Decryptic

Decryptic #44 - 10th August 2026

Solution & wordplay explained · Published 10 August 2026

Ghost theme: Herbs and spices PARSLEY · CORIANDER · SAFFRON · OREGANO

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The solved grid

Across

1 Across Flogs offenders, or the walking sticks used to do it (5)CANES Double definition Two separate definitions of the same word.
3 Across Heat unit followed by one, per capita, measures a diameter (7)CALIPER Charade CAL + I + PER.
7 Across Some of opossum acacia dried out makes a reddish spice (5)SUMAC Hidden word Hidden inside “opossum acacia”.
9 Across Crab mic, rearranged, makes fine linen fabric (7)CAMBRIC Anagram Anagram of “crab mic”.
10 Across Bowler hidden in topspin nerves (7)SPINNER Hidden word Hidden inside “topspin nerves”.
11 Across Some of asphalt spreads over the road, and eventually stops (5)HALTS Hidden word Hidden inside “asphalt spreads”.
13 Across Holy cigar, disturbed, forms rule by the few (9)OLIGARCHY Anagram Anagram of “holy cigar”.
14 Across Freer, oddly arranged, gives a French brother (5)FRERE Anagram Anagram of “freer”.
15 Across Tidiest arrangement produces little songs (7)DITTIES Anagram Anagram of “tidiest”.
18 Across A reader taking in one becomes more prepared (7)READIER Container I inside READER.
19 Across Forest hidden inside a kitchen utensil vast in size (5)SILVA Hidden word Hidden inside “utensil vast”.
20 Across Venetian doges, no good, oddly arranged, pesters constantly (7)NOODGES Anagram Anagram of “doges no”.
21 Across Manuscript holding a poem reveals fashions (5)MODES Container ODE inside MS.

Down

1 Down Points hidden in hocus pseudoscience trickery (5)CUSPS Hidden word Hidden inside “hocus pseudoscience”.
2 Down Saintly halos hidden in denim bikinis (5)NIMBI Hidden word Hidden inside “denim bikinis”.
4 Down Oddly psycho and melty, these are immune cells (11)LYMPHOCYTES Anagram Anagram of “psycho melty”.
5 Down News snippets beside a pasture produce a herb (7)PARSLEY Charade PARS + LEY.
6 Down Confusingly, clear us signals a judge's withdrawal (7)RECUSAL Anagram Anagram of “clear us”.
8 Down Swindle team's call, bearing in mind (11)CONSIDERING Charade CON + SIDE + RING.
9 Down Cooking herb formed from scrambled cardio ern (9)CORIANDER Anagram Anagram of “cardio ern”.
12 Down Spice made oddly for fans (7)SAFFRON Anagram Anagram of “for fans”.
13 Down Nothing, then Lear's daughter, then nothing again makes a herb (7)OREGANO Charade O + REGAN + O.
16 Down Loafed about, hidden in acid ledger accounts (5)IDLED Hidden word Hidden inside “acid ledger”.
17 Down Slaps hidden in a class Watson attended (5)SWATS Hidden word Hidden inside “class Watson”.

How this puzzle was checked

Every clue in this crossword was verified against its own wordplay by software, then the finished puzzle was read and edited by hand before publication: definitions, indicators, enumerations and surface readings all get looked at, and clues that don't hold up are rewritten. The editorial standards set out what that covers.

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