How do I solve 1 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

1 across reads "One's vain, and it’s a problem" (5 letters); the answer is POSER. It's a double-definition clue: two separate definitions of the same word sit side by side. No wordplay split and no indicators — both halves of the clue define the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 4 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

4 across reads "Voicemail to Mrs Wild causes tumult" (9 letters); the answer is MAELSTROM. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 9 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

9 across reads "Falling sea levels? It makes no difference" (1,4,2,3,5 letters); the answer is A DROP IN THE OCEAN. It's a double-definition clue: two separate definitions of the same word sit side by side. No wordplay split and no indicators — both halves of the clue define the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 10 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

10 across reads "Left without pillow, oddly ripped off" (9 letters); the answer is EXPLOITED. It's a letter-selection clue: take specific letters from a longer source. 'First of' means the opening letter, 'extremely' means first + last, 'regularly' means every other letter, 'oddly' / 'evenly' means odd or even positions. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 11 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

11 across reads "There's something seedy about Nemo's first mate" (5 letters); the answer is CHINA. It's a letter-selection clue: take specific letters from a longer source. 'First of' means the opening letter, 'extremely' means first + last, 'regularly' means every other letter, 'oddly' / 'evenly' means odd or even positions. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 12 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

12 across reads "Rent gets way off, out of control" (7 letters); the answer is HAYWIRE. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 13 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

13 across reads "Weapon in the way that aegis deflected" (7 letters); the answer is ASSEGAI. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 15 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

15 across reads "Leaves adding a little weight to plant secretions" (7 letters); the answer is RESIGNS. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 18 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

18 across reads "Very nice scene at a game's outset" (7 letters); the answer is SCRUMMY. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 20 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

20 across reads "Property line with a double bend" (5 letters); the answer is LANDS. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 22 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

22 across reads "An embargo agreed upon drives leader wild" (9 letters); the answer is ABANDONED. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 24 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

24 across reads "Shut up vault yellow and grey?" (2,6,7 letters); the answer is NO SPRING CHICKEN. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 25 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

25 across reads "A Frenchman, a new Degas rebels" (9 letters); the answer is RENEGADES. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 26 across in Express Cryptic 20260524?

26 across reads "Stuff in ravine" (5 letters); the answer is GORGE. It's a double-definition clue: two separate definitions of the same word sit side by side. No wordplay split and no indicators — both halves of the clue define the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 1 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

1 down reads "Parallel edges one digs" (5 letters); the answer is PLACE. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 2 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

2 down reads "Turkey stuffed inside soft, so awkward" (7 letters); the answer is STROPPY. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 3 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

3 down reads "Critical agent on the move?" (9 letters); the answer is REPROVING. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 4 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

4 down reads "A mammal grazed in shock" (7 letters); the answer is MANATEE. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 5 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

5 down reads "Creature back to solve 11 ÷ 500" (7 letters); the answer is ECHIDNA. It's a letter-selection clue: take specific letters from a longer source. 'First of' means the opening letter, 'extremely' means first + last, 'regularly' means every other letter, 'oddly' / 'evenly' means odd or even positions. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 6 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

6 down reads "Italian thus has to calm one" (5 letters); the answer is STOIC. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 7 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

7 down reads "Unmanned German holds a flower up in shock" (7 letters); the answer is REELING. It's a deletion clue: start with a word the clue points to, then drop one or more letters. Indicators include 'endlessly' (lose the last letter), 'beheaded' (lose the first), or 'heartlessly' (lose the middle). The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 8 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

8 down reads "Darn, an urban falsehood!" (9 letters); the answer is MENDACITY. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 12 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

12 down reads "Radical sort of compact with eye makeup" (9 letters); the answer is HARDLINER. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 14 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

14 down reads "Quiet soul singer tearing up" (9 letters); the answer is SHREDDING. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 16 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

16 down reads "Knight given to misdeeds is absorbed" (5,2 letters); the answer is SINKS IN. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 17 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

17 down reads "Information reported and gone over" (7 letters); the answer is SPANNED. It's a double-definition clue: two separate definitions of the same word sit side by side. No wordplay split and no indicators — both halves of the clue define the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 18 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

18 down reads "Positions on matters of state held by back benches" (7 letters); the answer is STANCES. It's a homophone clue: the answer sounds like another word. Indicators like 'reportedly', 'we hear', or 'sounds like' point to a word that's pronounced similarly to the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 19 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

19 down reads "A flash goddess, and her last name" (7 letters); the answer is MONIKER. It's a letter-selection clue: take specific letters from a longer source. 'First of' means the opening letter, 'extremely' means first + last, 'regularly' means every other letter, 'oddly' / 'evenly' means odd or even positions. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 21 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

21 down reads "Movement socialist radical embraced" (5 letters); the answer is SHRUG. It's a container clue: one word goes inside another. Container indicators include 'in', 'around', 'holding', and 'embracing' — identify the outer word, then the inner piece that gets slotted into it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 23 down in Express Cryptic 20260524?

23 down reads "Desperate character with a note for a poet" (5 letters); the answer is DANTE. It's a charade: the answer breaks into parts in clue order, each part clued by a word or short phrase. No indicators needed; watch for standard abbreviations (RA = artist, US = American, IN = at home) and short synonyms. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

Express Cryptic 20260524 — Answers, Hints & Wordplay Explained

1A — One's vain, and it’s a problem (5) — POSER

Wordplay
Wordplay: Double definition
Assembly
POSER = POSER

Across

1A — One's vain, and it’s a problem (5) — POSER

4A — Voicemail to Mrs Wild causes tumult (9) — MAELSTROM

9A — Falling sea levels? It makes no difference (1,4,2,3,5) — A DROP IN THE OCEAN

10A — Left without pillow, oddly ripped off (9) — EXPLOITED

11A — There's something seedy about Nemo's first mate (5) — CHINA

12A — Rent gets way off, out of control (7) — HAYWIRE

13A — Weapon in the way that aegis deflected (7) — ASSEGAI

15A — Leaves adding a little weight to plant secretions (7) — RESIGNS

18A — Very nice scene at a game's outset (7) — SCRUMMY

20A — Property line with a double bend (5) — LANDS

22A — An embargo agreed upon drives leader wild (9) — ABANDONED

24A — Shut up vault yellow and grey? (2,6,7) — NO SPRING CHICKEN

25A — A Frenchman, a new Degas rebels (9) — RENEGADES

26A — Stuff in ravine (5) — GORGE

Down

1D — Parallel edges one digs (5) — PLACE

2D — Turkey stuffed inside soft, so awkward (7) — STROPPY

3D — Critical agent on the move? (9) — REPROVING

4D — A mammal grazed in shock (7) — MANATEE

5D — Creature back to solve 11 ÷ 500 (7) — ECHIDNA

6D — Italian thus has to calm one (5) — STOIC

7D — Unmanned German holds a flower up in shock (7) — REELING

8D — Darn, an urban falsehood! (9) — MENDACITY

12D — Radical sort of compact with eye makeup (9) — HARDLINER

14D — Quiet soul singer tearing up (9) — SHREDDING

16D — Knight given to misdeeds is absorbed (5,2) — SINKS IN

17D — Information reported and gone over (7) — SPANNED

18D — Positions on matters of state held by back benches (7) — STANCES

19D — A flash goddess, and her last name (7) — MONIKER

21D — Movement socialist radical embraced (5) — SHRUG

23D — Desperate character with a note for a poet (5) — DANTE