The Guardian Quick Crossword is the perfect daily dose of wordplay! Unlike its notoriously difficult Cryptic sibling, the Quick Crossword is definition-based and highly accessible, offering a snappy, satisfying challenge that’s great for a coffee break or a morning commute. We know how addictive this daily puzzle can be, so to help you out (or just confirm your brilliant solves!), here are the answers for today’s Guardian Quick Crossword for December 5, 2025 (Puzzle No. 17,343).
Today’s Guardian Quick Crossword Clues for December 5, 2025
Turn on your thinking mode! Here are the clues for today’s puzzle.
Across Clues: ➡️
- 1 Across: (Of an illness) caused by e.g. stress (13) – Starts with “P“
- 8 Across: Peacock’s outstanding feature (7) – Starts with “P“
- 9 Across: Means of searching underwater (5) – Starts with “S“
- 10 Across: (Casual) clothes (4) – Starts with “T“
- 11 Across: Solidly constructed (4-4) – Starts with “W“
- 13 Across: Pop or Philip? (6) – Starts with “L“
- 14 Across: Prawns in breadcrumbs (6) – Crete taxi (anag) (9) – or surgeon? (6) – Starts with “S“
- 17 Across: Social butterfly (8) – Starts with “G“
- 19 Across: Keep it up in trying circumstances (4) – Starts with “C“
- 21 Across: Piece for nine musicians (5) – Starts with “N“
- 22 Across: Having a run of success (2,1,4) – Starts with “O“
- 24 Across: Psychological impact of war (6,7) – Starts with “C“
Down Clues: ⬇️
- 1 Down: Try – fizzy drink (3) – Starts with “P“
- 2 Down: Not so mature (7) – Starts with “Y“
- 3 Down: Pile (up) (4) – Starts with “H“
- 4 Down: Distorted (6) – Starts with “S“
- 5 Down: Lose track of – Alice’s MP (anag) (8) – Starts with “M“
- 6 Down: Country made up of more than 170 islands in the South Pacific (5) – Starts with “T“
- 7 Down: Claire Ann (anag) – reddish-orange semi-precious stone (9) – Starts with “C“
- 10 Down: Having (small) screen presence (9) – Starts with “T“
- 12 Down: Italian bread made with olive oil (8) – Starts with “C“
- 15 Down: Game of tiles (7) – or laughter (4) – Starts with “M“
- 16 Down: Limit (3-3) – or laughter (4) – Starts with “C“
- 18 Down: Stretch, blue or double? (5) – Starts with “D“
- 20 Down: Horse-drawn vehicle (4) – Starts with “C“
- 23 Down: Give a false impression (3) – Starts with “L“
Got all your guesses in? Let’s see how you did below!
Today’s Guardian Quick Crossword Answers for December 5, 2025
Let’s dive into the answers for the Guardian Quick Crossword for today.
Across Answers: ➡️
- 1 Across: (Of an illness) caused by e.g. stress (13) – PSYCHOSOMATIC
- 8 Across: Peacock’s outstanding feature (7) – PLUMAGE
- 9 Across: Means of searching underwater (5) – SONAR
- 10 Across: (Casual) clothes (4) – TOGS
- 11 Across: Solidly constructed (4-4) – WELLMADE
- 13 Across: Pop or Philip? (6) – LARKIN
- 14 Across: Prawns in breadcrumbs (6) – Crete taxi (anag) (9) – or surgeon? (6) – SCAMPI
- 17 Across: Social butterfly (8) – GADABOUT
- 19 Across: Keep it up in trying circumstances (4) – CHIN
- 21 Across: Piece for nine musicians (5) – NONET
- 22 Across: Having a run of success (2,1,4) – ONAROLL
- 24 Across: Psychological impact of war (6,7) – COMBATFATIGUE
Down Answers: ⬇️
- 1 Down: Try – fizzy drink (3) – POP
- 2 Down: Not so mature (7) – YOUNGER
- 3 Down: Pile (up) (4) – HEAP
- 4 Down: Distorted (6) – SKEWED
- 5 Down: Lose track of – Alice’s MP (anag) (8) – MISPLACE
- 6 Down: Country made up of more than 170 islands in the South Pacific (5) – TONGA
- 7 Down: Claire Ann (anag) – reddish-orange semi-precious stone (9) – CARNELIAN
- 10 Down: Having (small) screen presence (9) – TELEGENIC
- 12 Down: Italian bread made with olive oil (8) – CIABATTA
- 15 Down: Game of tiles (7) – or laughter (4) – MAHJONG
- 16 Down: Limit (3-3) – or laughter (4) – CUTOFF
- 18 Down: Stretch, blue or double? (5) – DENIM
- 20 Down: Horse-drawn vehicle (4) – CART
- 23 Down: Give a false impression (3) – LIE
What do you think of today’s Guardian Quick Crossword puzzle? Were you able to guess all the answers?
The puzzle moved effectively, featuring two excellent, lengthy definitions for the (Of an illness) caused by e.g. stress and the Psychological impact of war. Shorter clues were clever too, covering the Peacock’s outstanding feature and the word for (Casual) clothes. The Down clues were strong, ranging from the specific definition of a Country made up of more than 170 islands to the anagram for a reddish-orange semi-precious stone. Overall, the grid maintained a high level of accessible general knowledge, making the solving process consistently engaging and quick. I’d rate the difficulty a solid 4 out of 5.
You can also check out today’s answers for other Crossword puzzles below:
- NYT Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
- Washington Post/LA Times Crossword Hints and Answers
- LA Times Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
- Washington Post Mini Meta Crossword
- Boston Globe Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
- USA Today Crossword Hints and Answers
- The New Yorker Crossword Answers
- The New Yorker Mini Crossword Answers
How to Play The Guardian Quick Crossword
Playing The Guardian Quick Crossword is simple, making it a great daily habit.
- The Goal: Fill in the full 15×15 grid with words that fit the clues, both Across and Down.
- The Clues: Unlike the main Cryptic puzzle, these clues are direct definitions or synonyms of the answer word. The number in parentheses at the end of the clue tells you the exact number of letters in the answer.
- The Grid Size: This is a full-sized crossword, meaning the words are longer than those in the Mini, giving you a substantial but still manageable puzzle.
- Intersections: The key to solving is using the intersecting letters. A letter you fill in for an “Across” word must also be the correct starting or middle letter for a “Down” word, and vice versa. This cross-referencing is your greatest solving tool.
- Daily Refresh: The puzzle refreshes daily on The Guardian’s website, so there’s always a new puzzle waiting.
