Give medal to Jan's predecessor and make a speech (8)
The Minute Cryptic clue “Give medal to Jan's predecessor and make a speech” (8) was set for Friday, August 21, 2026. Below is the answer — blurred until you tap — followed by the definition, the wordplay and why the letters land where they do.
Give medal to Jan's predecessor and make a speech
(8)
No spoilers — the answer stays blurred until you tap.
The clue, colour-coded
How this clue works
The definition
Give medal to
Our definition here is 'Give medal to', and our answer will be a word for that.The wordplay
Jan's predecessor + make a speech
This clue's fodder is 'Jan's predecessor' and 'make a speech', and we'll need to find substitutes for both of them. 'Make a speech' has a synonym that we can put straight in our answer. But 'Jan's predecessor' is asking for a stranger substitute - that which precedes Jan...The answer
The clue reads “Give medal to Jan's predecessor and make a speech” (8). The definition part — “Give medal to” — points straight at DECORATE, and the rest of the clue builds it with charade wordplay.
Minute Cryptic publishes a short walkthrough for this clue — watch Liam Runnalls’s own explanation →
What DECORATE means
To furnish with decorations.
“We decorated the Christmas tree with tinsel and baubles.”To improve the appearance of an interior of, as a house, room, or office.
“There's some paint left over from when we decorated the guest bedroom.”adorn, beautify, deck, embellish, grace, dress, ornament
This clue’s puzzle day
This clue was the Minute Cryptic for Friday, August 21, 2026. Open the August 21, 2026 puzzle page for that day’s write-up, or browse the full Minute Cryptic archive.