Small-minded policeman who helps captain?

Latest answer — August 27, 2026

10 Across

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Clue explained

PETTY OFFICER is a naval rank, fitting someone who helps a captain. PETTY means small-minded, while OFFICER can mean a policeman.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A naval petty officer wearing a uniform

Times Quick Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 27, 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. 1Reverse direction of boat in isolated place
  2. 6Spring is short in meadow
  3. 8Curious stone mountains
  4. 9The White House seen in the snow?
  5. 10Small-minded policeman who helps captain?
  6. 12Conference for example needs quiet attention
  7. 13Sudden great demand for marsh plant
  8. 17Ice ahead: navy organised a farewell wish
  9. 20Younger relative keeping a large room
  10. 21Well, one African country beginning to attack another
  11. 23What is on sale for large amount?
  12. 24Pleased to be in the dark seemingly?

Down

  1. 1One of two presidents of wild country
  2. 2Get back in middle for funeral procession
  3. 3Success as gale finally dropped
  4. 4In theatre, more involuntary shaking
  5. 5Give more support to sides of rare conifer that is unsteady
  6. 6Ring up to reserve one fragrant shrub
  7. 7An interview panel perhaps on train
  8. 11Turk almost outlawed wearing headgear
  9. 14Result of wound perhaps allowed to be red
  10. 15Tool bench is elevated to some extent
  11. 16Showy Christmas decoration is lent out
  12. 18Personal attendant put French article in large tank
  13. 19Free to admit a visit from the police
  14. 22Face something for tea?

The answer to “Small-minded policeman who helps captain?” in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword is PETTYOFFICER — a 12-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 27, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 10-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.

“Small-minded policeman who helps captain?” answer

PETTYOFFICER (12 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 PETTYOFFICER.

When else has “Small-minded policeman who helps captain?” 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 27, 2026 (most recent) → PETTYOFFICER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Small-minded policeman who helps captain?”?

The answer is PETTYOFFICER, a 12-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 27, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Small-minded policeman who helps captain?”?

12 letters: PETTYOFFICER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 27, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 10-Across.

Can “Small-minded policeman who helps captain?” 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 27, 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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