Unfortunately borstal's a handicap

Latest answer — August 27, 2026

9 Across

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Clue explained

An ALBATROSS is a handicap or burden. The answer is an anagram of BORSTAL’S, indicated by “unfortunately”.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A large albatross flying above the sea

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 27, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Goods vehicle approaching pass
  2. 4One buys almost neat second drink
  3. 9Unfortunately borstal's a handicap
  4. 10Pole's small hard behind
  5. 11Pale following motorway blunder
  6. 12Grand record with Queen sparkle
  7. 13Assemble Mercedes securing badge
  8. 15Carp about always getting agitated
  9. 18In earnest, and in general upright
  10. 20Head of drink on drink
  11. 23Break mineral aggregate for rebuild
  12. 24Studio devoured story, director's last
  13. 26Twitch from fish on slab's top
  14. 27Working empty parable into sermon
  15. 28Sign-off used in letter from bank
  16. 29Teak settee oddly shows discernment

Down

  1. 1Unappealing church lacking some members?
  2. 2Perhaps mug's clothing sweetheart in dresses
  3. 3Shock from right in power failure
  4. 4Fake passion's first with sweetheart
  5. 5Grass suppressing evidence gave up
  6. 6Opposed upright member supporting House
  7. 7Surprising bird protecting nest, finally
  8. 8What goes round, up and down?
  9. 14Sailor saw a bit on travelling
  10. 16Back sprint including new hurdle
  11. 17Stake bound for fast runner
  12. 19See old Church saint in decline
  13. 21Extravagantly perform part of lover, actually
  14. 22Security, for example, checking iron temperature
  15. 23Exploits following Romeo's wiles
  16. 25One struggles seeing climbers

The answer to “Unfortunately borstal's a handicap” in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword is ALBATROSS — a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 27, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 9-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.

“Unfortunately borstal's a handicap” answer

ALBATROSS (9 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 ALBATROSS.

What does ALBATROSS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a very large, chiefly white oceanic bird with long, narrow wings, found mainly in the southern oceans

When else has “Unfortunately borstal's a handicap” 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 27, 2026 (most recent) → ALBATROSS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Unfortunately borstal's a handicap”?

The answer is ALBATROSS, a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 27, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Unfortunately borstal's a handicap”?

9 letters: ALBATROSS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Telegraph Cryptic crossword on August 27, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 9-Across.

Can “Unfortunately borstal's a handicap” 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 27, 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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