Out of practice

Latest answer — September 19, 2026

12 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

RUSTY describes someone who is out of practice and no longer performing as skillfully as before. It can also literally describe metal covered with rust, but that is not the sense used here.

Clue type:
Definition
A musician hesitating during a performance after being out of practice.

Thomas Joseph Crossword

This clue's Saturday, September 19, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Insulted
  2. 5Salon tool
  3. 10Start of the Spanish year
  4. 12Out of practice
  5. 13Birch’s kin
  6. 14Best Picture winner in 2025
  7. 15“Lenore” writer
  8. 16Roadhouse
  9. 18Lobster trap
  10. 19Denies
  11. 21Car scar
  12. 22Taking a long way
  13. 24Took a part
  14. 25Gobbling up
  15. 29Prudent
  16. 30“The Bathers” painter
  17. 32Band blaster
  18. 33Genetic stuff
  19. 34Unbroken
  20. 35Wise fellow
  21. 37Avoid
  22. 39Needle sources
  23. 40Did shoe work
  24. 41Celery serving
  25. 42Towel word

Down

  1. 1A lot
  2. 2Sell in a hurry
  3. 3Overnight flight
  4. 4Uno plus due
  5. 5Muffin makeup
  6. 6Use the track
  7. 7Annual golf event
  8. 8Powerful
  9. 9Hilton competitor
  10. 11Venezuelan river
  11. 17Road warning
  12. 20Barrel piece
  13. 21Slew
  14. 23Enjoys a favorite book
  15. 25Pinhead
  16. 26Sevilla’s nation
  17. 27Pasta bit
  18. 28Teriyaki ingredient
  19. 29Some stingers
  20. 31Marsh plants
  21. 33Blu-ray item
  22. 36Singer Tillis
  23. 38Sound of delight

The answer to “Out of practice” in the Thomas Joseph crossword is RUSTY — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on September 19, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 12-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.

“Out of practice” answer

RUSTY (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 RUSTY.

What does RUSTY mean?

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

(adjective)

  • (of a metal object) affected by rust
  • (of knowledge or a skill) impaired by lack of recent practice

When else has “Out of practice” 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 19, 2026 (most recent) → RUSTY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Out of practice”?

The answer is RUSTY, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on September 19, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Out of practice”?

5 letters: RUSTY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Thomas Joseph crossword on September 19, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 12-Across.

Can “Out of practice” 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 19, 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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