The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought

Latest answer — August 21, 2026

19 Across

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Clue explained

IMPULSE BUYING is shopping without much forethought. IMPULSE is I'M (“the writer’s”) plus PULSE (“beat”), followed by BUYING, meaning shopping.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A shopper making an unplanned purchase near a retail checkout

Times Quick Cryptic Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 21, 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. 1Fire in carousel
  2. 4Insist two daughters retain name, after reflection
  3. 8Annulment site unusually hard-nosed?
  4. 10Best leaders of enterprise leaving in the end
  5. 11Cutting second drink, much-liked
  6. 13Vegetable when of expected standard, first-class, ultimately pleasing us
  7. 17Extend beyond limit due to arguing at regular intervals
  8. 18Place of worship missing Queen’s lustre
  9. 19The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought
  10. 21Victim of railway vehicle reversing
  11. 22Enclosed space containing protesters? It will reach boiling point!

Down

  1. 1So be it about copper’s shrewdness!
  2. 2Stubborn, set — obtain broadcast
  3. 3Slight burn, just one, after learner’s gone
  4. 5Time of day, flat, is no good principally
  5. 6Something done in Ascot regularly
  6. 7Maybe tone down musical instrument after I’d flipped?
  7. 9Cover in case run goes awry?
  8. 12One admitted to appalling missteps — I see trouble ahead
  9. 14Herb, son, involved in wartime discussion perhaps
  10. 15Element beginning to show hatred
  11. 16Inadequately small, extremely minute — agree? Not quite
  12. 18Cheek dressing
  13. 20For every person? Not half!

The answer to “The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought” in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword is IMPULSEBUYING — a 13-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 21, 2026, a Friday 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.

“The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought” answer

IMPULSEBUYING (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 IMPULSEBUYING.

When else has “The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought” 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 21, 2026 (most recent) → IMPULSEBUYING. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought”?

The answer is IMPULSEBUYING, a 13-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought”?

13 letters: IMPULSEBUYING.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Times Quick Cryptic crossword on August 21, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 19-Across.

Can “The writer’s beat, accepting shopping without much forethought” 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 21, 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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