This week’s 11 x 11 crossword from the Guardian intended to teach cryptic crosswords, found here
This puzzle is the 14th Quick Cryptic from Dice, 16th including a couple of specials. This puzzle has anagrams, middle letters and reverse hidden clues with all the letters in the clues. The other clues, where the words and letters need to be found by the solver, are soundalike clues. This is the 9th time reverse hidden clues have been used, last in puzzle #112 by Ludwig in May, and middle letters was has been included twice before, last back in back in December 2025 in puzzle #90 set by Dice.
As three of the four clue types have letters in the clue, hopefully this will be more accessible than last week’s puzzle from Dice. All of Dice’s puzzles for the Quick Cryptic slots have had a theme or a Nina, and this is no exception in having a theme.
The whole point of these crosswords is support and encouragement of new solvers, so special rules for these crosswords apply – see here – those rules include not posting solving times.
This blog was developed in response to suggestions. We hide the answers and the wordplay descriptions (parsing) too. To find the solution click on “Answer” and to find how the word play works, click on “Parsing” which will reveal the hidden information. You can choose to reveal everything using the “Expand All” button. If you have partially revealed the page, refreshing it will clear that, and allow you to expand all. The definition is in bold and underlined, the indicator is in red.
For additional help click here
There is a summary of the tricks used in the first six months here, if I ever stop for long enough, I’ll build another one, and a Guardian Crossword blog called the ultimate beginner’s guide has tips which may be useful for some solvers.
For abbreviations and clue tips click here
Fifteen Squared uses several abbreviations and jargon tricks, there’s a full list here, of which I’ve used the following in this blog:
- underlining the definition in the clue – this is either at the beginning or end of the clue
- indicators are in red.
- CAPITALS to indicate which bits are part of the answer, e.g. haVE ALtered for the example.
- anagram – letters being used shown in brackets (SENATOR)* for the clue below to give TREASON.
- anagram minus – letters being used are shown as capitals in brackets, with the unused letter in lower case and square brackets – so fluttering (OWLET[s])* becomes TOWEL.
- anagrind – anagram indicator – in the case below it is “arranged”
- soundalike – is indicated by “Wilde” – so in the example, Oscar “Wilde”, the playwright and author, is indicating the soundalike WILD.
- charades – the description below only gives the example of words being added together, but charades can be more complicated, adding abbreviations or single letters to another word. Examples previously used in this series are: Son ridicules loose overgarments (6) S (son) + MOCKS (ridicules), Get rid of dead pine (5) D(dead) + ITCH (pine) – D ITCH, and early on DR (doctor) + IVE (I have) to give DRIVE.
- reversals – the reversal element of a clue is indicated by < – so in the example clue below, VieTNAm <.
- CAD or clue as definition– where the whole clue gives the definition, sometimes called an &lit. These are rare.
- DBE or definition by example – e.g. where a dog might be clued as a setter – often using a question mark, maybe, possibly or e.g. to show that this is an example rather than a definition.
- surface – the meaning from reading the clue – so often cryptic clues use an English that could only be found in a cryptic crossword, but a smooth surface is a clue that has a meaning in English, which can be pointed or misleading.
TODAY’S TRICKS – from the crossword site – because the clues have moved on from the clue descriptions below, I am now adding more to the descriptions hidden above. Clues begin or end with a definition of the answer. The rest is one of these:
- Anagram Anagram of answer and hint that there’s an anagram
‘Senator arranged crime (7)’ gives TREASON (crime) - Soundalike Soundalike Something that sounds like answer
‘Excited, Oscar’s announced (4)’ gives WILD,
from Oscar “Wilde” the playwright sounds like (announced). - Hidden reversal Answer defined and hidden backwards
‘Insect returns in VieTNAm (3)’ gives ANT (insect). - Middle letters Middle letters Answer from centres of other words
‘Essentially tHe sAMe meat (3)’ gives HAM (meat).
