How do I solve 1 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

1 across reads "Tell fib about retired supermodel being flexible" (7 letters); the answer is LISSOME. 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 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

5 across reads "Cure-all somewhat cheap, an ace alternative" (7 letters); the answer is PANACEA. It's a hidden-word clue: the answer is spelled out by consecutive letters in the clue itself, often crossing a word boundary. Indicators like 'in', 'some', or 'part of' signal that you're looking at a substring. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 9 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

9 across reads "Cyclists make pod cast – chaotically funny scenes!" (9,6 letters); the answer is SLAPSTICK COMEDY. 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 10 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

10 across reads "3 witches in a gathering failing at the outset" (4 letters); the answer is OVEN. It's a cryptic definition: the whole clue is a playful or punny description of the answer. No wordplay decomposition to do — read laterally and identify what's being described. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 11 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

11 across reads "Trouble occupying very advanced, superior house" (5 letters); the answer is VILLA. 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 12 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

12 across reads "First half of the alphabet, something very small" (4 letters); the answer is ATOM. 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 15 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

15 across reads "Line that touches bronzed chap?" (7 letters); the answer is TANGENT. 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 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

16 across reads "Our Tim goes out, ending in awful commotion" (7 letters); the answer is TURMOIL. 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 17 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

17 across reads "Connery's lost somewhere to rest his butt" (7 letters); the answer is ASHTRAY. 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 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

19 across reads "Leave a group of musicians working" (7 letters); the answer is ABANDON. 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 21 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

21 across reads "Convict's first time in prison" (4 letters); the answer is CAGE. 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 Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

22 across reads "Convent always storing odd bits of Bible" (5 letters); the answer is ABBEY. 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 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

23 across reads "Sudden twinge leads to Annie needing to have PG Tips" (4 letters); the answer is PANG. 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 26 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

26 across reads "Branch of US Govt affirmed European role meant ignoring America" (5,10 letters); the answer is STATE DEPARTMENT. 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 27 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

27 across reads "Show with cops and drama" (7 letters); the answer is DISPLAY. 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 28 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

28 across reads "Postgrads spotted cycling in enormous numbers" (2,5 letters); the answer is EN MASSE. 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 1 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

1 down reads "Act violently, like husband punching ruffian" (4,3 letters); the answer is LASH OUT. 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 2 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

2 down reads "Traitor taking harnesses off" (5,2,3,5 letters); the answer is SNAKE IN THE GRASS. 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 3 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

3 down reads "Kiln starts to overheat after setting temperature" (4 letters); the answer is OAST. 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 4 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

4 down reads "Exclusive English literature topped list" (7 letters); the answer is ELITIST. 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 5 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

5 down reads "Stupid boy allowed crumpet" (7 letters); the answer is PIKELET. 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 6 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

6 down reads "Element of Tube lighting?" (4 letters); the answer is NEON. It's a cryptic definition: the whole clue is a playful or punny description of the answer. No wordplay decomposition to do — read laterally and identify what's being described. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 7 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

7 down reads "IKEA makes these amazingly shrewd forecasts" (6,2,7 letters); the answer is CHESTS OF DRAWERS. 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 8 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

8 down reads "Very bad baby's ma lost bottles" (7 letters); the answer is ABYSMAL. 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 13 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

13 down reads "Shuttle service runs aboard iron railway" (5 letters); the answer is FERRY. 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 14 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

14 down reads "Fear doctor each day" (5 letters); the answer is DREAD. 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 17 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

17 down reads "Hancock regularly employed individual in dock" (7 letters); the answer is ACCUSED. 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 18 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

18 down reads "Bad behaviour by boy running around Exeter's walls" (7 letters); the answer is YOBBERY. It's a reversal clue: the answer is a word read backwards. Look for indicators like 'back', 'returned', or — in a down clue — 'up' or 'lifted'. Find the source word and reverse it. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

How do I solve 19 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

19 down reads "Outstanding art gallery film material" (7 letters); the answer is ACETATE. 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 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

20 down reads "Close cup game that goes on fairly late" (7 letters); the answer is NIGHTIE. 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 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

24 down reads "Kent port trade" (4 letters); the answer is DEAL. 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 25 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244?

25 down reads "This compiler's hosting extremely talkative couple" (4 letters); the answer is ITEM. 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.

Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31244 — Answers, Hints & Wordplay Explained

1A — Tell fib about retired supermodel being flexible (7) — LISSOME

Definition
Definition found: 'flexible'
Indicator
Indicator found: 'about'
Operation
'about' signals a container operation
Fodder
Fodder: 'Tell fib supermodel'
Indicator
Indicator found: 'retired'
Operation
'retired' signals a reversal operation
Fodder
Fodder: 'supermodel'
Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Tell fib' → LIE
Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'supermodel' → MOSS
Assembly
LIE + SSOM = LI(SSOM)E

Across

1A — Tell fib about retired supermodel being flexible (7) — LISSOME

5A — Cure-all somewhat cheap, an ace alternative (7) — PANACEA

9A — Cyclists make pod cast – chaotically funny scenes! (9,6) — SLAPSTICK COMEDY

10A — 3 witches in a gathering failing at the outset (4) — OVEN

11A — Trouble occupying very advanced, superior house (5) — VILLA

12A — First half of the alphabet, something very small (4) — ATOM

15A — Line that touches bronzed chap? (7) — TANGENT

16A — Our Tim goes out, ending in awful commotion (7) — TURMOIL

17A — Connery's lost somewhere to rest his butt (7) — ASHTRAY

19A — Leave a group of musicians working (7) — ABANDON

21A — Convict's first time in prison (4) — CAGE

22A — Convent always storing odd bits of Bible (5) — ABBEY

23A — Sudden twinge leads to Annie needing to have PG Tips (4) — PANG

26A — Branch of US Govt affirmed European role meant ignoring America (5,10) — STATE DEPARTMENT

27A — Show with cops and drama (7) — DISPLAY

28A — Postgrads spotted cycling in enormous numbers (2,5) — EN MASSE

Down

1D — Act violently, like husband punching ruffian (4,3) — LASH OUT

2D — Traitor taking harnesses off (5,2,3,5) — SNAKE IN THE GRASS

3D — Kiln starts to overheat after setting temperature (4) — OAST

4D — Exclusive English literature topped list (7) — ELITIST

5D — Stupid boy allowed crumpet (7) — PIKELET

6D — Element of Tube lighting? (4) — NEON

7D — IKEA makes these amazingly shrewd forecasts (6,2,7) — CHESTS OF DRAWERS

8D — Very bad baby's ma lost bottles (7) — ABYSMAL

13D — Shuttle service runs aboard iron railway (5) — FERRY

14D — Fear doctor each day (5) — DREAD

17D — Hancock regularly employed individual in dock (7) — ACCUSED

18D — Bad behaviour by boy running around Exeter's walls (7) — YOBBERY

19D — Outstanding art gallery film material (7) — ACETATE

20D — Close cup game that goes on fairly late (7) — NIGHTIE

24D — Kent port trade (4) — DEAL

25D — This compiler's hosting extremely talkative couple (4) — ITEM