Times Cryptic Crossword Answers - Aug 4

Times Cryptic No 29612

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Across

  1. 1Writer’s second copy — and editor’s firstSCRIBE
  2. 4A support actor of dubious quality who almost died in the theatre?ABRAHAM
  3. 9Country address offered to chaps in the past?YEMEN
  4. 10Little programme skill in item on Bake Off?APPLETART
  5. 11Begin travelling to NigeriaORIGINATE
  6. 12Departed, grabbing time for coffeeLATTE
  7. 13Appreciated place with gardens around NovemberKNEW
  8. 14Eton’s involved in appealing fraudDISHONESTY
  9. 18Chance of new start in Forbidden City when a king returnedTABULARASA
  10. 20Reject shortened branch railwaySPUR
  11. 23Cell breaker only Sing Sing keeps locked upLYSIN
  12. 24Silly fool messed around with virusFRIVOLOUS
  13. 25Celebrate in cold air in restaurantCAFETERIA
  14. 26Speech from revolutionary core of AfricaMAORI
  15. 27Confusion of language between Middle English and EnglishMELANGE
  16. 28Black sharper footwearBROGUE

Down

  1. 1Type of curdled milk, pint-sized with no top to swiftly go highSKYROCKET
  2. 2Salad course dressed with caviar?ROMAINE
  3. 3One outlawed and forbade the thing, reportedlyBANDIT
  4. 4More than enough taste without the topping of saltAMPLE
  5. 5Florrie’s lingerie’s not entirely whiteRIESLING
  6. 6Hot wearing suit in heated areas?HEARTHS
  7. 7Small donation securing Republican headgearMITRE
  8. 8Disdainful of pork pie right after wineCAVALIER
  9. 15Duck and hawk accepted by mostly fit place for treatmentHOSPITAL
  10. 16Rory hikes rocky Dales locationYORKSHIRE
  11. 17Piece of timber, to name something that floats in waterPLANKTON
  12. 19Dwarf British tree not completely well-roundedBASHFUL
  13. 21Extend a number in Gershwin’s opening scenePROLONG
  14. 22Window key earlier failing to openDORMER
  15. 23London Met initially introducing old copper’s stand-inLOCUM
  16. 24Make for churchFORCE

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Writer’s second copy — and editor’s first — Answer: SCRIBE. Hint: Think of the person who makes a writer’s copy and gives an editor the original to work from. ✍️
  2. 4. A support actor of dubious quality who almost died in the theatre? — Answer: ABRAHAM. Hint: Think of something that offers support paired with a rather poor performer, evoking a famous theatre tragedy 🎭
  3. 9. Country address offered to chaps in the past? — Answer: YEMEN. Hint: Think of a country whose name sounds like a quaint greeting to gentlemen from yesteryear. 🌍
  4. 10. Little programme skill in item on Bake Off? — Answer: APPLETART. Hint: Think of a tiny software program paired with a classic fruit-filled bake. 🍰
  5. 11. Begin travelling to Nigeria — Answer: ORIGINATE. Hint: Look for a verb meaning “begin,” with a travel-related twist pointing toward West Africa. ✈️
  6. 12. Departed, grabbing time for coffee — Answer: LATTE. Hint: A familiar coffee order emerges when a word meaning “departed” embraces the abbreviation for time. ☕
  7. 13. Appreciated place with gardens around November — Answer: KNEW. Hint: Think of the past tense of understanding, with a sound-alike nod to something fresh. 🧠
  8. 14. Eton’s involved in appealing fraud — Answer: DISHONESTY. Hint: Think of the lack of truthfulness behind a deceptive scheme. 🎭
  9. 18. Chance of new start in Forbidden City when a king returned — Answer: TABULARASA. Hint: Think of a spotless slate and a completely fresh beginning, with the past wiped clean. 🧼
  10. 20. Reject shortened branch railway — Answer: SPUR. Hint: Picture a short railway branch that splits from the main line. 🚂
  11. 23. Cell breaker only Sing Sing keeps locked up — Answer: LYSIN. Hint: Think of a biological enzyme that breaks open cells, while the prison reference is a playful misdirection. 🧫
  12. 24. Silly fool messed around with virus — Answer: FRIVOLOUS. Hint: Think of a playful adjective for behavior that lacks seriousness, with a touch of viral wordplay. 🦠
  13. 25. Celebrate in cold air in restaurant — Answer: CAFETERIA. Hint: Think of a self-service dining spot where you can grab a tray and choose your meal 🍽️
  14. 26. Speech from revolutionary core of Africa — Answer: MAORI. Hint: Think of the Indigenous language of Aotearoa, often heard in traditional greetings. 🗣️
  15. 27. Confusion of language between Middle English and English — Answer: MELANGE. Hint: Think of a blended jumble where two stages of English get mixed together. 🌀
  16. 28. Black sharper footwear — Answer: BROGUE. Hint: Think of a polished shoe distinguished by decorative perforations, often seen in a smart dark style. 👞