| ACROSS | Click on “Answer” to see the solutions | |
| 1 |
Remember ridiculous moor cat meme? (11)
|
AnswerCOMMEMORATE |
Parsinganagram of (MOOR CAT MEME)* with an anagrind of “ridiculous” and the first thematic word. |
||
| 7 |
Needless guns induce cruelty essentially (5)
|
AnswerUNDUE |
Parsingmiddle letters (essentially) of gUNs inDUce cruElty – if the word has even letters, the middle two letters are taken, if odd letters, usually, essentially means the middle letter of the word. |
||
| 8 |
Sins ruin lives (5)
|
AnswerEVILS |
Parsinganagram of (LIVES)* with an anagrind of “ruin”. |
||
| 9 |
Tired local, going west, stocks more bitter (6)
|
AnswerCOLDER |
Parsinghidden reversal (going west, stocks) in tiRED LOCal < – as in weather, and a two part instruction: going west indicates the reversal and “stocks” indicates the hidden part. |
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| 12 |
Arm in snuggery, in recess (3)
|
AnswerGUN |
Parsingreverse hidden (in … in recess) with a split indicator, as sometimes happens with these indicators that have two parts, in sNUGgery < – as in arms, not limbs. |
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| 13 |
Foe ye men befuddled (5)
|
AnswerENEMY |
Parsinganagram of (YE MEN)* with an anagrind of “befuddled”. |
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| 16 |
The woman he’s disrupted (3)
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AnswerSHE |
Parsinganagram of (HE’S)* with an anagrind of “disrupted”. |
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| 18 |
Cause injury – nutmeg Amadou, passing back somewhere in midfield? (6)
|
AnswerDAMAGE |
Parsinghidden reversal (passing back somewhere in midfield?) in nutmEG AMADou < with the first part of the indicator, “passing back” suggesting the reversal, “somewhere in the midfield” suggesting the hidden part of the indicator. The surface is referring to this footballer. |
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| 22 |
Hearts of weeping people display undying flower (5)
|
AnswerPOPPY |
Parsingmiddle letters (hearts of) of weePing peOPle disPlay undYing, for another thematic solution. |
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| 23 |
Vocal work harmony (5)
|
AnswerPEACE |
Parsingsoundalike (vocal) of “piece” (work) for another thematic clue. |
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| 24 |
Some relatives sort out Ed’s scant den (11)
|
AnswerDESCENDANTS |
Parsinganagram of (ED’S SCANT DEN)* with an anagrind of “sort out”. |
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|
DOWN
|
||
| 1 |
Centres of Cochin, Durg and Puducherry: masses here (6)
|
AnswerCHURCH |
Parsingmiddle letters (centres of) of CoCHin DURg and PuduCHerry with a cryptic definition. From the surface, the three place names refer to cities in India, although Cochin is now Kochi, and the old name for Puducherry was Pondicherry. |
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| 2 |
Announced fiddle award (5)
|
AnswerMEDAL |
Parsingsoundalike (announced) of “meddle” (fiddle) as in the sense of interfere – and for a soundalike we are looking for another word that sounds like (with a following wind and in certain accents) a word that sounds like this “meddle” that means “award” to find the answer. |
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| 3 |
Sporting team of core characters from Stella directs televised scenes (6)
|
AnswerELEVEN |
Parsingmiddle letters (core characters from) from StELla dirEcts teleVised scENes for another thematic word. For the definition, think of cricket teams. |
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| 4 |
Was obliged to recite poem (4)
|
AnswerOWED |
Parsingsoundalike (to recite) of “ode” (poem) that means “was obliged”, and another theme word – if we include this quotation. |
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| 5 |
Inside retro venue I danced for so long (5)
|
AnswerADIEU |
Parsinghidden reversal (inside retro) in venUE I DAnced < with a slightly cryptic definition – which reminds me of this earworm. |
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| 6 |
Craft set a direction (4)
|
AnswerEAST |
Parsinganagram of (SET A) with an anagrind of “craft”. |
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| 10 |
River features centrally in modern settlements (3)
|
AnswerDEE |
| 11 |
Audibly studied tone (3)
|
AnswerRED |
Parsingsoundalike (audibly) of “read” studied, for another thematic word. |
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| 12 |
Heard of man in JDs? (3)
|
AnswerGYM |
Parsingsoundalike (heard of) man referring to a man’s name, here, “Jim” as a soundalike. I didn’t have to solve this clue as the crossers gave it to me, but here we’re looking at a British crossword trick that USA solvers don’t like as it’s not allowed in their crosswords where man (or woman) refers to a man’s (or woman’s) name. And the answer is referring to this chain, with a question mark to indicate a definition by example (DBE). |
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| 14 |
Cut of Radiohead EP Pam’s promoted, charted (6)
|
AnswerMAPPED |
Parsinghidden reversal (cut of … promoted) in RadioheaD EP PAM‘s < with the indicator split around the clue. |
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| 15 |
Puts off core elements of academic writing eschewing journal submissions (6)
|
AnswerDETERS |
Parsingmiddle letters (core elements of) of acaDEmic wriTing eschEwing jouRnal submiSsions – with a lovely surface suggesting procrastination. |
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| 17 |
Set-up e-shop, ‘Dreams’ (5)
|
AnswerHOPES |
Parsinganagram of (E-SHOP)* with an anagrind of “set-up”. |
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| 19 |
Taking up part in Narnia game once more (5)
|
AnswerAGAIN |
Parsinghidden reversal (taking up part in) of NarNIA GAme. |
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| 20 |
Moved quickly, infiltrating stuck-up Merseyside psychiatrists (4)
|
AnswerSPED |
Parsinghidden reversal (infiltrating stuck-up) in MerseysiDE PSychiatrists < |
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| 21 |
Orally wear out rubber protection (4)
|
AnswerTYRE |
Parsingsoundalike (orally) of “tire” (wear out) to give a rubber protection. |
Lots of themed words to do with Remembrance – as someone who will be attending two Remembrance parades tomorrow, two outside services by war memorials and one church service – there’s a lot of these words in the services.
Sorry this is so late – just me oversleeping.
