Most nerve-racking (7)
Crossword Answer — August 03, 2026
Guardian Quick Crossword
Monday, August 03, 2026
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Guardian Quick Crossword Clues
Across
Down
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Focus (13) — Answer: CONCENTRATION. Hint: It’s the mental effort needed to keep your attention on one thing. 🧠
- 8. Brass, boy or big? (4) — Answer: BAND. Hint: Think of a musical group that can be brass, boy, or big. 🎶
- 9. Starving (8) — Answer: RAVENOUS. Hint: Extremely hungry—like you could eat an entire feast by yourself. 🍽️
- 10. Raised deck at the front of a ship - clearest of (anag) (10) — Answer: FORECASTLE. Hint: Think of the raised forward section of a ship, where sailors might work with anchors. ⚓
- 12. Fumbled shot (6) — Answer: MISCUE. Hint: A botched attempt, especially in billiards, earns this label. 🎱
- 14. Trivial matter (6) — Answer: DETAIL. Hint: It’s a small point or piece of information, rather than the main issue. 🔎
- 15. UK parliament's emblem (10) — Answer: PORTCULLIS. Hint: Think of the raised gate symbol often associated with Westminster and the UK Parliament. 🏰
- 19. Peak pudding? (8) — Answer: MERINGUE. Hint: Think of a lofty, airy dessert whose name evokes a summit. 🍮
- 20. Gallagher or Coward? (4) — Answer: NOEL. Hint: Think of the first name shared by an Oasis musician and a famous playwright. 🎭
- 21. Futility (13) — Answer: POINTLESSNESS. Hint: A state where every effort seems destined to achieve nothing. 🫠
Down
- 2. Haydn's _The Creation,_ say (8) — Answer: ORATORIO. Hint: It’s a grand musical work featuring soloists, chorus, and orchestra. 🎼
- 3. Specialist team (5) — Answer: CADRE. Hint: Think of a compact group assembled for a specific mission or area of expertise 🎯
- 4. Tell a story (7) — Answer: NARRATE. Hint: Share what happened by describing the events in order. 📖
- 5. Metal fastening (5) — Answer: RIVET. Hint: This sturdy metal connector permanently joins pieces together 🔩
- 6. Most nerve-racking (7) — Answer: TENSEST. Hint: Describes what feels the most stressful and anxiety-inducing. 😬
- 7. Work of art (4) — Answer: OPUS. Hint: A creator’s finished composition can earn this grand, Latin-leaning label. 🎨
- 11. Lacking compassion (8) — Answer: PITILESS. Hint: Think of someone whose heart offers no sympathy. 💔
- 13. Cartoon punchline / label (7) — Answer: CAPTION. Hint: Look for the text that labels an image or delivers a cartoon’s joke. 🖼️
- 14. _The ______ of Malfi_ , John Webster play (7) — Answer: DUCHESS. Hint: In this tragedy, she is the noblewoman whose secret marriage sparks deadly intrigue. 🎭
- 16. Majestic (5) — Answer: REGAL. Hint: Think of something fit for a king or queen. 👑
- 17. Natural fabric prone to creasing (5) — Answer: LINEN. Hint: Think of a breezy plant-based textile that wrinkles easily after wear. 👕
- 18. Working-class, local or folk? (4) — Answer: HERO. Hint: Think of a celebrated figure who might be an everyday worker, a neighborhood favorite, or a character from folklore. 🦸
The answer to “Most nerve-racking (7)” in the The Guardian Quick crossword is TENSEST — a 7-letter word. This clue ran in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 3, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 6-Down. If it's the entry standing between you and a clean grid, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, plus links to the day's other clues if more than one square is giving you trouble.
“Most nerve-racking (7)” answer
TENSEST (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 TENSEST.
Why the answer is TENSEST
Describes what feels the most stressful and anxiety-inducing. 😬
When else has “Most nerve-racking (7)” appeared?
The Guardian Quick reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up before, and what the answer was each time — handy if you landed here from a puzzle on another date.
August 3, 2026 (this puzzle) → TENSEST. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.
More clues from the Guardian Quick Crossword on August 3, 2026
Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.
- Focus (13) → CONCENTRATION
- Starving (8) → RAVENOUS
- Raised deck at the front of a ship - clearest of (anag) (10) → FORECASTLE
- Trivial matter (6) → DETAIL
- Metal fastening (5) → RIVET
- Work of art (4) → OPUS
- Brass, boy or big? (4) → BAND
- Tell a story (7) → NARRATE
Want every clue in one place? The full The Guardian Quick answer list for August 3, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live Guardian Quick answers are always one tap from the today page.
About the Guardian Quick Crossword
The Guardian Quick Crossword is a British straight-definition daily (typically around 13×13) — no cryptic wordplay, just clean definitions and abbreviations. This page covers a Monday puzzle. Because answers favour common UK vocabulary and short fill, seeing a confirmation once makes the next appearance easy to spot.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Most nerve-racking (7)”?
The answer is TENSEST, a 7-letter word. It appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 3, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Most nerve-racking (7)”?
7 letters: TENSEST.
Where did this clue appear?
In the The Guardian Quick crossword on August 3, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 6-Down.
Can “Most nerve-racking (7)” have a different answer?
Yes — The Guardian Quick 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 Guardian Quick answers?
The full grid for August 3, 2026 is on the Guardian Quick answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.