Muslim leader turned amateur detective

Latest answer — September 08, 2026

21 Down

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Clue explained

A MAHDI is a Muslim leader or redeemer figure. HAM, an amateur, is turned around to give MAH, followed by DI, the abbreviation for Detective Inspector.

Clue type:
Nickname or title
A respectful educational illustration representing the Islamic concept of the Mahdi.

Times Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 08, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Straight there, mad with love
  2. 5Thieves finally flee, clutching first-class artwork
  3. 9Corrosion in the right rocket engine
  4. 10Introduction to Guinness, almost invariably in Irish city
  5. 11Part of shop restocked quickly
  6. 12Tech data vigorously secured
  7. 14Fashion folk surrounded by alcohol and flowers
  8. 17Changed tune to accept an apostate back, showing no repentance
  9. 20Queen and soldiers backed man of steel
  10. 22Extremely wearisome St David’s Day in German city
  11. 23Egyptian peasant collapsed with expression of surprise
  12. 25Boring head of school snapped
  13. 26Impropriety in exclusive clubs is essentially unlimited
  14. 27Plant at last made popular by the RHS?

Down

  1. 2Beg former husband to write regularly
  2. 3Reissue film about food additives
  3. 4Expose disagreeable church delegate
  4. 5Expert on board plane?
  5. 6At heart, Marx understood language of class
  6. 7Pass officer briefly
  7. 8Put books on top of American organ
  8. 13Naturally spending time in a nice way
  9. 15Unkind trick reported in the interim
  10. 16Californian opera company headed by investor
  11. 18Old mare roaming noble lands
  12. 19Wild kid, full of spirit
  13. 21Muslim leader turned amateur detective
  14. 24Caustic story on the radio

The answer to “Muslim leader turned amateur detective” in the The Times Cryptic crossword is MAHDI — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 8, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 21-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.

“Muslim leader turned amateur detective” answer

MAHDI (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 MAHDI.

When else has “Muslim leader turned amateur detective” 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 8, 2026 (most recent) → MAHDI. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Muslim leader turned amateur detective”?

The answer is MAHDI, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Muslim leader turned amateur detective”?

5 letters: MAHDI.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 8, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 21-Down.

Can “Muslim leader turned amateur detective” 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 8, 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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