Cryptic Crossword (The Sydney Morning Herald)
The Herald's daily cryptic crossword, shared with The Age.
Every day: One dated cryptic crossword each day, the same grid on The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, credited to its setter by initials. New puzzle: A new dated puzzle each day (Sydney date); the next day's puzzle is listed on the puzzles page late in the evening.
Crosswords on The Sydney Morning HeraldCrosswords on The AgeThe Sydney Morning Herald on the App Store
The Sydney Morning Herald publishes a dated cryptic crossword every day on its website and app, and The Age in Melbourne runs the same puzzle. Each grid is credited to a setter by initials. Playing online is a Premium Digital subscriber feature.
About Cryptic Crossword (The Sydney Morning Herald)
The cryptic is one of the Daily Puzzles of The Sydney Morning Herald, published by Nine. Each puzzle has its own dated page, for example the one for Saturday 3 October 2026, and The Age shows the same grid and clues on its site. The setter is credited by initials: the puzzle for 2 October was by DA and the one for 3 October by DS.
The clues are classic cryptics. Each combines a definition with wordplay such as anagrams, hidden words, reversals and charades, and the answer length is given in brackets, like (5-4) or (2,5). Answers often span several words, and the grid has the usual unchecked squares of a British-style cryptic.
The online player has a timer that starts when you press Start, keyboard shortcuts for moving around, and tools to clear, check or reveal a letter, a word or the whole puzzle. The SMH page describes the crosswords as playable on the web, mobile and app as part of your digital subscription, and the paywall names Daily Crosswords among the Premium Digital features, so non-subscribers see a subscribe prompt.
It suits experienced cryptic solvers, and Sydney or Melbourne readers who already have a Premium subscription and want a daily puzzle with a local flavour.
How to play Cryptic Crossword (The Sydney Morning Herald)
- Open the crosswords page on smh.com.au or theage.com.au, or the Herald app, and log in with a Premium Digital subscription.
- Pick the Cryptic for today's date and press Start to begin the timer.
- Click a clue or square and type; the number in brackets gives the answer length and word breaks.
- Work out each clue's definition (at the start or end) and its wordplay.
- Use Check letter, Check word or Check all answers when you want to confirm progress.
Tips
- The definition is almost always at the very start or end of the clue.
- Look for anagram indicators such as 'mangled' or 'working' next to a group of letters that fits the length.
- Hidden words often sit across word breaks, signalled by words like 'some' or 'in'.
- Setters have their own styles; noting the initials helps you learn their habits.
Questions
Is the SMH cryptic the same as The Age's?
Yes. Both papers show the same dated cryptic, with the same setter and clues.
Do I need a subscription?
Yes. Daily Crosswords are a Premium Digital feature; without one you see a subscribe prompt.
Who sets it?
The setter is credited by initials on each puzzle, for example DA or DS.
Games like Cryptic Crossword (The Sydney Morning Herald)
Guardian Cryptic Crossword
A free daily British cryptic
The Times Cryptic Crossword
The Times's daily cryptic, a classic of the form
Telegraph Cryptic Crossword
Another long-running newspaper cryptic
Daily Cryptic (The Globe and Mail)
A free daily cryptic from a Canadian paper
The Times Quick Cryptic
A shorter cryptic for quicker sessions
The Independent's Cryptic Crossword
A free daily cryptic in the browser
Crosaire (The Irish Times)
The Irish Times cryptic crossword, a numbered 15x15 grid six days a week.
Mini Crossword (The Sydney Morning Herald)
A small dated crossword from the Herald and The Age, every day.