Down

  1. 1. Type of curdled milk, pint-sized with no top to swiftly go high — Answer: SKYROCKET. Hint: Think of a verb for rising dramatically and rapidly, like prices after surprising news. 🚀
  2. 2. Salad course dressed with caviar? — Answer: ROMAINE. Hint: Think of a leafy salad variety whose name sounds like something from ancient Rome. 🥗
  3. 3. One outlawed and forbade the thing, reportedly — Answer: BANDIT. Hint: Think of a phrase meaning “forbade the thing” that sounds like an outlaw’s nickname. 🤠
  4. 4. More than enough taste without the topping of salt — Answer: AMPLE. Hint: Look for a word meaning “more than enough,” hiding a synonym for “taste” with its salty topping removed. 🧂
  5. 5. Florrie’s lingerie’s not entirely white — Answer: RIESLING. Hint: A white wine is tucked inside the clue, with “not entirely” suggesting you should look within the words. 🍷
  6. 6. Hot wearing suit in heated areas? — Answer: HEARTHS. Hint: Think of the cozy spots where a fire warms a room, with a playful nod to card suits. 🔥
  7. 7. Small donation securing Republican headgear — Answer: MITRE. Hint: Think of a bishop’s ceremonial cap, built by tucking a tiny donation around a Republican’s initial. 🎩
  8. 8. Disdainful of pork pie right after wine — Answer: CAVALIER. Hint: Think of an adjective for someone breezily dismissive or unconcerned. 😏
  9. 15. Duck and hawk accepted by mostly fit place for treatment — Answer: HOSPITAL. Hint: Think of the medical facility where patients go to receive care 🏥
  10. 16. Rory hikes rocky Dales location — Answer: YORKSHIRE. Hint: Think of the English county famous for the Dales, moors, and rugged walks. 🏞️
  11. 17. Piece of timber, to name something that floats in water — Answer: PLANKTON. Hint: Picture tiny ocean drifters whose name playfully evokes a wooden board. 🌊
  12. 19. Dwarf British tree not completely well-rounded — Answer: BASHFUL. Hint: Think of Snow White’s famously shy dwarf for this playful clue. 🍎
  13. 21. Extend a number in Gershwin’s opening scene — Answer: PROLONG. Hint: Think of a verb meaning to make something last longer, as a song might in an opening scene. 🎵
  14. 22. Window key earlier failing to open — Answer: DORMER. Hint: Think of a roof window that projects from a sloping roof, like a little attic lookout. 🏠
  15. 23. London Met initially introducing old copper’s stand-in — Answer: LOCUM. Hint: Think of a temporary stand-in, with a nod to London’s police force and an old-fashioned copper. 🔄
  16. 24. Make for church — Answer: FORCE. Hint: Think of a verb meaning to compel someone, often through pressure. 💪

Here are the Times Cryptic Crossword answers for Tuesday, August 4, 2026 — every solution for that day's flagship 15×15 cryptic (anonymous setters, in the tradition that began with Adrian Bell in 1930), 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 Times Cryptic Crossword answers page.

Times Cryptic Crossword answers for August 4, 2026

The full solution for the August 4 Times 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 Times 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
1Writer’s second copy — and editor’s firstSCRIBE
4A support actor of dubious quality who almost died in the theatre?ABRAHAM
9Country address offered to chaps in the past?YEMEN
10Little programme skill in item on Bake Off?APPLETART
11Begin travelling to NigeriaORIGINATE
12Departed, grabbing time for coffeeLATTE
13Appreciated place with gardens around NovemberKNEW
14Eton’s involved in appealing fraudDISHONESTY
18Chance of new start in Forbidden City when a king returnedTABULARASA
20Reject shortened branch railwaySPUR
23Cell breaker only Sing Sing keeps locked upLYSIN
24Silly fool messed around with virusFRIVOLOUS
25Celebrate in cold air in restaurantCAFETERIA
26Speech from revolutionary core of AfricaMAORI
27Confusion of language between Middle English and EnglishMELANGE
28Black sharper footwearBROGUE

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Type of curdled milk, pint-sized with no top to swiftly go highSKYROCKET
2Salad course dressed with caviar?ROMAINE
3One outlawed and forbade the thing, reportedlyBANDIT
4More than enough taste without the topping of saltAMPLE
5Florrie’s lingerie’s not entirely whiteRIESLING
6Hot wearing suit in heated areas?HEARTHS
7Small donation securing Republican headgearMITRE
8Disdainful of pork pie right after wineCAVALIER
15Duck and hawk accepted by mostly fit place for treatmentHOSPITAL
16Rory hikes rocky Dales locationYORKSHIRE
17Piece of timber, to name something that floats in waterPLANKTON
19Dwarf British tree not completely well-roundedBASHFUL
21Extend a number in Gershwin’s opening scenePROLONG
22Window key earlier failing to openDORMER
23London Met initially introducing old copper’s stand-inLOCUM
24Make for churchFORCE

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 Times Cryptic was a Tuesday 15×15 of classic British cryptic wordplay — anonymous setters, fair definitions with a second layer of anagrams, charades or double meanings. Many solvers find later weekdays tougher than Monday; if a clue that day felt especially layered, the weekday is often part of why. Use the hints first, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.

Looking for a different day?

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Frequently asked questions

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

Every across and down answer for the Tuesday, August 4, 2026 Times Cryptic is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed 15×15 cryptic as published that day, with anonymous setters in the paper's tradition since 1930.

Was the Tuesday Times Cryptic harder than usual?

The Times does not publish an official Monday-to-Saturday difficulty ladder like the NYT, but many solvers find later weekdays tougher than Monday. The Tuesday, August 4 grid sits in that informal weekly rhythm — use the hints above if a clue felt especially layered.

Where can I find today's Times Cryptic answers?

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

How do I look up a different date?

Use the previous/next links above to step day by day, or open the today page to browse the full dated archive.

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