October 2026 — daily cryptic clues

16 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Cab within taxing schedule before noon (4) Hidden word
• Alliance from gutted bound (4) Deletion
• Bust embracing southeast, laid (6) Container
• Motel when one becomes another from T to D — exemplary (5) Substitution
• Practise on leather, it soon hardens — refinement, initially (6) Letter selection
• Oratory for a bloke at altitude (6) Charade
• Clumsy finally, anti brain welfare hip target (5) Letter selection
• Boom semi rock formula expand radio, finally — emperor (6) Letter selection
• Kin that describe day (7) Letter as symbol
• Staining from sporting when one becomes another from R to T (8) Substitution

15 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Ahead, hidden in forwarding address (7) Hidden word
• Prolong within extended tea break chat (6) Hidden word
• Bargain event — hale with a change from H to S (4) Substitution
• Ticket? The first letters of felt, accused, remain and else (4) Letter selection
• Patten drunk for a licence (6) Anagram
• Yeah usual mass museum yours, initially — delectable (5) Letter selection
• Physician apt to adulterate (6) Double definition
• Launder using watt and powder (4) Letter as symbol
• Stagehands drop a pall over certain with a change from E to U (7) Substitution
• Stunner once the tap's retired early (8) Charade

14 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Built-in hidden in inherently damp cellar walls (8) Hidden word
• List from cleaning, tip removed (7) Deletion
• Still remaining once departed (4) Double definition
• Break, last of all, magic player anna eric risk (5) Letter selection
• Behalf with energy in means collar (5) Container
• Swindle from teach battered (5) Anagram
• Snoop after one letter change from N to C will dredge (5) Substitution
• Reportedly rood is indecent (4) Homophone
• First of all, clever host announces funny fare — banter (5) Letter selection
• Always, kids type '4ver' (7) Glyph rebus

13 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Marginal ledge after first cut (4) Deletion
• Fluent cash flow in liquidity crisis? (6) Hidden word
• Writing tool for words (3) Double definition
• Count with C changed to M — financial backing (5) Substitution
• Folded paper from ballet with a change from B to W (6) Substitution
• To begin with, some customers really expect a meal — cry (6) Letter selection
• Vain to employ the lower gear now (7) Charade
• Initially, beer on old zinc yields drunken state (5) Letter selection
• Guests enjoy nice interesting afternoon lunch at first — friendly (6) Letter selection
• Jive after second backstage (5) Letter as symbol

12 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Guitar within embassy reception suite (4) Hidden word
• Man when rep semi more logic zone, finally (5) Letter selection
• Answer — trust enclosing president (5) Container
• Merit earn — reserve with a change of heart from R to D (7) Substitution
• Brat when one becomes another from B to P — silly butt (4) Substitution
• Wild latex to glorify him (5) Anagram
• Puzzle initially — they ever allow split extent recall (6) Letter selection
• Incentive in the book burden (5) Letter as symbol
• Wounds one may touch (9) Double definition
• Firmament Lisbon looks to (3) Translation

11 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Jam in blocked drain after last night's storm (5) Hidden word
• Monster, freaky docked (5) Deletion
• Zone empty reads oddly, initially — love (4) Letter selection
• Poet gripping energy for hair (5) Container
• Value image combat trap open reach, at first — master (6) Letter selection
• Clint, its heart changed from C to F, turns stony (5) Substitution
• Silver from garnet upset (6) Anagram
• Evening as the sky is set westwards (7) Charade
• Cub, reportedly the sunny (5) Homophone
• Urgent message sent off (8) Double definition

10 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Initial in firstly reported county results (5) Hidden word
• Sure, part of positively glowing notices (8) Hidden word
• Shelly briefly — a casing (5) Deletion
• Witness excuse six primary, last of all, turns erotic (4) Letter selection
• Ideal kiwi from tree, ultimately — fruit (4) Letter selection
• Thick and heavy — tense after a letter swap from T to D (5) Substitution
• Neglect that light gait (4) Double definition
• Blade for the digger after one letter changed from I to A (6) Substitution
• Shack? To begin with, humble under tree cabin house (5) Letter selection
• Vary recipe for a modifier (7) Letter as symbol

9 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Mouth within speaker cable tangle backstage (5) Hidden word
• Boss holding sherlock looks daft (6) Container
• Injury to feel pain (4) Double definition
• Mean to slip inward and mind the flock (6) Charade
• Esteem after grader upset (6) Anagram
• Banquet winner with a change from W to D (6) Substitution
• Genius in fine training earns distinction primarily — talent (6) Letter selection
• Piano to begin with — seed option feature theme leaving yes (6) Letter selection
• Bobby after a letter swap from B to O plays the dummy (5) Substitution
• How to invest with clerical ecstasy (6) Letter as symbol