I normally give these a go without looking at what the 4 types of clues are and I got really stuck. I peeked and then it became so much easier and I didn’t need to cheat any. How do I get better at identifying the wordplay? I’ll never be able to move onto harder cryptics when they don’t tell you the clue types 😭
I found the middle letters clues challenging, especially the words with even numbers of letters. I got there in the end, apart from 15d.
Buttons @2 – the indicators are often a give-away – and sometimes the clunkiness of the surface – “infiltrating stuck-up” read as a reverse hidden to me immediately. I saw that the first clue was an anagram immediately because “moor cat meme” didn’t make a lot of sense, was 11 letters and there was an obvious anagram indicator. And some clues are ambiguous and I have to wait for enough crossers to be able to work out which way the clue works.
Thank you, Shanne. I find the soundalikes and the middle letters difficult. I needed your help to get 5d and 21d.
I solved every clue in order. I have never done that before on any crossword, cryptic or otherwise, so I’m pleased. PEACE took the longest. Like Buttons @2, I don’t normally look at the clue types, but I did check to make sure I wasn’t missing something on that one. I don’t see the fairly obvious REMEMBRANCE theme mentioned (Update: I see Shanne aluded to a theme existing though). Apologies if it’s in the hidden sections.
Thanks Dice and Shanne.
4 down got me. Very frustrating!
I just couldn’t think of 4d. In the end I had to reveal it. I even looked at the pronunciation of “ode”, but it didn’t click. D’oh!
I enjoyed this. The soundalikes caused me most trouble as usual. I thought 8 Across a neat clue. Seeing as it was Dice and I had COMMEMORATE as my first answer I had the theme to help me. Many thanks Dice and Shanne.
I enjoyed this and found it a bit easier to solve than last week’s puzzle. The power of tv – after solving 4D, I immediately thought of Cyril Fletcher – how very odd 😀
@7 & 8, OWED was my last in too. Ode just would not bubble up. Thanks Dice and Shanne.
Three soundalikes 4d, 21d, 23a held me up at the end and needed all the crossers, but that’s par for the course for this clue type with me LOL. Was able to complete the grid without looking at the clue type hints for the extra challenge, so happy with that. Very appropriate theme for this weekend. Thanks Dice, and thanks Shanne.
I enjoyed the middle letters clues and the hidden reversals. Everything went in smoothly apart from TYRE which didn’t come to mind immediately.
Much easier than the last couple, I thought
Several clues read naturally, which I like in a puzzle. Living outside UK and tending to forget a clue as soon as I have solved it, I completely missed the theme. I needed the crossers for PEACE, but otherwise it was fairly smooth sailing
Thank you Dice and Shanne
Thank you, Dice and Shanne.
It was great to have two themed QCs in a row!
I needed explanations about JD (Google brought a lot of links, but not about Gyms).
Now some thoughts.
I was sure that with so many acrostics and hidden words, no one would find it difficult.
It turns into a kind of
mechanical work: you just take the first/last/middle letter of each word in the wordplay part and fill in the grid. Same with hidden words. Not very exciting, but it gives you a lot of crossing letters. And then there’s little left to do.
E.g. I was scratching my head over the “rubber protection”, but Y from POPPY immediately helped.
However some solvers commented, they needed crossing letters to solve “middle letters” clues. In this case it must be really difficult…
Maybe we need some extended guide. I thought that to start with acrostic and hiddens was an obvious decision, but it wasn’t.
And many people asked for explanations about examples (HAM, SUMO).
I still struggle with full fat cryptics and QCs are the only puzzles I can solve entirely and not get tired, so it is not an opinion of a regular solver 🙂
LunaLo @15 – I agree that the worked examples do seem to confuse more than they help. If you look I explain the worked examples more, because there are a few that people don’t see – Oscar “Wilde” for WILD confuses people regularly, also the insertion example, as well as HAM and SUMO last week. There’s more explanation hidden under “For abbreviations and clue tricks click here”.
Thank you for a very gentle teaching puzzle — the four clue types were clear, and the worked examples for TREASON, WILD, ANT and HAM really helped me see how each trick works. I found the middle-letter clues the trickiest, especially with even numbers of letters, just like Janet. The Remembrance theme was a thoughtful touch. I like to warm up with a five-letter daily word game before a cryptic, and I check the hints at https://gosolvedaily.com/ when my opening guesses go nowhere. Thanks Dice and Shanne.
Thank you Dice and Shanne.
After last weeks puzzle set by Dice I was braced for utter failure but loved the middle letter clues. I’ve not experienced those before and they were great fun!
Shanne @16, your blog is excellent. So helpful and interesting with these links and references. My comment is rather about The Guardian.
Thank you! Definitely easier than last week’s. Once I got ‘commemorate’ then I could see that the theme was Remembrance Day.
Thanks for the blog Shanne as it helped understand the clues even when I had the answers.
I agree with Janet@3. I am finding middle letter clues the hardest but the crossers helped to decide which word needed to be defined. Enjoyed the theme which I saw quickly, however I think 12D is an awful clue. Jim???
Thanks both