Dubious new set-ups challenged at first

Latest answer — September 01, 2026

15 Down

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Clue explained

SUSPECT means dubious. It is an anagram (‘new’) of SET-UPS plus C, the first letter of Challenged.

Clue type:
Definition
A person viewed suspiciously during an investigation

Times Quick 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. 1Floor covering in vehicle, much liked
  2. 5Impressive building in China attracting crowds, European, primarily
  3. 8Person in authority reigning over Norway? Not entirely
  4. 9Group of whales round northern body of water
  5. 10Cutting part of blade — move cautiously
  6. 11Bad errors involving church — one might have magic solution?
  7. 12Dad’s Conservative — snubbed minister
  8. 14Unfortunately rude about street cleaner
  9. 16Help rejected — group’s bitter attack
  10. 18Inducement to protect a TV series
  11. 20Having brought in whiskey, criticise person easily manipulated
  12. 21Refined experience almost complete
  13. 23Calm, somewhat wiser, energetic
  14. 24Spice fan, Margaret

Down

  1. 2Bypass article on empty space
  2. 3Tense here
  3. 4Large number not turning up
  4. 5Bird’s role on trip, outside capital of Greece
  5. 6Failing in circuit, extremely strange
  6. 7Assemble in religious building with English for time
  7. 11Napkin I test — ever flexible
  8. 13A soldier states having no limits is trouble
  9. 15Dubious new set-ups challenged at first
  10. 17Hint of openings for new goalkeepers in knockout game
  11. 19Entertain first-class person, inspiring
  12. 22Source of light issuing at regular intervals

The answer to “Dubious new set-ups challenged at first” in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword is SUSPECT — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026, a Tuesday 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.

“Dubious new set-ups challenged at first” answer

SUSPECT (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 SUSPECT.

What does SUSPECT mean?

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

(verb)

  • have an idea or impression of the existence, presence, or truth of (something) without certain proof
  • doubt the genuineness or truth of

When else has “Dubious new set-ups challenged at first” 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 1, 2026 (most recent) → SUSPECT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Dubious new set-ups challenged at first”?

The answer is SUSPECT, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Dubious new set-ups challenged at first”?

7 letters: SUSPECT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 1, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 15-Down.

Can “Dubious new set-ups challenged at first” 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 1, 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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