Guardian Quick Crossword Answers Today

Quick crossword No 17,553

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Across

  1. 1Toy, target or top (4)SOFT
  2. 3On the other side of the page (8)OVERLEAF
  3. 9Cockle or mussel, say (7)MOLLUSC
  4. 10One goes to the polls (5)VOTER
  5. 11Support - acceptance (3-2)BUYIN
  6. 12Rectangle (6)OBLONG
  7. 14Sober - as OAP insisted (anag) (13)DISPASSIONATE
  8. 17Soluble substance which can neutralise acids (6)ALKALI
  9. 19It's raised in support (5)THUMB
  10. 22Layered vegetable (5)ONION
  11. 23Small waterfall (7)CASCADE
  12. 24Forte or Fawlty? (8)HOTELIER
  13. 25Top of the range? (4)PEAK

Down

  1. 1A person of consequence (8)SOMEBODY
  2. 2Ornamental garden building (5)FOLLY
  3. 4Where one problem leads to another, compounding the original difficulty (7,6)VICIOUSCIRCLE
  4. 5Competitor (5)RIVAL
  5. 6Baltic state bordering Russia and Latvia (7)ESTONIA
  6. 7Plant which reproduces via spores (4)FERN
  7. 8South American plant grown for its rice-like seeds (6)QUINOA
  8. 13Time for a drink (3,5)TEABREAK
  9. 15One plays alone (7)SOLOIST
  10. 16Slow on the uptake (6)OBTUSE
  11. 18Cancel (5)ANNUL
  12. 20Treatment (5)USAGE
  13. 21Heavy hitter? (4)COSH

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Toy, target or top (4) — Answer: SOFT. Hint: Think of a four-letter word describing a cuddly plaything, an easy mark, or a convertible roof. 🧸
  2. 3. On the other side of the page (8) — Answer: OVERLEAF. Hint: Look to the reverse side of the page for this one 📖
  3. 9. Cockle or mussel, say (7) — Answer: MOLLUSC. Hint: This shelled sea creature belongs to a broad group that also includes oysters and snails. 🐚
  4. 10. One goes to the polls (5) — Answer: VOTER. Hint: This person heads to the polling place to cast a ballot 🗳️
  5. 11. Support - acceptance (3-2) — Answer: BUYIN. Hint: Think of the agreement you show when you decide to back a proposal. 🤝
  6. 12. Rectangle (6) — Answer: OBLONG. Hint: Think of a rectangle that’s noticeably longer than it is wide. 📐
  7. 14. Sober - as OAP insisted (anag) (13) — Answer: DISPASSIONATE. Hint: Think of a calm, impartial attitude untouched by strong feelings. 🧊
  8. 17. Soluble substance which can neutralise acids (6) — Answer: ALKALI. Hint: Think of a basic chemical substance that can cancel out acidity 🧪
  9. 19. It's raised in support (5) — Answer: THUMB. Hint: Think of the familiar hand gesture that signals approval or support 👍
  10. 22. Layered vegetable (5) — Answer: ONION. Hint: This bulb makes many cooks cry as its papery layers come apart. 🥗
  11. 23. Small waterfall (7) — Answer: CASCADE. Hint: Think of water tumbling gracefully over a rocky ledge. 🌊
  12. 24. Forte or Fawlty? (8) — Answer: HOTELIER. Hint: Think of the person running the place where Basil’s guests stay—and where a famous singer might lodge. 🏨
  13. 25. Top of the range? (4) — Answer: PEAK. Hint: Think of the highest point on a mountain range. ⛰️

Down

  1. 1. A person of consequence (8) — Answer: SOMEBODY. Hint: Think of a notable individual who matters in the bigger picture. 🌟
  2. 2. Ornamental garden building (5) — Answer: FOLLY. Hint: Think of a whimsical decorative structure built more for charm than practicality in a garden. 🏛️
  3. 4. Where one problem leads to another, compounding the original difficulty (7,6) — Answer: VICIOUSCIRCLE. Hint: A self-reinforcing cycle in which each setback creates the next one 🔄
  4. 5. Competitor (5) — Answer: RIVAL. Hint: Someone you square off against in a contest 🏆
  5. 6. Baltic state bordering Russia and Latvia (7) — Answer: ESTONIA. Hint: Think of the northernmost Baltic country, nestled between Latvia and Russia 🇪🇪
  6. 7. Plant which reproduces via spores (4) — Answer: FERN. Hint: Look for a leafy woodland plant that reproduces through spores rather than seeds 🌿
  7. 8. South American plant grown for its rice-like seeds (6) — Answer: QUINOA. Hint: Think of a protein-rich seed often tossed into healthy salads and bowls. 🥗
  8. 13. Time for a drink (3,5) — Answer: TEABREAK. Hint: A brief pause to enjoy a warm cuppa ☕
  9. 15. One plays alone (7) — Answer: SOLOIST. Hint: A musician performing without accompaniment fits this description. 🎵
  10. 16. Slow on the uptake (6) — Answer: OBTUSE. Hint: Describes someone who needs a little extra time to catch on. 🐢
  11. 18. Cancel (5) — Answer: ANNUL. Hint: To officially call something off is to do this. 🚫
  12. 20. Treatment (5) — Answer: USAGE. Hint: It describes the way something is handled or put to use. 🔧
  13. 21. Heavy hitter? (4) — Answer: COSH. Hint: Think of a blunt weapon that can really pack a punch. 🥊

