The Telegraph Plusword is the perfect blend of two word-puzzle classics! It combines a traditional crossword grid challenge with the addictive, five-letter-plus-word-guessing fun of games like Wordle. If you’re stuck on a tricky clue or want to confirm you’ve nailed that five-letter PlusWord, you’ve come to the right place! Here are the answers for today’s Telegraph Plusword for December 18, 2025.
Today’s Telegraph Plusword Answers for December 18, 2025
Check your grid solves against the answers below:
Across Answers: ➡️
- 1 Across: Be a bad winner, say- GLOAT
- 6 Across: Happen again- RECUR
- 7 Across: Pianist’s exercise, perhaps; e-duet (anag.) – ETUDE
- 8 Across: Christmas-times – YULES
- 9 Across: Rotates – SPINS
Down Answers: ⬇️
- 1 Down: Ashen colours – GREYS
- 2 Down: Ease, abate – LETUP
- 3 Down: Round windows; Lucio (anag.) – OCULI
- 4 Down: W H ____, Funeral Blues poet; a nude (anag.) – AUDEN
- 5 Down: Lock of hair – TRESS
PlusWord Answer of Telegraph Plusword Today: December 18, 2025
You’ve completed the grid! Now, for the final, five-letter challenge. Let’s find out the PlusWord answer now:
Today’s five-letter PlusWord is:
DOLLY
Click here to reveal answer image of today’s Telegraph Plusword
What did you think of today’s Telegraph Plusword puzzle? Were you able to solve both the grid and the final PlusWord?
This PlusWord offers a well-balanced challenge for a daily solver. It blends accessible definitions with a few more sophisticated vocabulary choices, particularly in the music and classical terminology categories. The inclusion of anagrams adds a nice layer of variety, preventing the grid from feeling like a simple dictionary test. It didn’t stick to just one topic. While a few of the plural forms are slightly unusual, the way the letters intersect provides enough “friendly” cross-references to help you narrow down the trickier spots. It’s a clever exercise in both lateral thinking and deduction, especially when transitioning from the main grid to the final bonus word. I’d rate it 4 out of 5.
How to Play the Telegraph Plusword
The Telegraph Plusword takes the crossword format and adds a brilliant twist:
- Solve the Grid: Start by solving the standard crossword using the Across and Down clues. The number of letters for each answer is fixed by the grid.
- Identify the Key Letters: Once the grid is complete, look closely at the grid. A handful of specific letters (usually five of them) from your solved answers will be highlighted in a different color.
- Find the PlusWord: These five highlighted letters, when rearranged, will form a single, coherent, five-letter word—the PlusWord!
- Daily Challenge: A new puzzle is released every 24 hours on The Telegraph website.
