Telegraph Cryptic Crossword Answers Today
Cryptic Crossword No 31336
Across
- 4Nun hiding – is a church in troubleNUISANCE
- 8Newspaper exposed StewRAGOUT
- 11Idiot getting money back with itNITWIT
- 12Doctor, doctor – who let mine be born?COMEINTOTHEWORLD
- 13See 12 AcrossTHEWORLD
- 25Stock of wine retailer picked upCELLAR
Down
- 3Scarf – top of neck is hotSTOLEN
- 4Place where police found clue to dastardly conNEWSCOTLANDYARD
- 5Man's man, for exampleISLANDER
- 7Friendly drinkCORDIAL
- 14Aware of travelling to hen partyONTHEBALL
- 15Son with top tip – it helps manage leaksSTOPCOCK
- 22More out of context rantsEXTRA
Looking for today's Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answers? Every across and down solution for today's puzzle — dated September 4, 2026 — is at the top of this page, updated as soon as The Telegraph releases it. The Cryptic continues the paper's daily crossword tradition from 30 July 1925 (the UK's first daily newspaper crossword) and the famous January 1942 Bletchley Park solving contest — a Monday–Friday 15×15 separate from the harder Toughie and weekend Prize Cryptics. Whether you're checking a finished grid or stuck on a single clue, the full answers are below.
Full Telegraph Cryptic 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
Down
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caretaker's rent reduced after New Year's Day | JANITOR |
| 2 | Hotel offering British journo large drink at entrance | DOUBLEBED |
| 3 | Scarf – top of neck is hot | STOLEN |
| 4 | Place where police found clue to dastardly con | NEWSCOTLANDYARD |
| 5 | Man's man, for example | ISLANDER |
| 6 | American spy avoiding university town | ASCOT |
| 7 | Friendly drink | CORDIAL |
| 14 | Aware of travelling to hen party | ONTHEBALL |
| 15 | Son with top tip – it helps manage leaks | STOPCOCK |
| 17 | Musk penning letter to Aristotle – and another | EPSILON |
| 18 | Failure of almost all arson, incredibly | ALSORAN |
| 20 | Stupor caused by knight taking smack? Quite the reverse | TRANCE |
| 22 | More out of context rants | EXTRA |
Today's Telegraph Cryptic 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 Monday through Friday as soon as it's published.
What is the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword?
The Telegraph Cryptic is The Telegraph's classic weekday cryptic — a 15×15 grid of cryptic wordplay clues (anagrams, charades, double definitions, and the rest). It continues the paper's daily crossword tradition that began on 30 July 1925, when The Daily Telegraph published the UK's first daily newspaper crossword. Today's Mon–Fri Cryptic is usually set anonymously; weekend Prize Cryptics are separate puzzles. Play online at Telegraph Puzzles. Prefer a non-cryptic warm-up? See our Telegraph Quick answers.
Cryptic vs Toughie vs Prize Cryptic
Telegraph Puzzles runs several cryptics; this page covers only the standard weekday Cryptic:
| Puzzle | When it runs | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Cryptic (this page) | Monday–Friday | Standard daily cryptic; setters usually anonymous |
| Toughie | Tuesday–Friday | Harder companion cryptic; named setter pseudonyms |
| Prize Cryptic | Saturday & Sunday | Separate weekend prize puzzles — not the weekday grid |
The 1942 Bletchley Park connection
In late 1941 a reader claimed to finish the Telegraph crossword in under 12 minutes. On 10 January 1942 the paper hosted a timed contest at its Fleet Street offices; several solvers beat the clock, and the War Office later approached competitors for code-breaking training at Bletchley Park. That episode is why the Telegraph Cryptic still turns up in British crossword history — less as trivia than as a reminder that the skills it rewards (anagrams, lateral thinking, pattern spotting) have always been the point.
How to break a stubborn Telegraph Cryptic clue
- Split definition from wordplay. One end of a fair cryptic clue defines the answer; the rest builds it with anagrams, charades, hidden words, double definitions, and similar devices.
- Use the crossings. Three or four letters from easier neighbours usually crack a long entry you cannot see yet.
- Don't confuse it with the Toughie. If a weekday grid feels unusually brutal, check you are on the standard Cryptic rather than the separate Tuesday–Friday Toughie.
- Reveal one answer only. Our crossword solver can confirm a single clue from your known letters without spoiling the rest of the grid.
Browse past Telegraph Cryptic answers
Every previous weekday Telegraph Cryptic is archived on this page by date with full solutions. There is no Mon–Fri Cryptic on Saturday or Sunday, so the archive steps from Friday to Monday. 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 Telegraph Cryptic Crossword answers?
Every across and down answer for today's puzzle (September 4, 2026) is listed at the top of this page, updated as soon as The Telegraph releases it.
What time does the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword come out?
At midnight UK time on each weekday it runs (Monday–Friday). Weekend Prize Cryptics are separate puzzles. We post the weekday Cryptic answers as soon as that day's grid goes live.
Does the Telegraph Cryptic run every day?
The daily Cryptic we cover runs Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays have separate Prize Cryptic puzzles, which are not the same weekday grid.
Is the Telegraph Cryptic the same as the Toughie?
No. The Cryptic is the paper's standard weekday cryptic. The Toughie is a separate, harder cryptic that runs Tuesday–Friday alongside it.
Why is the Telegraph Cryptic historically famous?
The Telegraph published the UK's first daily newspaper crossword in 1925. In January 1942 a timed solving contest at the paper led the War Office to recruit several fast solvers for code-breaking work at Bletchley Park.
Where can I find past Telegraph Cryptic answers?
Every previous weekday Cryptic is in the archive on this page, listed by date with full solutions. There is no Mon–Fri Cryptic on Saturday or Sunday, so the archive steps from Friday to Monday.
The Telegraph Cryptic Crossword is published by The Telegraph; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.