Mating game

Latest answer — September 05, 2026

15 Across

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Clue explained

Chess is a game in which a player can deliver checkmate, making “mating” a playful reference to the game’s objective.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A chessboard showing a checkmate position

Thomas Joseph Crossword

This clue's Saturday, September 05, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Lynx
  2. 7Perp pursuers
  3. 11Threat phrase
  4. 12Puccini piece
  5. 13Body of water
  6. 14Tie up
  7. 15Mating game
  8. 16Like some canaries
  9. 17Lusty desire
  10. 18Sense of taste
  11. 19List-ending abbr.
  12. 21“Oh, wow!”
  13. 22Body of water
  14. 25Kinsey topic
  15. 26“Wait --!”
  16. 27Complete
  17. 29Diplomacy
  18. 33Shorebirds
  19. 34Mission leader
  20. 35Had debts
  21. 36Body of water
  22. 37Renown
  23. 38Asimov classic
  24. 39Work one’s biceps
  25. 40Mortises’ partners

Down

  1. 1“Garden of Earthly Delights” painter
  2. 2Joint doctor, informally
  3. 3Floppy top
  4. 4School groups
  5. 5Yard sale words
  6. 6Asian holiday
  7. 7Plotters’ group
  8. 8Folding art
  9. 9Roofing gunk
  10. 10Make blue
  11. 16Break off, as a glacier chunk
  12. 18Analyze sentences
  13. 20Eye drops
  14. 22Magazine order
  15. 23Radical
  16. 24Stop sign, e.g.
  17. 25Start a journey
  18. 28Almanac section
  19. 30Mexican marinade
  20. 31Sing like Bing
  21. 32Camp sights
  22. 34Whittle down
  23. 36Set ablaze

The answer to “Mating game” in the Thomas Joseph crossword is CHESS — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on September 5, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 15-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.

“Mating game” answer

CHESS (5 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 CHESS.

What does CHESS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a board game of strategic skill for two players, played on a chequered board on which each playing piece is moved according to precise rules. The object is to put the opponent's king under a direct attack from which escape is impossible (checkmate)

When else has “Mating game” 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.

September 5, 2026 (most recent) → CHESS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Mating game”?

The answer is CHESS, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on September 5, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Mating game”?

5 letters: CHESS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Thomas Joseph crossword on September 5, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 15-Across.

Can “Mating game” 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 September 5, 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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