Today's Guardian Cryptic Crossword Answers & Hints
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 | Play Guardian Cryptic Crossword
The Guardian Cryptic is a daily cryptic crossword with wordplay‑rich clues. We provide subtle hints and today’s answers.
Click a square to reveal its letter. Get hints below.
The Guardian Cryptic is one of the best‑known cryptic crosswords in the world, with a tradition stretching back to 1929. On this page you’ll find Guardian Cryptic clues and answers by date, plus tools to reveal letters and entries as you work through each puzzle.
Use the board above to explore today’s grid or revisit a past favourite. When a clue has you completely stumped, you can nudge yourself forward with a single letter, reveal one full answer or check the entire completed crossword once you are ready to see how the wordplay works.
What is the Guardian Cryptic crossword?
The Guardian Cryptic crossword has been running since January 1929 and has featured a long line of celebrated setters, including Araucaria, Pasquale, Paul, Enigmatist and many others. It is a UK‑style cryptic crossword, which means every clue combines a definition with a wordplay element that leads to the same answer.
Clues use devices such as anagrams, containers, reversals, charades, hidden words and homophones. Part of the fun is learning each setter’s “voice” and spotting the different types of misdirection they like to use.
How Guardian Cryptic clues work
In most Guardian Cryptic clues, one part of the clue acts as a straight definition, while the rest encodes the answer through wordplay. When you parse a clue correctly, both halves point to the same solution, which is what makes cryptics feel fair even when they are tricky.
For example, a clue might signal an anagram with words like “broken” or “mixed”, or indicate a hidden answer by telling you to “spot” something “in” a longer phrase. Once you start to see these patterns, Guardian Cryptics become much more approachable.
Tips for solving the Guardian Cryptic
- Look for the definition first. The definition is usually at the beginning or end of the clue. Identifying it can narrow down what the answer should mean.
- Learn common indicator words. Words like “oddly”, “about”, “broken” or “heard” often signal specific types of wordplay such as deletions, containers, anagrams or homophones.
- Use crossing letters. Even if you can’t fully parse a clue yet, crossings will help you test possible answers and confirm your hunches.
- Read completed explanations. After you finish, looking back at tricky clues and understanding how the wordplay worked is one of the best ways to improve.
Using The Word Finder for Guardian Cryptic help
The Word Finder lets you look up Guardian Cryptic puzzles by date, list the Across and Down clues and reveal letters or answers as needed. It is designed to support learning: use it when you are stuck, then review the completed grid to see how each clue breaks down.
If you enjoy the Guardian Cryptic, you may also like the Guardian Quiptic for beginners or the Guardian Prize crossword for a weekly, longer challenge. You can navigate to those variants using the crossword switcher above the board.
Explore more Guardian crosswords
Newer to cryptics? Start with the Guardian Quiptic or the guided Guardian Quick Cryptic. For a longer weekly challenge, try the Guardian Prize.
Prefer straightforward clueing? Try the Guardian Quick or the Guardian Weekend.
Frequently asked questions about Guardian Cryptic Crossword
The Guardian Cryptic is a long‑running UK‑style cryptic crossword featuring themed and non‑themed grids written by a rotating cast of setters. Each clue combines a definition with wordplay, so the answer is justified in two different ways.
Difficulty varies by setter, but most Guardian Cryptics sit in the mid‑to‑challenging range. Once you learn common devices such as anagrams, containers and reversals, you will start to recognise each compiler’s style and tricks.
The main Guardian Cryptic appears regularly in the Guardian’s crossword section, both in print and online. Many solvers treat it as a daily or near‑daily puzzle.
On this page you can look up specific Guardian Cryptic puzzles by date, browse all the clues and reveal single letters, individual answers or the full solution when a clue proves too stubborn.
Cryptics can feel intimidating at first, but many Guardian setters aim to be fair and teach devices through clear clueing. If you are brand‑new, you might start with the Guardian Quiptic or Quick Cryptic and use our letter‑reveal tools to build confidence.
The Guardian Quick is definition‑based with straightforward clues, while the Guardian Cryptic uses wordplay devices such as anagrams and hidden words. The Cryptic generally feels more challenging and takes longer to solve.
Practise regularly, read explanations of completed clues and make a habit of identifying the definition and wordplay parts of each clue. Over time you will recognise common indicator words and clue structures, which makes new puzzles much easier.
Yes. Many solvers use answer keys and partial reveals to learn how cryptic devices work. Revealing an answer and then reverse‑engineering the clue is an excellent way to deepen your understanding of the Guardian Cryptic style.
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