Guardian Cryptic Crossword
Guardian Cryptic Crossword Answers & Hints - September 16, 2026
Work through the 2026-09-16 Guardian Cryptic grid at your own pace. Select a square, reveal one answer, or check the completed crossword when you need it.
Editorially checked for the puzzle.
Puzzle date
September 16, 2026
Search Crossword Solver
Verified puzzle answer data is available for this published grid.
Click a square to reveal its letter. Get hints below.
Revealed 0 of 137 squares (0%).
Clue index
All Across and Down clues
Across
7.Rolling pad?7 letters8.Country lover in threesome caught by postman7 letters9.Will the author flog incomplete bit of fiction?4 letters10.Artificial glow in hole, naked flame ahead9 letters12.Backs off homeward rapidly after scoundrel leaves box?5 letters13.Ran over, captivated by Tony’s forbidden sweetheart, saucy thing!8 letters15.Draw is as much as bowler can take, perhaps, losing heart4 letters16.Nation with beer – ultimately Brains5 letters17.Hutch, partner to Lacey, leaving New York4 letters18.Resign, depressed after returning beloved animals8 letters20.Clichéd rabbit straddling lover’s rear5 letters21.Those out-of-town rush trails – rambling but not hard9 letters22.Maybe Skye lies elaborately4 letters24.Warnings of danger from almost defeated Tories7 letters25.Sounded like a sheep audible at Edgbaston trapped inside somewhere?7 letters
Down
1.It could be rock, marble or maybe even mud?!4 letters2.Lifted part of chrysalid off a dying flower8 letters3.Cwm venue cleared out to welcome everyone back from Hay6 letters4.After capsizing, criticise involving fat swimmers8 letters5.Doctor – in the past Neath’s top fire-breather6 letters6.Drink and drugs masking onset of rheumatism4 letters11.Stifled complaints when flashy jewellery confiscated by parents9 letters12.Players receiving nothing for progress without much effort5 letters14.Sport wig, covering for baldy5 letters16.Odd lawn cultivated around old group of trees8 letters17.Dressing up Cain with drag clothing8 letters19.Crime quick, taking in Inland Revenue6 letters20.Shy exhausted little rook?6 letters21.Big Bird runs, hearty, but half-cut4 letters23.National emblem in France, the ‘Disheartened Deer’4 letters
About this crossword
Solve Guardian Cryptic without losing the thread
Daily cryptic clues with wordplay-focused answer help. The grid preserves the original Across and Down numbering, including linked clue references where supplied.
Use a single-letter reveal for a gentle nudge. Each clue also has a stable detail page, and dated links let you return to earlier verified puzzles without changing the answer shown for this date.
Common questions
Guardian Cryptic answer FAQ
Are these answers for September 16, 2026?
Yes. The page date comes from the puzzle record itself, including weekly titles and sources that do not publish every day.
Can I reveal only one clue?
Yes. Select an Across or Down clue, then reveal individual letters or the complete entry without opening the rest of the grid.