Evening Standard Cryptic Crossword Answers
Pick today's puzzle to see the full solved grid and every clue broken down, or browse the past week with one tap. The complete archive of the Evening Standard's hardest daily — always one click from the answer.
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Today's puzzleThe last 7 Cryptic crosswords
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About the Evening Standard Cryptic crossword
The Evening Standard Cryptic crossword is the most challenging of London's three daily puzzles. Published every weekday morning, it sits at the top of the difficulty ladder above the Quick and the Easy — a proper British cryptic that rewards patience, wordplay literacy, and the kind of lateral thinking the rest of your day rarely demands.
Every clue contains two routes to the same answer: a straight definition at one end, and a wordplay route at the other. Spot the join and the clue cracks open. “Walked around Dorset (6)” wants STRODE — “walked” is the definition; “around Dorset” is the wordplay (an anagram of DORSET). “It's currently in circulation (4)” wants EDDY — “currently” hints at a flow of water, “in circulation” at a swirl.
The grid is a standard 13×13 with about 19 across and 23 down clues. Solving times vary wildly: an experienced cryptic solver clears the Standard in twenty minutes; a beginner might take an hour, learning the conventions clue by clue. Both experiences are the point.
Standard Crosswords keeps a complete daily archive of every Cryptic puzzle the Evening Standard has published, going back to 2018. Beyond the daily answers, our individual clue pages explain the wordplay route alongside the definition — so the next time you see the same setter trick, you'll spot it.
How to solve cryptic clues
Four habits that turn a wall of nonsense into a satisfying solve.
Split each clue in two
Every cryptic clue has a definition (at the start or end) and wordplay (the rest). Try the start and the end as candidate definitions. Whichever feels like a synonym for the answer length, the other half is your wordplay route.
Spot the indicators
Around, mixed, broken, oddly hint at anagrams. In, inside, about hint at containers. Up or back means reversal. Sounds like means homophone. Build a mental glossary of these tells.
Use single-letter abbreviations
Left = L, Right = R, King = K or R, Time = T, Doctor = MO/DR. When wordplay says “left good man,” it usually means an L next to ST. Memorising these shortcuts pays back almost daily.
Trust the enumeration
A clue with (2,3) is a two-then-three letter phrase like IN FOR or AT IT. A clue with (4-5) is a hyphenated word. The number bracket is rarely a lie — use it to test your hunches.
Frequently asked questions
What time is the Evening Standard Cryptic crossword published?
The Evening Standard publishes a fresh Cryptic crossword every weekday morning, typically online by 06:00 UK time. Our mirror lifts the puzzle and posts the full answers around 01:22 UK time the following morning.
How hard is the Evening Standard Cryptic?
It sits in the middle-to-upper range of British daily cryptics. Friendlier than the Times or Telegraph cryptic on most days, but considerably harder than the Easy. Expect 25–45 minutes if you solve cryptics regularly; an hour-plus if you're learning the form.
What's the difference between Cryptic and Easy?
The Easy is mostly straight dictionary definitions with light wordplay. The Cryptic requires every clue to contain both a definition and a wordplay route to the same answer (anagrams, containers, hidden words, double definitions, charades, &lit). They're entirely different solving experiences.
How big is the grid?
The Evening Standard Cryptic uses a standard 13×13 British-style grid with roughly 42 clues per puzzle, typically 19 across and 23 down. Most answers are single words, but expect the occasional multi-word phrase signalled by the enumeration (e.g. “(2,3)”).
Are answers from previous days available?
Yes. Standard Crosswords keeps a complete archive of every Cryptic crossword going back to early 2018. You'll find the last seven days on this page as quick links, and the full archive is searchable by clue text.
Where do I learn cryptic conventions?
The fastest way is to solve a few clues a day with a guide open. Our individual clue pages break down the wordplay so you start spotting the same tricks across puzzles. Beyond that, books like Don Manley's Crossword Manual or the Guardian's online cryptic guide are excellent.
Can I solve the Cryptic crossword for free?
Yes, completely free. The Evening Standard publishes the puzzle without a paywall, and Standard Crosswords mirrors the daily answers with no signup or subscription.