How do I solve 1 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

1 across reads "Corrupt bets incriminate top politician" (7,8 letters); the answer is CABINET MINISTER. 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 Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

9 across reads "Wine buff knocked back one round – I help out!" (9 letters); the answer is OENOPHILE. 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 10 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

10 across reads "Spin a new Golf? Car crash" (5 letters); the answer is PRANG. 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 11 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

11 across reads "Third part of Robinson Crusoe novel covers in hide" (7 letters); the answer is OBSCURE. 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 12 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

12 across reads "Bishop: I ate something laced with drugs" (7 letters); the answer is OPIATES. 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 13 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

13 across reads "Netherlands taking on Italy, no score" (3 letters); the answer is NIL. 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 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

14 across reads "Disorder, first-class subaltern punched by soldiers" (7 letters); the answer is AILMENT. 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 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

17 across reads "First pair of detectives present warrant" (7 letters); the answer is DESERVE. 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 19 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

19 across reads "Tempted Vernita regularly with diamonds and more diamonds" (7 letters); the answer is ENTICED. 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 22 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

22 across reads "Dispatch returned from Tuareg as semaphore" (7 letters); the answer is MESSAGE. 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 24 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

24 across reads "Yellow eastern mineral" (3 letters); the answer is ORE. 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 Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

25 across reads "Finished aluminium large protective cover" (7 letters); the answer is OVERALL. 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 26 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

26 across reads "US spies leaving monk in reservoir" (7 letters); the answer is CISTERN. 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 28 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

28 across reads "Restrained, very British introductions to etiquette and refinement" (5 letters); the answer is SOBER. 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 29 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

29 across reads "Atomic laboratory teacher sends Mike away for gypsum" (9 letters); the answer is ALABASTER. 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 30 across in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

30 across reads "For example, Gilbert & Sullivan opera once almost ruined school event" (3-3-5,4 letters); the answer is EGG-AND-SPOON RACE. 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 1 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

1 down reads "Dark brown animal with antlers sounded sweet!" (9,6 letters); the answer is CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. 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 2 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

2 down reads "Coach bags no flipping extra cash" (5 letters); the answer is BONUS. 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 3 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

3 down reads "Write revolutionary melody for Holst work" (7 letters); the answer is NEPTUNE. 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 4 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

4 down reads "Missile I'd seen in Midlands river" (7 letters); the answer is TRIDENT. 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 Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

5 down reads "Frigid shrew's confession on record?" (3-4 letters); the answer is ICE-COLD. 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 6 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

6 down reads "Spoils this compiler's Paris trips" (7 letters); the answer is IMPAIRS. 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 7 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

7 down reads "Restaurant atmosphere over-the-top, art totally revolting" (9 letters); the answer is TRATTORIA. 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 31256?

8 down reads "Tender surgeries after surgery tender?" (10,5 letters); the answer is REGISTERED NURSE. 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 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

15 down reads "What Luis Suárez notoriously did, according to Spooner? Antisocial type" (9 letters); the answer is LITTERBUG. 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 Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

16 down reads "Niece oddly named as she was born?" (3 letters); the answer is NEE. 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 31256?

18 down reads "Mobile network covering variable stream in Somerset" (3 letters); the answer is EXE. 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 20 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

20 down reads "Annoyance shown by a Dr Seuss character cycling?" (7 letters); the answer is CHAGRIN. 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 21 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

21 down reads "Green Party upset everybody, runs last in locals" (7 letters); the answer is DOLLARS. 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 22 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

22 down reads "Pilgrimage site starts to notice our building project" (7 letters); the answer is MECCANO. 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 23 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

23 down reads "Support black mark involving the States" (7 letters); the answer is SUSTAIN. 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 27 down in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31256?

27 down reads "Additional time for absorbing Times time!" (5 letters); the answer is EXTRA. 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 31256 — Answers, Hints & Wordplay Explained

1A — Corrupt bets incriminate top politician (7,8) — CABINET MINISTER

Definition
Definition found: 'top politician'
Indicator
Indicator found: 'Corrupt'
Operation
'Corrupt' signals a anagram operation
Fodder
Fodder: 'bets incriminate'
Assembly
BETSINCRIMINATE = CABINETMINISTER

Across

1A — Corrupt bets incriminate top politician (7,8) — CABINET MINISTER

9A — Wine buff knocked back one round – I help out! (9) — OENOPHILE

10A — Spin a new Golf? Car crash (5) — PRANG

11A — Third part of Robinson Crusoe novel covers in hide (7) — OBSCURE

12A — Bishop: I ate something laced with drugs (7) — OPIATES

13A — Netherlands taking on Italy, no score (3) — NIL

14A — Disorder, first-class subaltern punched by soldiers (7) — AILMENT

17A — First pair of detectives present warrant (7) — DESERVE

19A — Tempted Vernita regularly with diamonds and more diamonds (7) — ENTICED

22A — Dispatch returned from Tuareg as semaphore (7) — MESSAGE

24A — Yellow eastern mineral (3) — ORE

25A — Finished aluminium large protective cover (7) — OVERALL

26A — US spies leaving monk in reservoir (7) — CISTERN

28A — Restrained, very British introductions to etiquette and refinement (5) — SOBER

29A — Atomic laboratory teacher sends Mike away for gypsum (9) — ALABASTER

30A — For example, Gilbert & Sullivan opera once almost ruined school event (3-3-5,4) — EGG-AND-SPOON RACE

Down

1D — Dark brown animal with antlers sounded sweet! (9,6) — CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

2D — Coach bags no flipping extra cash (5) — BONUS

3D — Write revolutionary melody for Holst work (7) — NEPTUNE

4D — Missile I'd seen in Midlands river (7) — TRIDENT

5D — Frigid shrew's confession on record? (3-4) — ICE-COLD

6D — Spoils this compiler's Paris trips (7) — IMPAIRS

7D — Restaurant atmosphere over-the-top, art totally revolting (9) — TRATTORIA

8D — Tender surgeries after surgery tender? (10,5) — REGISTERED NURSE

15D — What Luis Suárez notoriously did, according to Spooner? Antisocial type (9) — LITTERBUG

16D — Niece oddly named as she was born? (3) — NEE

18D — Mobile network covering variable stream in Somerset (3) — EXE

20D — Annoyance shown by a Dr Seuss character cycling? (7) — CHAGRIN

21D — Green Party upset everybody, runs last in locals (7) — DOLLARS

22D — Pilgrimage site starts to notice our building project (7) — MECCANO

23D — Support black mark involving the States (7) — SUSTAIN

27D — Additional time for absorbing Times time! (5) — EXTRA