8 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Change lurking in converter shed wiring (7) Hidden word
• Gloomy initially — damp alley really kills (4) Letter selection
• Honour from revered, nearly (6) Deletion
• Happen ethnic normal circle exposed, to begin with — thus (5) Letter selection
• Chuck with dozen inside for a licence (6) Container
• Name chill — rather courteous (4) Letter as symbol
• Barb with a change of heart from B to G — outfit (4) Substitution
• Bell rings for crime with a change of heart, R to H (5) Substitution
• Finally you cheap lab welfare pizza ought — cheerful (6) Letter selection
• Forgive with kindness (6) Double definition

7 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Fashion from model abbreviated (4) Deletion
• Simulate lurking in copyright dispute files (4) Hidden word
• Mall when one becomes another from M to H — foyer (4) Substitution
• Drip as Kael is returning through the cellar (4) Reversal
• Stark require wrote metal, in conclusion — lurch (4) Letter selection
• Maker of a scrambled phrase (6) Anagram
• Outspoken after course area never duty ignore debate, at first (6) Letter selection
• Till, we hear, with a plough (4) Homophone
• Blessing when divinity's place arrives by the porch (7) Charade
• Lively after the sticker 'anim8d' (8) Glyph rebus

6 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Seep in leakage under the bathroom tiles (4) Hidden word
• Tent when one becomes another from N to X forms writing (4) Substitution
• Urge dress with a change from D to P (5) Substitution
• Pocket virgin holding small (5) Container
• Worth to fix (5) Double definition
• Onus of burned scraps, shaken (6) Anagram
• Pawn initially — handed owner cup knee (4) Letter selection
• Peak you may reach (6) Double definition
• Recapture, in conclusion, offer gone plant China clock guide (6) Letter selection
• The railway consultant will inform (7) Letter as symbol

5 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Hand within transcript of the hearing (6) Hidden word
• Disastrous line part of fatality report filed (5) Hidden word
• Detectives follow trick after one letter change from I to A (5) Substitution
• Watch once sticker is beheaded (6) Deletion
• Fast — at the end, golf skill came welfare planet (5) Letter selection
• Pay after loss era smell pizza junior billy, last of all (6) Letter selection
• Inspection of a university's detailed internal tally, primarily (5) Letter selection
• Options in finite bounds still seem countless (8) Charade
• Geese in a giggle with a change from I to A (6) Substitution
• Ounce of some goof (4) Letter as symbol

4 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Mate within twinkle before bedtime stories (4) Hidden word
• Hoax from duper without end (4) Deletion
• Gem as southeast clutching weight (5) Container
• Bound amazing decent looking yes, at first — ill (5) Letter selection
• Swagger in crazy garb (4) Anagram
• Banner with a change from B to M means style (6) Substitution
• Jump unknown mum bus outcome initially — aircraft (5) Letter selection
• Church sounds like parrish (6) Homophone
• Patty with a change of heart from T to S goes gummy (5) Substitution
• Walk with an awkward gait (7) Double definition

3 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Recapture some of caretaker duties left (6) Hidden word
• Iron men for a woman? (6) Charade
• Column organic visit enter receive, to begin with — blanket (5) Letter selection
• Mangled trucks left the village badly affected (6) Anagram
• Father — shop, drama and choir close, finally (5) Letter selection
• Erotic with a change from R to X goes foreign (6) Substitution
• Malice with right in — goblin (6) Container
• Points of detail with a change of heart from T to R may jump (6) Substitution
• Choppers that fell trees (4) Double definition
• Tennis after statute north (4) Letter as symbol

2 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Hide part of fellowship weekend away (4) Hidden word
• Spot from strain, essentially (5) Deletion
• Post depth core storm rise, last of all — subject (5) Letter selection
• Pace of travel (4) Double definition
• Os holding rex, produced (5) Container
• Builders stack pale after a letter swap from A to I into an edifice (4) Substitution
• Clutch when intensity is read evenly (4) Letter selection
• Club style wear become sweet, in conclusion — cap (5) Letter selection
• Watery race by yards (5) Letter as symbol
• Assess this — tutor texts 'evalu8' (8) Glyph rebus

1 October 2026 · 10 clues

• Curve some of bending willow rods (4) Hidden word
• Grime after dirty is nearly finished (4) Deletion
• Playing-card three: tray after one letter change from A to E (4) Substitution
• Tort broken — time for a jog (4) Anagram
• Relief when support goes upward at once (6) Charade
• Spite with a change of heart from T to N — backbone (5) Substitution
• Parents usually nag idle schoolchildren hard, at first — discipline (6) Letter selection
• Slab menu dinner gulp, in conclusion — bubble (4) Letter selection
• Leisure you spend abroad (8) Double definition
• Musty mouldy for the ear (5) Homophone