Be in the red

Latest answer — August 27, 2026

20 Across

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Clue explained

To be in the red financially is to OWE money, meaning one’s debts exceed available funds. OWE is the present-tense verb form required by the clue.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A person reviewing unpaid bills to represent owing money

Thomas Joseph Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 27, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Pinochle score
  2. 5Big ringers
  3. 10Benefit
  4. 12Exemplary
  5. 13“I have no idea”
  6. 14Led Zeppelin’s “Whole -- Love”
  7. 15DDE nickname
  8. 16Red hue
  9. 18Red hue
  10. 20Be in the red
  11. 21Owner’s document
  12. 23Blue
  13. 24Before long
  14. 26Effortless
  15. 28Soak up
  16. 29Big rig
  17. 31Make a choice
  18. 32Red hue
  19. 36Red hue
  20. 39Be litigious
  21. 40Bean-bearing tree
  22. 41Ventilation pipes
  23. 43Make into law
  24. 44Stylish
  25. 45Casting slots
  26. 46CEO’s kin

Down

  1. 1Potter’s field
  2. 2Summon up
  3. 3In a while
  4. 4Slow-witted
  5. 5River of Arizona
  6. 6Smell
  7. 7Annual statement amount
  8. 8Entrance
  9. 9On the agenda
  10. 11Decreases
  11. 17Horseshoe shape
  12. 19Marrying words
  13. 22Calls for
  14. 24Choir member
  15. 25Illusion type
  16. 27Melody
  17. 28Field game
  18. 30Moody music
  19. 33Film trophy
  20. 34Bizarre
  21. 35High homes
  22. 37Spice from nutmeg
  23. 38Drunks
  24. 42Diamond judge

The answer to “Be in the red” in the Thomas Joseph crossword is OWE — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 27, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 20-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Be in the red” answer

OWE (3 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is OWE.

What does OWE mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of OWE is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(verb)

  • have an obligation to pay or repay (something, especially money) in return for something received

When else has “Be in the red” appeared?

Thomas Joseph reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 27, 2026 (most recent) → OWE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Be in the red”?

The answer is OWE, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 27, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Be in the red”?

3 letters: OWE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 27, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 20-Across.

Can “Be in the red” have a different answer?

Yes — Thomas Joseph sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's Thomas Joseph answers?

The full grid for August 27, 2026 is on the Thomas Joseph answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

Thomas Joseph Crossword is published by King Features Syndicate; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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