Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?

Latest answer — September 23, 2026

14 Down

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Clue explained

MOSSY means showing natural growth, namely covered with moss. The question-marked reference is to the saying that a rolling stone gathers no moss, so a mossy stone is unlike a rolling one.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A stone covered with green moss in a woodland setting.

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, September 23, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Oscar and Maya wed recklessly after entering a club?
  2. 9Fan of The Simple Life mistakenly cites account going around
  3. 10Match over, get visibly elated
  4. 11Stuck in north awaiting sign of spring
  5. 12Behold instrument, moving over into second position
  6. 13Hired vehicle turning back within two miles
  7. 16A person from Maine going in shortly before European
  8. 17Brave cheek by a nudist on vacation
  9. 18Universe releasing carbon is an absorbing process
  10. 21Old court detailed suffering for edgy figure?
  11. 23Romeo dropped from casement for recognition
  12. 24First Lady ignoring case of evil obsession
  13. 25Acquires intoxicating drinks, but not drug
  14. 28Shabby review
  15. 29Is this writer behind half of original paperwork?
  16. 30Another landholding for one who already has three, say journalists?

Down

  1. 1Voiced a demand for praise
  2. 2Not a fan of militia essentially led by soldier
  3. 3Inside of fence, elude capture
  4. 4Messed up eulogy having stolen slice of leftover cake
  5. 5With mature income ...
  6. 6... earn its drunken treat in Greece
  7. 7Harsh initiation – unusual pastime for FBI
  8. 8Seizing the moment, excitedly point out crisp
  9. 14Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?
  10. 15Gaudiness and glamour located in tropical zones, primarily
  11. 19Distracted boyfriend maybe not wrong, something worth keeping
  12. 20Stout stem
  13. 21Oxygenated O negative not looking good
  14. 22Bad card produces sour expression
  15. 26Hard endless circuits for a period of time
  16. 27Air rifle regularly cocked and ready in Turkey

The answer to “Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is MOSSY — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 23, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 14-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.

“Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?” answer

MOSSY (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 MOSSY.

What does MOSSY mean?

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

(adjective)

  • covered in or resembling moss
  • old-fashioned or extremely conservative

When else has “Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?” 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 23, 2026 (most recent) → MOSSY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?”?

The answer is MOSSY, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 23, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?”?

5 letters: MOSSY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on September 23, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 14-Down.

Can “Showing natural growth externally, unlike Rolling Stone?” 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 23, 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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