Did you have trouble working out last week’s crossword? Check out the worked solution here:
AFR Cryptic (28/2/2026) Worked Solution
(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
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“run through” = USE
“covering” = MAT
“Gullible one” = SAP
“pass” = DIE
“canned
” – put inside CAN
“animal” – a ruminant
Punctuation generally should be ignored - always consider how a clue reads without punctuation.
Either a mixture of letters is placed inside or outside other letters, or letters are placed inside or outside a mixture of letters. An anagram indicator and containment indicator will be present.
A type of clue that involves the mixing up of letters without the inclusion of a letter or letters. This clue will have an anagram indicator to signify jumbling and a subtraction indicator to signify the removal of a letter or letters.
A removed letter may be as seen in the clue, an abbreviation for a word in the clue, or the result of another cryptic device like taking the initial letter from a word. Removed letters may be a whole word as seen in a clue, the synonym of a word in the clue (if that synonym is contiguous within the anagram fodder), or the result of another cryptic device like taking the middle two letters from a word.
A question mark has been used to indicate "language abuse", that is, a word or words in a clue are used in a technically incorrect way, but the meaning can be still inferred.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
