Unproductive period

Latest answer — August 17, 2026

4 Down

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Clue explained

A DRY SPELL is an unproductive period, especially a stretch without success, inspiration, or results. The phrase is entered without a space.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A calendar with no successful events, representing an unproductive period

LA Times Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 17, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Magic: The Gathering fan's collection
  2. 6"You are __": map message
  3. 10Slugger Sammy
  4. 14Capital of Ghana
  5. 15Yemen neighbor
  6. 16Birds associated with wisdom
  7. 17Attraction in a neighborhood park
  8. 19Skewed view
  9. 20Flow slowly
  10. 21General idea
  11. 22Lobby group for seniors
  12. 25Illuminating item in an emergency kit
  13. 29Word before metal and music
  14. 31Buoyant
  15. 32Kitchen tool needed for some potato dishes
  16. 34Commuter's fee
  17. 35Garden implement
  18. 38Phone history list
  19. 40Fail to show up for
  20. 42Streaming interruptions
  21. 43Argentine author Jorge __ Borges
  22. 45Italian town with a namesake coast
  23. 46"Go Birds!" NFL team
  24. 48Iron alloy
  25. 49Outing for two couples
  26. 53Literary governess Jane
  27. 54Up to
  28. 55Love, in Spanish
  29. 57Actor Estrada
  30. 58Consecutive, or a hint to what can follow the first parts and precede the second parts of 17-, 25-, 38-, 40-, and 49-Across
  31. 64Country singer Lovett
  32. 65Shrek, for one
  33. 66Nintendo's The Legend of __
  34. 67Notices
  35. 68Some small dogs
  36. 69Official order

Down

  1. 1Lid
  2. 2Knee surgery target, for short
  3. 3Color TV pioneer
  4. 4Unproductive period
  5. 5Mint family herb
  6. 6Fuss
  7. 7Down Under bird
  8. 8Appeared in print
  9. 9Cease
  10. 10"That's that, then"
  11. 11In debt
  12. 12Cut drastically, as prices
  13. 13Valuable quality
  14. 18Gridiron official
  15. 21Ski races with gates
  16. 22Pet welfare org.
  17. 23On track to win
  18. 24Film spools
  19. 26Away from the bow, on a boat
  20. 27Untidy one
  21. 28Say hi, in slang
  22. 30Dishy memoir
  23. 33Cheek colorer
  24. 35Like moth-eaten clothing
  25. 36Buyer's proposal
  26. 37Submit taxes online
  27. 39__ the lily: add unnecessary decor
  28. 41Sloshy mattress
  29. 44Salty expanse
  30. 46Chargeable two-wheelers
  31. 47Poles in a tomato garden
  32. 49Old-fashioned showdowns
  33. 50Sandwich request
  34. 51Purposeful
  35. 52First responder: Abbr.
  36. 56Flow slowly
  37. 58Droid
  38. 59In the past
  39. 60Get weepy
  40. 61"__ Baba and the Forty Thieves"
  41. 62Public health agcy.
  42. 63Dennings of "WandaVision"

The answer to “Unproductive period” in the LA Times crossword is DRYSPELL — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 17, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 4-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.

“Unproductive period” answer

DRYSPELL (8 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 DRYSPELL.

When else has “Unproductive period” 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 17, 2026 (most recent) → DRYSPELL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Unproductive period”?

The answer is DRYSPELL, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 17, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Unproductive period”?

8 letters: DRYSPELL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the LA Times crossword on August 17, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 4-Down.

Can “Unproductive period” 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 17, 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.

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