Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?

Latest answer — September 10, 2026

25 Across

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Clue explained

ABLE SEAMAN is a skilled individual sailor: ABLE means “crafty” or capable, followed by SEAMAN. The whole answer gives the nautical joke of someone likely to go far “in the main”, where “main” means the sea.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A qualified sailor working aboard a ship at sea

Times Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Thursday, September 10, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Don’t change way in which core is removed
  2. 4A danger VAT put off artistic pioneers
  3. 9Hesitancy spoilt ANC lecture
  4. 10Old writer’s lines thrown out. Time to give up?
  5. 11Learner infiltrating enchanter’s group
  6. 12Footwear from the east nearly here — it’s quite something
  7. 14Villa guest nursing a fever
  8. 15Bent on tipsy rep being sacked
  9. 17Dull Republican trapped in loveless marriage worked for CIA?
  10. 20Outspoken radical examined
  11. 21A few ticks and I’ll be off
  12. 23High-ranking gentleman from Ibiza controlling island
  13. 24Country queen giving one new position
  14. 25Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?
  15. 26Not happy place is charging sick
  16. 27Always back party shunning right wing

Down

  1. 2Award-winning picture: Selfie with His Majesty?
  2. 3Chunter on about club
  3. 4Three articles Penny found in soldier’s quarters
  4. 5Hubris in sailor just the start of navy’s awful, awful year
  5. 6Work in that place is cause of death
  6. 7Aggressive Trump broadcast
  7. 8Arrive in middle of Manhattan, out of cash at first
  8. 13Project to repeal tax abandoned
  9. 16What’s lost in era of the psychiatrist?
  10. 18Disrespectful of a European academic to take precedence
  11. 19Idle cop took drugs, boss finally admitted
  12. 21Scandalous information circulating about American gang
  13. 22Money matters

The answer to “Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?” in the The Times Cryptic crossword is ABLESEAMAN — a 10-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 10, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 25-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.

“Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?” answer

ABLESEAMAN (10 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 ABLESEAMAN.

When else has “Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?” appeared?

The Times 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 10, 2026 (most recent) → ABLESEAMAN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?”?

The answer is ABLESEAMAN, a 10-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 10, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?”?

10 letters: ABLESEAMAN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 10, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 25-Across.

Can “Crafty individual, likely to go far in the main?” have a different answer?

Yes — The Times 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 Times Cryptic answers?

The full grid for September 10, 2026 is on the Times Cryptic answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Times Cryptic Crossword is published by The Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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