Grad school hurdle

Editorially verified for the Aug 19, 2026

50 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

A graduate student presenting research during a thesis defense

Clue explained

A THESIS is a substantial research paper or dissertation that a graduate student may have to complete and defend. The singular noun fits “hurdle.”

Clue type:
Definition

LA Times Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 19, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

Across

Down

The answer to “Grad school hurdle” in the LA Times crossword is THESIS — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 19, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 50-Down. 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.

“Grad school hurdle” answer

THESIS (6 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 THESIS.

What does THESIS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved
  • a long essay or dissertation involving personal research, written by a candidate for a university degree
  • an unstressed syllable or part of a metrical foot in Greek or Latin verse

When else has “Grad school hurdle” appeared?

LA Times 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 19, 2026 (most recent) → THESIS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Grad school hurdle”?

The answer is THESIS, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 19, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Grad school hurdle”?

6 letters: THESIS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the LA Times crossword on August 19, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 50-Down.

Can “Grad school hurdle” have a different answer?

Yes — LA Times 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 LA Times answers?

The full grid for August 19, 2026 is on the LA Times answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

LA Times Crossword is published by Los Angeles Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.