Telegraph Cryptic Crossword Answers - Aug 4

Cryptic Crossword No 31309

L
E
A
S
E
L
O
C
A
T
I
O
N
S
I
G
M
I
R
O
F
N
K
E
R
F
U
F
F
L
E
R
I
F
L
E
E
E
L
T
E
N
E
A
A
V
E
R
A
G
E
P
L
A
N
N
E
D
S
T
D
I
D
S
H
A
P
P
E
N
A
N
N
O
Y
I
N
G
O
R
A
G
V
R
T
R
E
A
S
U
R
E
F
L
E
E
C
E
S
C
R
S
O
A
C
H
I
C
A
N
E
P
E
A
S
A
N
T
H
D
R
S
E
F
V
N
I
D
E
A
L
T
H
E
R
E
F
O
R
E
N
N
E
E
D
R
I
S
A
P
T
I
T
U
D
E
S
S
O
D
A
S

Across

  1. 1Kindly dropping papa's rentLEASE
  2. 4Ointment's concealing half of Carl's spotsLOCATIONS
  3. 9Fluke ref chewed over following commotionKERFUFFLE
  4. 10Search everywhere around lakeRIFLE
  5. 11Mean Roman's greeting petAVERAGE
  6. 12Note found in flat daughter organisedPLANNED
  7. 13Result from adult very softly cutting chicken?HAPPEN
  8. 15Writhing in agony, admitting pain ultimately is exasperatingANNOYING
  9. 18Cherish short walk? CertainlyTREASURE
  10. 20Cheat's run away from churchFLEECE
  11. 23Drivers may slow down for this Greek character with walking stickCHICANE
  12. 24Nice axe left for agricultural workerPEASANT
  13. 26Perfect fish supper, say, with no starterIDEAL
  14. 27So partly just here for experience?THEREFORE
  15. 28Work suited Pat's inherent abilitiesAPTITUDES
  16. 29Very unhappy about drinksSODAS

Down

  1. 1Instantly enjoy a small drink of alcoholLIKEASHOT
  2. 2A politician almost gives consentAGREE
  3. 3Imitate large bird and teal, swimmingEMULATE
  4. 4Raised fourth of children with current newspaper editorLIFTED
  5. 5Prince, e.g., awkwardly grovellingCREEPING
  6. 6Fierce wind ripped plug out, at firstTORNADO
  7. 7Insulting SallyOFFENSIVE
  8. 8Golfer isn't removing coat each daySNEAD
  9. 14Trump perhaps put guest under pressurePRESIDENT
  10. 16Sergeant's awful reputationGREATNESS
  11. 17Held up a wine containing residueARRESTED
  12. 19Red mark on skin Albert regularly scratchedSCARLET
  13. 21People doing nothing? They might be worn outLOAFERS
  14. 22Buckets had a leak in shipSPEEDS
  15. 23Mate's feature articleCHINA
  16. 25Cop out of action, initially uselessAVOID

