Spirits kept low by these back to back losses in swimming races (7)
The Minute Cryptic clue “Spirits kept low by these back to back losses in swimming races” (7) was set for Thursday, October 1, 2026. Below is the answer — blurred until you tap — followed by the definition, the wordplay and why the letters land where they do.
Spirits kept low by these back to back losses in swimming races
(7)
No spoilers — the answer stays blurred until you tap.
The clue, colour-coded
How this clue works
The definition
Spirits kept low by these
Our definition here is 'Spirits kept low by these', and our answer will be things known for keeping spirits low.The wordplay
losses + races
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).The answer
The clue reads “Spirits kept low by these back to back losses in swimming races” (7). The definition part — “Spirits kept low by these” — points straight at CELLARS, and the rest of the clue builds it with anagram wordplay.
Minute Cryptic publishes a short walkthrough for this clue — watch Cole Baron’s own explanation →
This clue’s puzzle day
This clue was the Minute Cryptic for Thursday, October 1, 2026. Open the October 1, 2026 puzzle page for that day’s write-up, or browse the full Minute Cryptic archive.