Minute Cryptic October 1 2026 Answer

The Thursday Minute Cryptic is a single cryptic clue you can solve in about a minute. Read the clue, take the hints one at a time, and reveal the answer with the full wordplay explained.

PAR2
AVERAGE4
LETTERS7
SETTERMember: Cole Baron
THE CLUESPOILERS HIDDEN

“Spirits kept low by these back to back losses in swimming races (7)”

HINTS, ONE AT A TIME

This clue's indicators are 'back to back', 'in', and 'swimming'. One of these is a repetition indicator, telling us to use some neighbouring fodder twice, in this case after applying a substitution. There is also an anagram indicator, telling us that the letters of a neighbouring word will move around. The third is a containing indicator, telling us to put some fodder within other fodder.

This clue's fodder is 'losses' and 'races'. We'll use the letters of one with a short substitute for the other to construct our answer, as guided by the clue's indicator(s).

Our definition here is 'Spirits kept low by these', and our answer will be things known for keeping spirits low.

THE ANSWER
CELLARS
Anagram

Definition: Spirits kept low by these

This clue's fodder is 'losses' and 'races'. We'll use the letters of one with a short substitute for the other to construct our answer, as guided by the clue's indicator(s).

Our definition here is 'Spirits kept low by these', and our answer will be things known for keeping spirits low.

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See the dictionary entry for cellars →

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