Guardian Quick Crossword Answers Today
Quick crossword No 17,554
Across
- 1Unenlightened (9)BENIGHTED
- 8Lay to rest (5)INTER
- 9School-trip vehicle (7)MINIBUS
- 10Wedding do, held in advance (3,5)HENPARTY
- 11Therefore (formal) (4)ERGO
- 14Give a 'not guilty' verdict (6)ACQUIT
- 17Large bottle (8)DEMIJOHN
- 19Insistent (7)ADAMANT
- 20Privileged social group (5)ELITE
- 21Effective (but possibly unethical) (9)EXPEDIENT
Down
- 1Marine hanger-on (8)BARNACLE
- 2Idiot (informally) (6)NUMPTY
- 4Keats died of it (12)TUBERCULOSIS
- 5No longer in production (12)DISCONTINUED
- 6Measure of seismologists (7,5)RICHTERSCALE
- 7Tall floor light (8,4)STANDARDLAMP
- 12It's not deliberate (8)ACCIDENT
- 15Cook's grinder (6)PESTLE
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Unenlightened (9) — Answer: BENIGHTED. Hint: Describes someone lacking knowledge or understanding. 🤔
- 8. Lay to rest (5) — Answer: INTER. Hint: Put someone in the ground in a formal sense ⚰️
- 9. School-trip vehicle (7) — Answer: MINIBUS. Hint: Think of the compact passenger vehicle that often carries a class on an outing 🚌
- 10. Wedding do, held in advance (3,5) — Answer: HENPARTY. Hint: Think of the bride-to-be’s festive girls’ night before the big day. 🎉
- 11. Therefore (formal) (4) — Answer: ERGO. Hint: A formal way to introduce a logical conclusion, like saying “therefore” in a proof. 🧠
- 13. Give power, strength or authority to (6) — Answer: ENABLE. Hint: Help someone or something gain the ability or authority to act. 💪
- 14. Give a 'not guilty' verdict (6) — Answer: ACQUIT. Hint: What might a jury decide when the evidence leaves reasonable doubt? ⚖️
- 16. Street, table or effect (4) — Answer: SIDE. Hint: One versatile word pairs naturally with all three clue words. 🧩
- 17. Large bottle (8) — Answer: DEMIJOHN. Hint: This roomy container is often used to store wine or other liquids. 🍾
- 19. Insistent (7) — Answer: ADAMANT. Hint: Think of someone firmly refusing to change their mind. 🪨
- 20. Privileged social group (5) — Answer: ELITE. Hint: A select, high-status circle of people fits this description. 👑
- 21. Effective (but possibly unethical) (9) — Answer: EXPEDIENT. Hint: A practical solution that gets results, even if it cuts a few moral corners 😉
Down
- 1. Marine hanger-on (8) — Answer: BARNACLE. Hint: This stubborn sea creature clings tightly to boats, rocks, and other hard surfaces. 🐚
- 2. Idiot (informally) (6) — Answer: NUMPTY. Hint: A cheeky British insult for someone being foolish. 😄
- 3. Unwanted sticky stuff (4) — Answer: GUNK. Hint: Think of the gross residue left behind by tape or spilled syrup. 🤢
- 4. Keats died of it (12) — Answer: TUBERCULOSIS. Hint: This serious lung disease claimed the life of the Romantic poet who wrote “Ode to a Nightingale.” 🫁
- 5. No longer in production (12) — Answer: DISCONTINUED. Hint: Describes a product that has been retired from the catalog 🛒
- 6. Measure of seismologists (7,5) — Answer: RICHTERSCALE. Hint: Think of the earthquake-strength yardstick named for a pioneering seismologist. 🌋
- 7. Tall floor light (8,4) — Answer: STANDARDLAMP. Hint: Think of the upright lamp that stands beside a sofa or reading chair. 💡
- 12. It's not deliberate (8) — Answer: ACCIDENT. Hint: It happens by chance rather than by plan. 🎲
- 15. Cook's grinder (6) — Answer: PESTLE. Hint: This kitchen tool crushes herbs and spices in a mortar. 🥣
- 18. Smooth - bits of rock (4) — Answer: SAND. Hint: Think of the tiny grains that make a beach feel soft beneath your feet. 🏖️
Recent Guardian Quick Answers
The last 7 days of solutions
Looking for today's Guardian Quick Crossword answers? Every across and down solution for today's puzzle — dated August 10, 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
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unenlightened (9) | BENIGHTED |
| 8 | Lay to rest (5) | INTER |
| 9 | School-trip vehicle (7) | MINIBUS |
| 10 | Wedding do, held in advance (3,5) | HENPARTY |
| 11 | Therefore (formal) (4) | ERGO |
| 13 | Give power, strength or authority to (6) | ENABLE |
| 14 | Give a 'not guilty' verdict (6) | ACQUIT |
| 16 | Street, table or effect (4) | SIDE |
| 17 | Large bottle (8) | DEMIJOHN |
| 19 | Insistent (7) | ADAMANT |
| 20 | Privileged social group (5) | ELITE |
| 21 | Effective (but possibly unethical) (9) | EXPEDIENT |
Down
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marine hanger-on (8) | BARNACLE |
| 2 | Idiot (informally) (6) | NUMPTY |
| 3 | Unwanted sticky stuff (4) | GUNK |
| 4 | Keats died of it (12) | TUBERCULOSIS |
| 5 | No longer in production (12) | DISCONTINUED |
| 6 | Measure of seismologists (7,5) | RICHTERSCALE |
| 7 | Tall floor light (8,4) | STANDARDLAMP |
| 12 | It's not deliberate (8) | ACCIDENT |
| 15 | Cook's grinder (6) | PESTLE |
| 18 | Smooth - bits of rock (4) | SAND |
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 Quick | US puzzles (NYT / USA Today) | |
|---|---|---|
| Clue style | Straight one-word definitions | More wordplay and themes |
| Spelling | British (COLOUR, CENTRE) | American (COLOR, CENTER) |
| Grid | Often has more black squares | Fully interlocked (fewer blocks) |
| Cryptic sibling | Yes — the Guardian Cryptic | Rare 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 10, 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.