Decline in strength — standard

Latest answer — September 15, 2026

9 Down

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Clue explained

FLAG means decline in strength, as a person or effort may flag. A flag is also a standard, giving the clue a double definition.

Clue type:
Definition
A flag flying from a pole as a standard

Times Quick Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 15, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Look through area of water right next to church
  2. 4Face new risks, having brought ecstasy in
  3. 8One from capital city — upright type
  4. 9Unhappy fact leads to angry thoughts sometimes — they’ve too much money!
  5. 10Get into Russian river
  6. 11Person in story’s distinguishing quality
  7. 12Earth, maybe, evident in steep lane, tree-lined
  8. 13Possessions, priest, curate, half-ignored
  9. 16Beginning about 50? Extraordinary!
  10. 18Rounded end in enclosure for fighting
  11. 19Paint a cot — opt to get revamp
  12. 20Whinny? No, it’s said
  13. 22Eagerly anticipate spicy addition to food
  14. 23Society girl to relieve at first one with financial obligation

Down

  1. 1Skier regularly used polite form of address
  2. 2Gas in the morning, Monday, is awful initially
  3. 3Playing iconic tunes, so painstaking
  4. 5Stubbornness of poor ancient singer
  5. 6Quiet at back passageway
  6. 7Rising again, referring to mess ultimately requiring immediate action
  7. 9Decline in strength — standard
  8. 10One with bank account, doer, I spot at work
  9. 14Assign a parking location
  10. 15Some asking if teacher’s present
  11. 17Program — a learner’s dismay
  12. 21The woman’s husband, centre of interest

The answer to “Decline in strength — standard” in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword is FLAG — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 15, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 9-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.

“Decline in strength — standard” answer

FLAG (4 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 FLAG.

What does FLAG mean?

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

(noun)

  • a piece of cloth or similar material, typically oblong or square, attachable by one edge to a pole or rope and used as the symbol or emblem of a country or institution or as a decoration during public festivities
  • a small piece of cloth attached at one edge to a pole and used as a marker or signal in various sports
  • a variable used to indicate a particular property of the data in a record

When else has “Decline in strength — standard” appeared?

The Times Quick 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 15, 2026 (most recent) → FLAG. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Decline in strength — standard”?

The answer is FLAG, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 15, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Decline in strength — standard”?

4 letters: FLAG.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 15, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 9-Down.

Can “Decline in strength — standard” have a different answer?

Yes — The Times Quick 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 Quick Cryptic answers?

The full grid for September 15, 2026 is on the Times Quick Cryptic answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Times Quick 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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