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Kindly dropping papa's rent — Answer: LEASE. Hint: Think of the agreement that lets someone use a property in exchange for payment. 🏠
  2. 4. Ointment's concealing half of Carl's spots — Answer: LOCATIONS. Hint: A salve synonym hides half of a name inside a word meaning places—spot on! 🧴
  3. 9. Fluke ref chewed over following commotion — Answer: KERFUFFLE. Hint: A referee’s disputed call can trigger this kind of noisy commotion. 🏟️
  4. 10. Search everywhere around lake — Answer: RIFLE. Hint: Think of rummaging through everything, perhaps near a calm body of water. 🔎
  5. 11. Mean Roman's greeting pet — Answer: AVERAGE. Hint: Think of the mathematical term for something ordinary or typical. 📊
  6. 12. Note found in flat daughter organised — Answer: PLANNED. Hint: Think of a word describing something carefully arranged or organised. 🗓️
  7. 13. Result from adult very softly cutting chicken? — Answer: HAPPEN. Hint: Think of a verb meaning “come about,” built from an adult, a very quiet musical marking, and a barnyard bird. 🐔
  8. 15. Writhing in agony, admitting pain ultimately is exasperating — Answer: ANNOYING. Hint: Something that repeatedly bothers or frustrates you can be described this way. 😤
  9. 18. Cherish short walk? Certainly — Answer: TREASURE. Hint: Think of a word meaning to value deeply, with a playful nod to a brief stroll. 💎
  10. 20. Cheat's run away from church — Answer: FLEECE. Hint: Think of a word meaning to swindle, with a cryptic reading involving fleeing and a church abbreviation. 🧩
  11. 23. Drivers may slow down for this Greek character with walking stick — Answer: CHICANE. Hint: On a winding road, this obstacle makes cars weave and slow down 🛣️
  12. 24. Nice axe left for agricultural worker — Answer: PEASANT. Hint: Think of a traditional farm worker—the definition is right there in the clue. 🌾
  13. 26. Perfect fish supper, say, with no starter — Answer: IDEAL. Hint: A freshwater fish and a meal missing its opening combine to describe something flawless. 🐟
  14. 27. So partly just here for experience? — Answer: THEREFORE. Hint: Look for a formal connector meaning “as a result,” with a playful nod to being present for practice. 🔎
  15. 28. Work suited Pat's inherent abilities — Answer: APTITUDES. Hint: Think of the natural talents that make a particular job feel like a good fit. 🧠
  16. 29. Very unhappy about drinks — Answer: SODAS. Hint: The clue pairs a gloomy mood with a familiar kind of fizzy refreshment. 🥤

Down

  1. 1. Instantly enjoy a small drink of alcohol — Answer: LIKEASHOT. Hint: Think of a phrase meaning “enjoy it immediately,” borrowing imagery from quickly downing a tiny alcoholic drink. 🥃
  2. 2. A politician almost gives consent — Answer: AGREE. Hint: Think of the verb for saying yes, hinted at by a politician nearly giving approval. 👍
  3. 3. Imitate large bird and teal, swimming — Answer: EMULATE. Hint: Think of a verb meaning “copy,” built from a large flightless bird and a blue-green duck. 🧩
  4. 4. Raised fourth of children with current newspaper editor — Answer: LIFTED. Hint: Think of something being hoisted upward or picked up. 🏗️
  5. 5. Prince, e.g., awkwardly grovelling — Answer: CREEPING. Hint: Picture someone moving low to the ground in an awkwardly humble way. 🐾
  6. 6. Fierce wind ripped plug out, at first — Answer: TORNADO. Hint: Picture a violently rotating storm powerful enough to tear roofs from houses 🌪️
  7. 7. Insulting Sally — Answer: OFFENSIVE. Hint: Describes behavior that is rude or hurtful toward someone, like Sally. 😬
  8. 8. Golfer isn't removing coat each day — Answer: SNEAD. Hint: Think of the legendary golfer whose first name was Sam. 🏌️
  9. 14. Trump perhaps put guest under pressure — Answer: PRESIDENT. Hint: Think of a national leader who might put a guest under pressure. 🏛️
  10. 16. Sergeant's awful reputation — Answer: GREATNESS. Hint: Think of a lofty quality that sounds ironic when paired with a sergeant’s terrible name. 😄
  11. 17. Held up a wine containing residue — Answer: ARRESTED. Hint: Think of what authorities might do when they stop someone in their tracks 🚓
  12. 19. Red mark on skin Albert regularly scratched — Answer: SCARLET. Hint: Think of a vivid red color, while the skin reference gives the definition and “regularly” hints at the wordplay. 🎨
  13. 21. People doing nothing? They might be worn out — Answer: LOAFERS. Hint: Think of a word that describes both idle folks and comfortable footwear. 👞
  14. 22. Buckets had a leak in ship — Answer: SPEEDS. Hint: A vessel does this when it races across the waves. 🚢
  15. 23. Mate's feature article — Answer: CHINA. Hint: Picture the fine porcelain you might serve tea in. ☕
  16. 25. Cop out of action, initially useless — Answer: AVOID. Hint: Think of dodging something, with a touch of emptiness hidden in the wordplay. 🕳️

Here are the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answers for Tuesday, August 4, 2026 — every solution for that day's Monday–Friday 15×15 cryptic, 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 4?” 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 Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answers page.

Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answers for August 4, 2026

The full solution for the August 4 Telegraph Cryptic 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 Tuesday, August 4.

Full Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answer list for August 4, 2026

Every clue from the August 4 grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Kindly dropping papa's rentLEASE
4Ointment's concealing half of Carl's spotsLOCATIONS
9Fluke ref chewed over following commotionKERFUFFLE
10Search everywhere around lakeRIFLE
11Mean Roman's greeting petAVERAGE
12Note found in flat daughter organisedPLANNED
13Result from adult very softly cutting chicken?HAPPEN
15Writhing in agony, admitting pain ultimately is exasperatingANNOYING
18Cherish short walk? CertainlyTREASURE
20Cheat's run away from churchFLEECE
23Drivers may slow down for this Greek character with walking stickCHICANE
24Nice axe left for agricultural workerPEASANT
26Perfect fish supper, say, with no starterIDEAL
27So partly just here for experience?THEREFORE
28Work suited Pat's inherent abilitiesAPTITUDES
29Very unhappy about drinksSODAS

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Instantly enjoy a small drink of alcoholLIKEASHOT
2A politician almost gives consentAGREE
3Imitate large bird and teal, swimmingEMULATE
4Raised fourth of children with current newspaper editorLIFTED
5Prince, e.g., awkwardly grovellingCREEPING
6Fierce wind ripped plug out, at firstTORNADO
7Insulting SallyOFFENSIVE
8Golfer isn't removing coat each daySNEAD
14Trump perhaps put guest under pressurePRESIDENT
16Sergeant's awful reputationGREATNESS
17Held up a wine containing residueARRESTED
19Red mark on skin Albert regularly scratchedSCARLET
21People doing nothing? They might be worn outLOAFERS
22Buckets had a leak in shipSPEEDS
23Mate's feature articleCHINA
25Cop out of action, initially uselessAVOID

Hints for the August 4 cryptic

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The August 4 Telegraph Cryptic was a classic Tuesday 15×15 of cryptic wordplay — anagrams, charades, double definitions and the rest — separate from the harder Toughie. If a long entry stalls you, a hint or a single confirmed answer usually opens the corner around it. Use the hints first, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.

Looking for a different day?

Prefer to solve rather than peek? The play button opens the puzzle so you can try that day's grid yourself, then come back to check your answers. Stuck on a single clue from any puzzle, our crossword solver reveals just that answer from your known letters.

Frequently asked questions

What were the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answers on August 4, 2026?

Every across and down answer for the Tuesday, August 4, 2026 Telegraph Cryptic is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed Monday–Friday 15×15 cryptic as published that day.

Was that day's puzzle the Toughie or the Prize Cryptic?

No — this archive page is the standard weekday Cryptic. The Toughie (Tue–Fri) and weekend Prize Cryptics are separate Telegraph puzzles.

Where can I find today's Telegraph Cryptic answers?

Today's live puzzle is on our Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answers today page, updated as soon as each new weekday grid goes live.

How do I look up a different date?

Use the previous/next links above to step between weekdays, or open the today page to browse the full dated archive. There is no Mon–Fri Cryptic on Saturday or Sunday.

NYT Crossword Answers NYT Mini Crossword Answers Wordle Hint Today Connections Hint Today Strands Hint Today Quordle Hint Today Contexto Hint Today Spotle Hint Today Minute Cryptic Answer Today Pips Hint Today Jumble Answers Today 7 Little Words Answers