Guardian Quick Crossword Answers - Aug 20
Quick crossword No 17,563
Across
- 9Television set (informally) (6-3)GOGGLEBOX
- 13Padded bedcover (5)QUILT
- 15Abrupt stop - bar exercise (4-2)PULLUP
- 16I'm sorry to hear that (2,4)OHDEAR
- 20Poison of organic origin (5)TOXIN
- 21Female sheep (4)EWES
- 26Othello's wife - nomad seed (anag) (9)DESDEMONA
Down
- 4Matured to adulthood (4,2)GREWUP
- 5Greek sun-god (6)APOLLO
- 6Keen -sighted (5-4)SHARPEYED
- 7Energised - made to pay again? (9)RECHARGED
- 11Pasta you may wind up eating? (9)SPAGHETTI
- 12Hammered - after limb breakage? (9)PLASTERED
- 13Undisturbed (5)QUIET
- 14Sharp spike on rose stem (5)THORN
- 18Turn like a wheel (6)ROTATE
- 19Angled (6)FISHED
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. This animal unfairly bears the blame? (9) — Answer: SCAPEGOAT. Hint: Think of a creature blamed for someone else’s wrongdoing 🐐
- 8. Clarified butter (Indian) (4) — Answer: GHEE. Hint: This golden cooking fat is a staple in Indian cuisine 🧈
- 9. Television set (informally) (6-3) — Answer: GOGGLEBOX. Hint: A playful British term for the television 📺
- 10. Bishop, angel or enemy (4) — Answer: ARCH. Hint: This word can describe a church feature, a heavenly being, or a mischievous foe ⛪
- 13. Padded bedcover (5) — Answer: QUILT. Hint: A cozy cover made from stitched layers keeps you warm 🛏️
- 15. Abrupt stop - bar exercise (4-2) — Answer: PULLUP. Hint: It can mean a sudden halt or a demanding exercise at the gym 🏋️
- 16. I'm sorry to hear that (2,4) — Answer: OHDEAR. Hint: Use this sympathetic phrase when something unfortunate happens 😟
- 17. Over-effusive person - free-flowing oil well (6) — Answer: GUSHER. Hint: This describes someone overflowing with enthusiasm or a well that pours freely 🛢️
- 19. Stop a film at a particular frame (6) — Answer: FREEZE. Hint: A video player command that holds one image still ⏸️
- 20. Poison of organic origin (5) — Answer: TOXIN. Hint: This harmful substance is produced by a living organism ☠️
- 21. Female sheep (4) — Answer: EWES. Hint: The plural term for adult female sheep 🐑
- 24. Elephant, rhino or hippo, eg - mad cypher (anag) (9) — Answer: PACHYDERM. Hint: Think of a large, thick-skinned mammal with a hefty build 🦏
- 25. Digits - little piggies? (4) — Answer: TOES. Hint: These are the small digits at the ends of your feet 🦶
- 26. Othello's wife - nomad seed (anag) (9) — Answer: DESDEMONA. Hint: She is the tragic Shakespearean heroine married to Othello 🎭
Down
- 2. Become distasteful from excess (as in sweetness) (4) — Answer: CLOY. Hint: Too much sweetness can eventually become unpleasant 🍬
- 3. Three little house-builders (4) — Answer: PIGS. Hint: These famous storybook siblings each choose a different building material 🐷
- 4. Matured to adulthood (4,2) — Answer: GREWUP. Hint: This describes someone who progressed from childhood into adulthood 🌱
- 5. Greek sun-god (6) — Answer: APOLLO. Hint: Think of the Greek deity associated with the sun and the arts ☀️
- 6. Keen -sighted (5-4) — Answer: SHARPEYED. Hint: An observant person notices details that others miss 👀
- 7. Energised - made to pay again? (9) — Answer: RECHARGED. Hint: This can mean restored with energy or billed once more 🔋
- 11. Pasta you may wind up eating? (9) — Answer: SPAGHETTI. Hint: Try twirling long strands around your fork at dinner. 🍝
- 12. Hammered - after limb breakage? (9) — Answer: PLASTERED. Hint: Someone can be heavily intoxicated or encased in a medical cast. 🍻
- 13. Undisturbed (5) — Answer: QUIET. Hint: Look for a calm, noiseless state. 🤫
- 14. Sharp spike on rose stem (5) — Answer: THORN. Hint: This defensive point protects a rose. 🌹
- 18. Turn like a wheel (6) — Answer: ROTATE. Hint: Picture a wheel moving around its center. 🔄
- 19. Angled (6) — Answer: FISHED. Hint: This is what you did when you cast a line for a catch. 🎣
- 22. Sandler, Pearson or Ant (4) — Answer: ADAM. Hint: Three well-known figures share this common first name. 👤
- 23. English architect - small bird (4) — Answer: WREN. Hint: A celebrated British architect shares a name with this tiny songbird. 🐦
Recent Guardian Quick Answers
The last 7 days of solutions
Here are the Guardian Quick Crossword answers for Thursday, August 20, 2026 — every solution for that day's standard Quick grid puzzle, listed at the top of this page. Whether you're catching up on a puzzle you missed, settling a “what was the answer on August 20?” question, or checking a grid you finished that day, the complete clue-by-clue solution is right here. Looking for today's puzzle instead? Head to our live Guardian Quick Crossword answers page.
