Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery

Latest answer — August 05, 2026

21 Down

Think of what someone gives when addressing an audience, with a little wordplay tucked inside the clue. 🗣️

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Times Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 05, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Poet program occupies most of exhibit
  2. 4Dish made with eggs — some sell better without any shells
  3. 10Heroic tale of Ohio-born Liberal Democrat
  4. 11Seize westbound drug boat
  5. 12Life force found within Pinocchio
  6. 13Compare story-telling with cartoon bear leading and jumping cross-legged
  7. 14Combine core part of chimney and old fireplace
  8. 16Hunter — one regularly taking fewer traps
  9. 19Set fire to gas when there’s no energy left for element
  10. 20Someone going through penance more quickly
  11. 22Five nudes jumping over tree backwards — it’s a work of art
  12. 25Love intervening for and on behalf of father
  13. 26Muscle connector lacks density for part of joint
  14. 27Honour the German church incorporating new submissiveness
  15. 28Revised name or term accommodating latest in technology?
  16. 29Go through curved opening at 135 degrees

Down

  1. 1Buffeted small railway wagon
  2. 2Legal cases succeeded against local press agent
  3. 3It’s perfect on top of yoghurt!
  4. 5Doctor claimed refurbished workspace next to river
  5. 6Call in large loan agreements, causing reputational damage
  6. 7Every now and again swim past rocky peak in trunks
  7. 8Invigorate Frenchman upset with non-uniform appearance
  8. 9Note lines accompanying lengthy word for part of the brain
  9. 15Laid songs out in series of notes
  10. 17Something that reveals palpebral muscle?
  11. 18Lift across the pond to reveal rocks
  12. 21Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery
  13. 23Group performing without safety device?
  14. 24Bad egg turning green

The answer to “Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery” in the The Times Cryptic crossword is SPEECH — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on August 5, 2026, a Wednesday 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.

“Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery” answer

SPEECH (6 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 SPEECH.

Why the answer is SPEECH

Think of what someone gives when addressing an audience, with a little wordplay tucked inside the clue. 🗣️

What does SPEECH mean?

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

(noun)

  • the expression of or the ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds
  • a formal address or discourse delivered to an audience

When else has “Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery” 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 5, 2026 (most recent) → SPEECH. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery”?

The answer is SPEECH, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on August 5, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery”?

6 letters: SPEECH.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Cryptic crossword on August 5, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 21-Down.

Can “Pretence regularly cloaked by quiet delivery” 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 5, 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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