Times Concise Quintagram Ninas

The Times likes hiding connections between the five answers in the concise quintagram so I thought I'd put them together as I find them and leave them also as puzzles for people to solve. To fill out the preview to avoid spoilers, a quintagram is a set of five crossword clues where you are given the letters needed to solve all five. A Nina is named after the daughter of cartoonist Al Hirschfield who hid the name in many of his drawings, and has been adopted by the crosswording community to refer to any hidden theme in a puzzle.

2618 (2026/07/13):

METAL, GOING, WEIGHT, INDUSTRY, TOP-HEAVY

The first four can be "top-heavy" (i.e. can be followed by "heavy")

2619 (2026/07/14):

SHORE, FLIRT, SEVERN, STATURE, OVERHEARD

Become new words when the 'R' is removed

2620 (2026/07/15):

FRILL, JUMPER, SONNET, CRUTCH, WASHBOARD

One letter changed from car parts (gRILL, bUMPER, bONNET, ClUTCH, dASHBOARD)

2621 (2026/07/16):

MOTOR, SECOND, MOBILE, STATELY, SHERLOCK

Sherlock "Homes"

2622 (2026/07/17):

FACE, LIED, TAPSHOE, CREEPIER, BRASSIERE

Anagrams of restaurants (CAFE, DELI, TEASHOP, CREPERIE, BRASSERIE)

2623 (2026/07/18):

FIEND, SPOOF, LOATHE, CROUPIER, SIDESHOW

End with "END OF THE PIER SHOW"

2624 (2026/07/20):

KIND, BEING, NATURE, INTEREST, RESOURCES

Can follow 'human'

2625 (2026/07/21):

POP, FINE, PLASTIC, ABSTRACT, COMMERCIAL

Can be followed by 'art'

2626 (2026/07/22):

AIDA, TIPSY, CLUEDO, POINTER, HINTERLAND

Start with a word for a nudge (AID, TIP, CLUE, POINT, HINT)

2627 (2026/07/23):

WAR, DEN, CONCORDE, WILLIAMS, CONFERENCE

Cultivars of pear (reading WAR+DEN as one)

2628 (2026/07/24):

ADOPT, ODOUR, RADON, ADORABLE, CONDONING

Contain "DO" that can be removed to make new words

2629 (2026/07/25):

TEST, COUNTY, ONE DAY, FRENCH, FIRST CLASS

Styles of cricket games

2630 (2026/07/27):

RICE, RHINE, WHITE, SPARKLING, FORTIFIED

Types of wine

2631 (2026/07/28):

BOSSY, BASSY, FOSSIL, BLOSSOM, PROCESSED

Contain double S's that can be removed to make new words

2632 (2026/07/29):

PARK, LIFE, LEISURE, THIRTEEN, THINK TANK

Albums by Blur (reading PARK+LIFE as one)

2633 (2026/07/30):

JEERED, UNTIDY, LITMUS, ELDEST, SIXTIETH

Initials spell out JULES, fourth letters spell out RIMET, and the first four entries are length six all in reference to 30th July 2026 being the SIXTIETH anniversary of England winning the World Cup (or, Jules Rimet trophy) in 1966

2634 (2026/07/31):

PIG, CAST, WAFFLE, GRAPPLING, ANY OLD IRON

First four answers can be followed by (any old) IRON

2635 (2026/08/01):

EDGY, NOWHERE, TOOLBOX, ROSSINI, YOGHURT

This one is easier to see in column form - the first column spells ENTRY and the last column spells EXIT when left-aligned

2636 (2026/08/03):

GIVEN, MIDDLE, FAMILY, MAIDEN, HOUSEHOLD

Can be followed by "name"

2637 (2026/08/04):

BLOW, CLAMP, FLURRY, SLIMMER, PLEASANTRY

The second letters are all L's that can be removed to make new words

2638 (2026/08/05):

WATCH, REGARD, SURVEY, MONITOR, CHECKOUT

Synonyms of "observe"

2639 (2026/08/06):

PALM, OLIVE, CRUDE, VEGETABLE, ESSENTIAL

Types of oil

2640 (2026/08/07):

AT EASE, CRECHE, DREDGE, EXTENT, EYE LEVEL

Each answer can be split in half. Each half within a word has a AxE (or in the fifth, ExEL) pattern where A is the same letter in both half,x is another letter, and E is e