How do I solve 1 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

1 across reads "European tuning a Cortina" (8 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 5 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

5 across reads "Dog food" (4 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 8 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

8 across reads "Thugs primarily regret being honest" (4 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 9 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

9 across reads "A pinko brat upset office temp?" (10 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 11 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

11 across reads "Snooker player wants these rests" (6 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 13 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

13 across reads "Oscar-holding group on about those in MASH?" (8 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 14 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

14 across reads "Cute, undersized mountain climber" (5,3 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 16 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

16 across reads "Superhero-outfitted knight by a sofa" (6 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 17 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

17 across reads "Europeans importing carbon balls?" (6 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 19 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

19 across reads "On which line’s dropped by Pole with spade?" (8 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 21 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

21 across reads "Cruelty of Ohio judge upset Columbus?" (8 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 22 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

22 across reads "Coffee-maker unpacked by old lady?" (6 letters). 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). Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 23 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

23 across reads "A bend hiker negotiated in town" (10 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 24 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

24 across reads "Potty or bowl over on the counter?" (4 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 26 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

26 across reads "Rounds of drinks" (4 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 27 across in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

27 across reads "Singer taking long look around Lima" (8 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 1 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

1 down reads "Jesus makes appearance in Runcorn" (3 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 2 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

2 down reads "Work training delivered in talk" (7 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 3 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

3 down reads "Snacks, milk and a slice of salami" (5 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 4 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

4 down reads "Roman general with a hold over father" (7 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 6 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

6 down reads "Try old wine mostly and become happy" (7 letters). 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). Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 7 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

7 down reads "Pale soul gets thinner" (5,6 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 10 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

10 down reads "A stack battered over time in storms" (7 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 12 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

12 down reads "Basic ingredients cooked up alarm waiter" (3,8 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 15 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

15 down reads "One blocking exit in anger?" (7 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 18 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

18 down reads "Record essentially filed in error" (5,2 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 19 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

19 down reads "Unknown soldiers in mass advance?" (7 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 20 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

20 down reads "Lunchtime worker opens energy drink" (7 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 22 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

22 down reads "One with wind steps out of line" (5 letters). 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). Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

How do I solve 25 down in Times Cryptic 5218 without spoilers?

25 down reads "Yank in corporation getting a rise" (3 letters). 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. Work the structure step by step in the trainer — definition first, then the wordplay parts — with the answer kept hidden until the prize closes.

Times Cryptic 5218 Prize Puzzle

1A — European tuning a Cortina (8)

Definition
Definition found: 'European'
Indicator
Indicator found: 'tuning'
Operation
'tuning' signals a anagram operation
Fodder
Fodder: 'a Cortina'

Across

1A — European tuning a Cortina (8)

5A — Dog food (4)

8A — Thugs primarily regret being honest (4)

9A — A pinko brat upset office temp? (10)

11A — Snooker player wants these rests (6)

13A — Oscar-holding group on about those in MASH? (8)

14A — Cute, undersized mountain climber (5,3)

16A — Superhero-outfitted knight by a sofa (6)

17A — Europeans importing carbon balls? (6)

19A — On which line’s dropped by Pole with spade? (8)

21A — Cruelty of Ohio judge upset Columbus? (8)

22A — Coffee-maker unpacked by old lady? (6)

23A — A bend hiker negotiated in town (10)

24A — Potty or bowl over on the counter? (4)

26A — Rounds of drinks (4)

27A — Singer taking long look around Lima (8)

Down

1D — Jesus makes appearance in Runcorn (3)

2D — Work training delivered in talk (7)

3D — Snacks, milk and a slice of salami (5)

4D — Roman general with a hold over father (7)

6D — Try old wine mostly and become happy (7)

7D — Pale soul gets thinner (5,6)

10D — A stack battered over time in storms (7)

12D — Basic ingredients cooked up alarm waiter (3,8)

15D — One blocking exit in anger? (7)

18D — Record essentially filed in error (5,2)

19D — Unknown soldiers in mass advance? (7)

20D — Lunchtime worker opens energy drink (7)

22D — One with wind steps out of line (5)

25D — Yank in corporation getting a rise (3)