Medical upset spreading alarm

Latest answer — August 21, 2026

3 Down

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Clue explained

A PANDEMIC is a medical crisis or outbreak that spreads widely and causes alarm. The entire clue is a compact cryptic definition: a ‘medical upset’ spreading through populations naturally produces alarm.

Clue type:
Definition
A world map showing the international spread of an infectious disease.

Times Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 21, 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. 1Spooner’s dish? His number two pan!
  2. 6Panellist judging illusionist with vanishing trick
  3. 9Obliquely question note in card
  4. 10Golden-brown tan covering area on sunbather’s back
  5. 11A lot of loose Australian plugs stopped working
  6. 12Stand for a revolutionary broadcast again
  7. 13Street name for Parisian housing is on return address there
  8. 14Order restricting bad egg smells in the East End
  9. 17Stick large probes down
  10. 184 most significant spending limits
  11. 21Old symbols of numeric variable
  12. 22Reflecting some in Italy?
  13. 24Can containing last drop of kiwi cordial
  14. 25Principal character in Harry Potter introduces philosopher
  15. 26Heartless twelve year cuts for respected authority
  16. 27Maybe North Pole expert’s trapped

Down

  1. 1Noisy disturbance going uphill without a muffler?
  2. 2Nanny won’t quit UK novel that’s hard to read
  3. 3Medical upset spreading alarm
  4. 4English dons fighting at university in the sixties?
  5. 5Rule out fire resistance in passage
  6. 6Jumper’s lower in the field?
  7. 7Irate spinner’s behind putting South African pitch on film
  8. 8Family congress over in New Orleans
  9. 13Wonder-workers fixed up toilet with rod
  10. 15With hour to go, media struck the right chord
  11. 16Juvenile snubbed cold platter
  12. 19Primate rebuffed important toff on retreat
  13. 20Appear with setter in triumph
  14. 23Bottle opener vexing hosts

The answer to “Medical upset spreading alarm” in the The Times Cryptic crossword is PANDEMIC — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on August 21, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 3-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.

“Medical upset spreading alarm” answer

PANDEMIC (8 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 PANDEMIC.

What does PANDEMIC mean?

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

(noun)

  • a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease over a whole country or the world at a particular time

When else has “Medical upset spreading alarm” 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.

August 21, 2026 (most recent) → PANDEMIC. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Medical upset spreading alarm”?

The answer is PANDEMIC, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on August 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Medical upset spreading alarm”?

8 letters: PANDEMIC.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Cryptic crossword on August 21, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 3-Down.

Can “Medical upset spreading alarm” 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 August 21, 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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