. Hint: Think of a friendly salutation built from a marital abbreviation and a slyly patterned phrase. 👋
  7. 15. Train from Spain expected with Tom, perhaps, aboard — Answer: EDUCATE. Hint: Think of a verb meaning “train,” combining what Tom might be with something expected. 🐱
  8. 17. Fun with silk pants? This could make you merry — Answer: SKINFUL. Hint: A playful term for enough booze to leave you pleasantly tipsy is hiding in this pun. 🍻
  9. 19. Run over and blabber about bare men — Answer: OPERATE. Hint: Look for a verb meaning “run,” built from chatter surrounding unclothed men. 🧩
  10. 21. All the best socialists eating fish — Answer: REGARDS. Hint: Think of the friendly closing you might add to a letter wishing someone well. ✉️
  11. 22. Big flat-bottomed boat left for Belgium — Answer: LARGE. Hint: Use a synonym for “big,” while the flat-bottomed vessel and Belgium’s country abbreviation guide the wordplay. 🛶
  12. 24. Current stifling weather finally gets hot and steamy — Answer: TROPICAL. Hint: Think of a muggy climate where heat and humidity rule the forecast 🌴
  13. 27. Mum's eaten crackers for fun — Answer: AMUSEMENT. Hint: Think of the enjoyment sparked by a playful pastime or a good laugh 🎉
  14. 28. Best part of obscene literature — Answer: ELITE. Hint: Think of a word meaning the finest or top tier, wrapped in a cheeky literary double meaning. 😉
  15. 29. Ask for religious disciple, we're told — Answer: SEEK. Hint: Look for a verb meaning to request, with a spoken nod to a religious follower. 🙏
  16. 30. Shows salesman's bearing grudge — Answer: REPRESENTS. Hint: Think of a verb meaning “shows,” built around a salesperson and someone who holds a grudge. 🧩

Down

  1. 1. Pedestrian's shoe oddly small and ordinary — Answer: SOSO. Hint: Look for a breezy expression meaning merely average, tucked into the clue’s playful wording. 🙂
  2. 2. Loosen stockings outside university bar — Answer: FREEHOUSE. Hint: Think of a pub that serves independently rather than being tied to one brewery 🍺
  3. 3. Lazier actress Bette scratching head — Answer: IDLER. Hint: Think of Bette’s surname with its head scratched away to describe someone less energetic. 🧩
  4. 4. Refine this writer's document — Answer: IMPROVE. Hint: Polish the writer’s draft until it’s better and clearer. ✍️
  5. 5. Bugs distress the Parisian — Answer: NEEDLES. Hint: Think of a verb meaning to tease or irritate someone persistently. 😈
  6. 7. Detective Inspector looking up genuine topless model — Answer: IDEAL. Hint: Think of a word meaning a perfect standard, while the clue’s wordplay supplies the route. 🧩
  7. 8. Still lacking formal proposal in parliament? — Answer: MOTIONLESS. Hint: Think of something completely still, as though no parliamentary proposal has been put forward. 🏛️
  8. 9. Noticing insulting line is removed — Answer: SIGHTING. Hint: Think of a word meaning noticing, formed by removing a line from an insulting remark. 🧩
  9. 14. This could be loaner's American location — Answer: NEWORLEANS. Hint: Think of a lively Louisiana city known for jazz, Mardi Gras, and Creole cuisine. 🎷
  10. 16. Aroused adult with naked dancing, squeezing bottom in silence — Answer: AWAKENED. Hint: Think of someone roused from slumber, with the remaining words supplying a playful cryptic construction. 💤
  11. 18. Building roof – man, it's complicated! — Answer: FORMATION. Hint: Think of the process of putting something together, with a tangled phrase adding a playful twist. 🧩
  12. 20. Former lover – tremendous, but not half intense — Answer: EXTREME. Hint: Think of something pushed to the farthest possible degree of intensity. 🔥
  13. 21. Chicken broth's third in list — Answer: ROOSTER. Hint: Think of the male chicken famous for crowing at sunrise 🐓
  14. 23. Root ultimately getting in rake's way — Answer: ROUTE. Hint: Picture the path or course someone—or even a garden tool—might take. 🛤️
  15. 25. Things turning up in cosmetics — Answer: ITEMS. Hint: Think of a simple word for objects, with a beauty-counter twist. 💄
  16. 26. Guy dropping off energy drinks — Answer: TEAS. Hint: Look for a plural term describing drinks that can provide a gentle caffeine boost. 🍵

The answer to “Root ultimately getting in rake's way” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is ROUTE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 11, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 23-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.

“Root ultimately getting in rake's way” answer

ROUTE (5 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 ROUTE.

What does ROUTE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination

When else has “Root ultimately getting in rake's way” 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 11, 2026 (most recent) → ROUTE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Root ultimately getting in rake's way”?

The answer is ROUTE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 11, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Root ultimately getting in rake's way”?

5 letters: ROUTE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 11, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 23-Down.

Can “Root ultimately getting in rake's way” 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 11, 2026 is on the Telegraph Cryptic answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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