Delays: they hold things up

Latest answer — August 26, 2026

15 Down

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Clue explained

SHELVES has two linked meanings: it can mean ‘delays’, while shelves also hold things up.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
Wooden shelves supporting rows of books

Times Quick Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 26, 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. 1A purge devastated European city
  2. 4Metric unit largely forced on golf
  3. 8When exposed, press pool react
  4. 10Bowl or field?
  5. 11Periodic features of Neptunian volcano
  6. 12Sinner always embracing false idol
  7. 14Dreary game on board accommodating new roller periodically
  8. 18Legal representative announced a medieval tournament
  9. 20Enormous stone rolling with acceleration
  10. 22Group of soldiers sacked Porto
  11. 23Live TV broadcast about a city
  12. 24Connect engineers behind schedule
  13. 25Essentially accept sponsors adjusted official count

Down

  1. 1Player about to negotiate with opposing side
  2. 2Element in charge replacing aluminium in weaponry
  3. 3Supported by university, finally limp to graduation
  4. 5Rejected red lentil possibly splits
  5. 6Too much included in flash slogan
  6. 7Strongly advise X to stop other broadcast
  7. 9Cheating footballer and decent chap tending to differ
  8. 13Feeble daughter lost receipt
  9. 15Delays: they hold things up
  10. 16Buffet, regrettably, only partially taken up
  11. 17Preserve most of huge painting surface
  12. 19Charge to cross river that lurks beneath bridge?
  13. 21Escape insect in auditorium

The answer to “Delays: they hold things up” in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword is SHELVES — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 26, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 15-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.

“Delays: they hold things up” answer

SHELVES (7 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 SHELVES.

What does SHELVES mean?

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

(noun)

  • a flat length of wood or other rigid material, attached to a wall or forming part of a piece of furniture, that provides a surface for the storage or display of objects
  • a ledge of rock or protruding strip of land

When else has “Delays: they hold things up” 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.

August 26, 2026 (most recent) → SHELVES. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Delays: they hold things up”?

The answer is SHELVES, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 26, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Delays: they hold things up”?

7 letters: SHELVES.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 26, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 15-Down.

Can “Delays: they hold things up” 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 August 26, 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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