Recent Guardian Quick Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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Looking for today's Guardian Quick Crossword answers? Every across and down solution for today's puzzle — dated August 8, 2026 — is at the top of this page, updated the moment the new grid goes live. The Guardian Quick is a beloved British daily: straightforward one-word definition clues, no cryptic trickery, and a satisfying solve in a few minutes. Whether you're checking a finished grid or stuck on a single clue, the full answers are below.

Full Guardian Quick Crossword answer list for today

Every clue from today's grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Toy, target or top (4)SOFT
3On the other side of the page (8)OVERLEAF
9Cockle or mussel, say (7)MOLLUSC
10One goes to the polls (5)VOTER
11Support - acceptance (3-2)BUYIN
12Rectangle (6)OBLONG
14Sober - as OAP insisted (anag) (13)DISPASSIONATE
17Soluble substance which can neutralise acids (6)ALKALI
19It's raised in support (5)THUMB
22Layered vegetable (5)ONION
23Small waterfall (7)CASCADE
24Forte or Fawlty? (8)HOTELIER
25Top of the range? (4)PEAK

Down

#ClueAnswer
1A person of consequence (8)SOMEBODY
2Ornamental garden building (5)FOLLY
4Where one problem leads to another, compounding the original difficulty (7,6)VICIOUSCIRCLE
5Competitor (5)RIVAL
6Baltic state bordering Russia and Latvia (7)ESTONIA
7Plant which reproduces via spores (4)FERN
8South American plant grown for its rice-like seeds (6)QUINOA
13Time for a drink (3,5)TEABREAK
15One plays alone (7)SOLOIST
16Slow on the uptake (6)OBTUSE
18Cancel (5)ANNUL
20Treatment (5)USAGE
21Heavy hitter? (4)COSH

Today's Guardian Quick answers

Today's solution appears above, split into Across and Down exactly as the puzzle numbers them. Each answer is listed separately, so if you only need one word you can reveal the clue that's blocking you and keep solving the rest. The grid is confirmed and refreshed daily as soon as it's published.

What is the Guardian Quick Crossword?

The Guardian Quick is the newspaper's daily non-cryptic crossword — the gentle counterpart to its famous (and fiendish) cryptic puzzle. Its clues are short, straight definitions rather than wordplay: you're simply matching a definition to a word of the right length. That makes it fast and approachable, a daily favourite for solvers who want a clean puzzle without the mental gymnastics of a cryptic. It's free to play on the Guardian's site and has a devoted following, particularly in the UK.

How the Guardian Quick differs from US puzzles

If you're used to American crosswords, a few things stand out:

Guardian QuickUS puzzles (NYT / USA Today)
Clue styleStraight one-word definitionsMore wordplay and themes
SpellingBritish (COLOUR, CENTRE)American (COLOR, CENTER)
GridOften has more black squaresFully interlocked (fewer blocks)
Cryptic siblingYes — the Guardian CrypticRare in US dailies

The British spelling matters when you're checking answers: if a word looks one letter off, the Guardian is almost certainly using the British form. And because the clues are pure definitions, the Guardian Quick is often the easiest of the major dailies to solve outright.

Browse past Guardian Quick answers

Every previous Guardian Quick is archived on this page by date, with its full across and down solutions — handy for checking yesterday's grid or one you set aside. The archive updates automatically each day, so it stays complete without spoiling the current day. Stuck on a single clue, our crossword solver will reveal just that answer.

Browse more puzzles on the crossword solver, or use it to crack any clue from any publication.

Frequently asked questions

What are today's Guardian Quick Crossword answers?

Every across and down answer for today's puzzle (August 8, 2026) is listed at the top of this page, updated as soon as it's released.

Is the Guardian Quick a cryptic crossword?

No — the Quick uses straight, one-word definition clues. The Guardian's cryptic crossword is a separate, much trickier puzzle.

Why do some answers use British spelling?

The Guardian is a British paper, so answers follow British spelling conventions (COLOUR, CENTRE, and so on) — worth remembering when a word looks a letter off.

Where can I find past Guardian Quick answers?

Every previous puzzle is in the archive on this page, listed by date with full solutions, updated automatically each day.

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