Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere

Latest answer — September 17, 2026

16 Across

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Clue explained

AMBIENCE means atmosphere. The clue uses “pieces inspiring AC/DC” as a cryptic, musical description of the atmosphere in which pieces might inspire the band; the definition is the straightforward final word.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A rock concert with a dramatic atmosphere.

Times Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Thursday, September 17, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Red-top, to some Londoners, spouted fashionable nonsense endlessly
  2. 6Eastern prince not to back
  3. 9Widely admired tree grabs you
  4. 10Tick insect scratching City worker?
  5. 12What’ll relieve tension in dispute about bishop appearing in whiskey promos
  6. 13Fight stops early enough
  7. 15Slippery sort pens following pages on one high-minded engineer
  8. 16Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere
  9. 18Drink I’d sent over before matches, say, held back
  10. 20Followed focus of friendly, retiring god
  11. 23Sister taking seconds to insert subcutaneous injection
  12. 24Certain signs regularly ignored before sick twists in story
  13. 26One manipulating currency reduced by large amount
  14. 27Meal’s gamey stuffing in cut of beef?
  15. 28Layer containing sulphur turned yellow in parts
  16. 29I sorted out joint position for top hack

Down

  1. 1Arrest tense Egyptian of non-Arab descent
  2. 2Censure salesman over cover for household contents
  3. 3In person, advanced, frail, ageless eccentric
  4. 4Pounds through Trump’s nonsense?
  5. 5How and where rampant beasts might be indignant
  6. 7American group working for freedom
  7. 8Poised for action in drunken earthy date
  8. 11Musician’s periods of heavy drinking in Germany
  9. 14Introduction heralds FBI agent hero?
  10. 17Stole loadsamoney having pinched fine wine
  11. 19Book pioneering prog rock band
  12. 21Open at lunch breaks
  13. 22Obsolete hand tool leaving no split nuts
  14. 25Privileged American supposedly lived quietly

The answer to “Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere” in the The Times Cryptic crossword is AMBIENCE — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 17, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 16-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.

“Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere” answer

AMBIENCE (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 AMBIENCE.

What does AMBIENCE mean?

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

(noun)

  • the character and atmosphere of a place

When else has “Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere” 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 17, 2026 (most recent) → AMBIENCE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere”?

The answer is AMBIENCE, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 17, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere”?

8 letters: AMBIENCE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 17, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 16-Across.

Can “Pieces inspiring AC/DC in superb atmosphere” 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 17, 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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