Red, sensual dresses I had sent back

Latest answer — September 01, 2026

14 Across

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Clue explained

CARDINAL can mean red, as in cardinal red or a red cardinal bird. It is CARNAL, meaning sensual, dressing DI, the reversal of “I’d” (“I had”): CAR(DI)NAL.

Clue type:
Word form
A bright red male northern cardinal perched on a branch.

Times Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 01, 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. 1Trademark gags in a humorous conversation
  2. 6State of country reflected delay
  3. 9Plant right within wetland
  4. 10As eyelids may be when about to conk out?
  5. 11Even money in Liverpool’s banks capped?
  6. 13Worried about pole, stake taken up?
  7. 14Red, sensual dresses I had sent back
  8. 16Kind of prepossessing
  9. 18Bob hit boxer?
  10. 20Judge, smart, arranging meeting
  11. 22Laid-back giant scrubbing back — busy?
  12. 24Barely inept, they had failed — as half-witted ex-husband and father-in-law?
  13. 26Exhilarated, top athlete
  14. 28Reporter’s robust greeting
  15. 29Salted crackers remained fresh
  16. 30Farm machinery, big hit

Down

  1. 2Heather last seen in tavern opening a second drink
  2. 3On fire editing novel
  3. 4Cold Indian vegetable with trace of fat
  4. 5Put away in the attic
  5. 6Finance young moneybags, footballing talent
  6. 7Scottish hero, squash champion?
  7. 8Where little intelligence is to be found, eh?
  8. 12Considered advice for writer
  9. 15Reporter, hack originally into contemporary music?
  10. 17Orangey red mist can start to envelop downs
  11. 19Note beneath temple, cave!
  12. 21Mouth mostly holds long, breathing apparatus
  13. 23Significant part of Russia thawing was seen periodically
  14. 25Forward almost missing end of season
  15. 27Pickles are horrid, first of all — yuck!

The answer to “Red, sensual dresses I had sent back” in the The Times Cryptic crossword is CARDINAL — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 14-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.

“Red, sensual dresses I had sent back” answer

CARDINAL (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 CARDINAL.

What does CARDINAL mean?

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

(noun)

  • a leading dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals are nominated by the Pope, and form the Sacred College which elects succeeding popes (now invariably from among their own number)
  • a New World songbird of the bunting family, having a stout bill and typically a conspicuous crest. The male is partly or mostly red in colour

When else has “Red, sensual dresses I had sent back” 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 1, 2026 (most recent) → CARDINAL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Red, sensual dresses I had sent back”?

The answer is CARDINAL, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Red, sensual dresses I had sent back”?

8 letters: CARDINAL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 14-Across.

Can “Red, sensual dresses I had sent back” 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 1, 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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