Tale cop spun out — it may stink

Latest answer — August 19, 2026

6 Down

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Clue explained

POLECAT is an animal that may stink. It is an anagram of COP TALE, indicated by “spun out”.

Clue type:
Definition
A European polecat in a woodland setting

Times Quick Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 19, 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. 1Business arrangement is sealed by Italian, someone unrealistic
  2. 6Quietly push baby’s conveyance
  3. 8Name of woman in dungarees, messy
  4. 9Fatter doorkeeper, about 51
  5. 10Put off job, one going after power
  6. 11Cover animal found by lake
  7. 13Break-up affected a man fretting about love
  8. 16Inventor entertained by Nobel laureate
  9. 17Things to eat a little piggy found in containers
  10. 19I spot men developing unfair recruitment process?
  11. 21Enthusiastic expression of grief
  12. 22Permit the old man to join ship
  13. 23Bit of money in bank a little while back

Down

  1. 2Verbal communication sure seems odd after musical party
  2. 3Spy, adult bloke
  3. 4Pray, learning to pursue devil
  4. 5Husband boarding plane perhaps — he and two others?
  5. 6Tale cop spun out — it may stink
  6. 7Get rid of a cross employee finally
  7. 12Bread, complete lunch in itself?
  8. 14Instrument of execution — girl’s getting depressed inside
  9. 15Strange comet — it is treated as significant symbol
  10. 17Completely heartless partner seen outside port earlier
  11. 18Number protecting a king captured
  12. 20Greek character had turned up

The answer to “Tale cop spun out — it may stink” in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword is POLECAT — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 19, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 6-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.

“Tale cop spun out — it may stink” answer

POLECAT (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 POLECAT.

What does POLECAT mean?

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

(noun)

  • a weasel-like Eurasian mammal with mainly dark brown fur and a darker mask across the eyes, noted for its fetid smell

When else has “Tale cop spun out — it may stink” 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 19, 2026 (most recent) → POLECAT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Tale cop spun out — it may stink”?

The answer is POLECAT, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 19, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Tale cop spun out — it may stink”?

7 letters: POLECAT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 19, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 6-Down.

Can “Tale cop spun out — it may stink” 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 19, 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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