Guardian Quick Crossword answers for August 20, 2026
The full solution for the August 20 Guardian Quick is shown above, laid out clue by clue — every Across answer followed by every Down answer, exactly as that day's grid read. Each answer is listed separately, so you can check just the clue you were stuck on and leave the rest. This is the confirmed grid as published on Thursday, August 20.
Full Guardian Quick Crossword answer list for August 20, 2026
Every clue from the August 20 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 | This animal unfairly bears the blame? (9) | SCAPEGOAT |
| 8 | Clarified butter (Indian) (4) | GHEE |
| 9 | Television set (informally) (6-3) | GOGGLEBOX |
| 10 | Bishop, angel or enemy (4) | ARCH |
| 13 | Padded bedcover (5) | QUILT |
| 15 | Abrupt stop - bar exercise (4-2) | PULLUP |
| 16 | I'm sorry to hear that (2,4) | OHDEAR |
| 17 | Over-effusive person - free-flowing oil well (6) | GUSHER |
| 19 | Stop a film at a particular frame (6) | FREEZE |
| 20 | Poison of organic origin (5) | TOXIN |
| 21 | Female sheep (4) | EWES |
| 24 | Elephant, rhino or hippo, eg - mad cypher (anag) (9) | PACHYDERM |
| 25 | Digits - little piggies? (4) | TOES |
| 26 | Othello's wife - nomad seed (anag) (9) | DESDEMONA |
Down
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Become distasteful from excess (as in sweetness) (4) | CLOY |
| 3 | Three little house-builders (4) | PIGS |
| 4 | Matured to adulthood (4,2) | GREWUP |
| 5 | Greek sun-god (6) | APOLLO |
| 6 | Keen -sighted (5-4) | SHARPEYED |
| 7 | Energised - made to pay again? (9) | RECHARGED |
| 11 | Pasta you may wind up eating? (9) | SPAGHETTI |
| 12 | Hammered - after limb breakage? (9) | PLASTERED |
| 13 | Undisturbed (5) | QUIET |
| 14 | Sharp spike on rose stem (5) | THORN |
| 18 | Turn like a wheel (6) | ROTATE |
| 19 | Angled (6) | FISHED |
| 22 | Sandler, Pearson or Ant (4) | ADAM |
| 23 | English architect - small bird (4) | WREN |
Hints for the August 20 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The August 20 Guardian Quick used straight, one-word definition clues — no cryptic trickery — so that Thursday grid was among the more approachable dailies to solve outright. One thing to note when checking the answers below: the Guardian is a British paper, so its solutions follow British spelling (COLOUR, CENTRE), which is worth remembering if a word looks a letter off. Use the hints for the trickiest clues, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.
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Frequently asked questions
What were the Guardian Quick Crossword answers on August 20, 2026?
Every answer for the Thursday, August 20, 2026 Guardian Quick is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
Where can I find today's Guardian Quick answers?
Today's live puzzle is on our Guardian Quick Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.
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