Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted

Latest answer — September 08, 2026

19 Across

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Clue explained

Inclined to steal is LIGHT-FINGERED. Spooner’s “struggle was protracted” gives FIGHT LINGERED, whose initial sounds are swapped to produce LIGHT FINGERED.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A simple educational diagram illustrating the exchange of initial sounds.

Times Quick Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 08, 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. 1Natural music producer in charge
  2. 5In pub, in general, consume too much
  3. 8He shot giraffe, after developing phobia
  4. 9Reporter’s studied expensive browser
  5. 10Everyone at home is exhausted
  6. 11Small male soldiers unpleasantly polite
  7. 13Legendary monster is seen irregularly
  8. 15Cooker hot once more
  9. 161980s pop star unwilling to change his mind
  10. 19Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted
  11. 20Leader in classroom equipment
  12. 21Welcome rum during drunken yoga

Down

  1. 1Dyke constructor announced bid
  2. 2Waving gun and regalia in protective spirit
  3. 3Snare set up before long close to copse
  4. 4That woman’s visiting Seb, maybe to hang together
  5. 5Harmful drug plugged by doctor in military unit
  6. 6Borderland show mostly distributed free of restrictions
  7. 7Characteristic feature of German city church
  8. 11Equipment used to prevent scattering of leaves?
  9. 12Screen school prefect?
  10. 14Stressful moving around airport — I must be lost
  11. 17Violent behaviour held up Viborg game somewhat
  12. 18Underwear that’s cuddly

The answer to “Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted” in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword is LIGHTFINGERED — a 13-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 8, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 19-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.

“Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted” answer

LIGHTFINGERED (13 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 LIGHTFINGERED.

When else has “Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted” 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 8, 2026 (most recent) → LIGHTFINGERED. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted”?

The answer is LIGHTFINGERED, a 13-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted”?

13 letters: LIGHTFINGERED.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on September 8, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 19-Across.

Can “Inclined to steal, Spooner’s struggle was protracted” 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 8, 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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