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Crosswords

Guardian Cryptic Crossword

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The Guardian's weekday cryptic, with a named setter and a comments thread.

Play Guardian Cryptic Crossword

on theguardian.com

Guardian puzzles on three phones: a crossword grid being filled in, a list of Cryptic Crossword grids dated October 2019 with setters Paul and Philistine, and a sudoku

The Guardian publishes a numbered cryptic crossword every weekday, free to solve on its website. Each clue hides its answer in wordplay as well as a definition, and each puzzle is credited to one of the paper's pseudonymous setters. You can check or reveal answers as you go, print a PDF, and read other solvers' comments.

About Guardian Cryptic Crossword

The Guardian's cryptic crossword appears every weekday and carries a running number; the puzzle for Friday 2 October 2026 was No 30,127, set by Budmo. New puzzles go up at midnight UK time, and the series page keeps the archive of earlier ones.

A cryptic clue has two parts: a straight definition of the answer, usually at the start or end, and a piece of wordplay such as an anagram, a hidden word or letters put together from abbreviations. Each clue shows the length of the answer in brackets. The setters write under pseudonyms, and each has their own style, so regulars often know what kind of day they are in for from the name at the top.

The online grid saves your progress as you go. You can check or reveal a single word or the whole grid, clear entries, and open an anagram helper. Every puzzle has a comments section where solvers discuss the clues, which is a good place to learn how a clue worked once you have seen the answer.

It suits solvers who have outgrown the quick crossword and want a longer daily puzzle, and anyone learning cryptics who wants a large, free archive to practise on.

How to play Guardian Cryptic Crossword

  1. Open the Guardian cryptic series page and pick today's crossword.
  2. Read a clue and look for the definition at its start or end.
  3. Work out the wordplay in the rest of the clue to confirm the answer.
  4. Type the answer into the grid; crossing letters help with the next clues.
  5. Use Check Word or the anagram helper if you are stuck, and read the comments after you finish.

Tips

  • Count the letters in a possible anagram against the number in brackets.
  • Look for words such as broken, mixed or wild, which often signal an anagram.
  • Fill in short answers first; their letters make the long ones easier.
  • Read the comments on a finished puzzle to learn each setter's habits.

Questions

How often is the Guardian cryptic published?

Every weekday, Monday to Friday, with a new numbered puzzle each day.

Is it free?

Yes. The cryptic crosswords on the Guardian website are free to solve.

Who sets it?

A team of setters who use pseudonyms; the setter's name is shown at the top of each puzzle.

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