Cryptic clues — 6 October 2026

Answers & explanations

1. LEAK (4)

   Flat hush when the plumber finally leaves. In lifts LEAK from leakage. Seep is the wetting sense — a slow leak — and a bucket, dusty tiles and a humming extractor sell the hide as DIY chatter rather than a labelled stem.

2. TEXT (4)

   Canvas shelter hardens into prose. Writing is text; tent when one becomes another turns N into X, giving TEXT.

3. PRESS (5)

   Editorial push. Urge is to press; dress with a change turns D into P, giving PRESS.

4. PURSE (5)

   Cloakroom peg when the clasp still clicks. Small maps to S; holding plants it in virgin (PURE) — PUR(S)E. Pocket is the purse sense, the little bag. Soft lining and a bent ticket sell the container as evening mutter.

5. PRICE (5)

   Worth as value, and fix as to determine a figure — PRICE either way. Soft till beep, label ink still wet.

6. BURDEN (6)

   Charred leftovers rattle about and leave you with a weight of duty. 'Shaken' rearranges BURNED into BURDEN, and 'Onus' is the load you're left holding.

7. HOCK (4)

   Chess-club jotting after a stiff drink. Initially lifts H-O-C-K from handed owner cup knee. Pawn is the hock sense — pledge or pawn — so the pub-side board note hides the initials.

8. SUMMIT (6)

   Alpine hut when the map still crackles. Peak is summit the high degree; reach is summit as verb — to attain the top. Two climbs in one word. Wet boots sell height and arrival without a machine colon.

9. RETAKE (6)

   Auction-house panic: offer gone, plant, China, clock, then the guide. In conclusion harvests offer gone plant china clock guide into R-E-T-A-K-E. Recapture is frank — retake — while the lot list sells the last letters.

10. ADVISER (7)

    Platform aside when the guards still whistle. Inform is ADVISE and railway R, so ADVISER — a consultant. Ticket stubs and a humming board cloak inform-then-railway as station chatter, not a labelled counsellor strip.