-- ex machina

Latest answer — August 30, 2026

33 Across

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Clue explained

DEUS completes the Latin phrase deus ex machina, literally “god from the machine.” In storytelling, it describes an unlikely outside intervention that resolves the plot.

Clue type:
Fill-in-the-blank
A theatrical illustration of a godlike figure appearing to resolve a story

Premier Crossword

This clue's Sunday, August 30, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Pupil’s ticket out of class
  2. 9Giggles
  3. 15Big Nebraska city
  4. 20French title bird of song
  5. 21Line judge’s call
  6. 22Liquor mixers
  7. 23Two things a resentful blacksmith should do?
  8. 25Rival of Ragú
  9. 26Poet Hughes
  10. 27Walk heavily
  11. 28Strategy for reducing an electric bill?
  12. 30“I -- you loud and clear”
  13. 33-- ex machina
  14. 36“You listen to me ...”
  15. 37What you feel when you do a high belly-flop dive?
  16. 43Strong alkali
  17. 44Huge snake
  18. 45Bishops’ meeting
  19. 47Food-stamping org.
  20. 51Walked with authority
  21. 52Draw an asterisk from scratch?
  22. 57Word after a noun, often
  23. 59Kind of art print, in brief
  24. 60Newborn tiger
  25. 61Italian “a”
  26. 62Brownish purple color
  27. 65“FDR” and “LBJ,” e.g.
  28. 67Locale
  29. 68Loafing sort
  30. 69Big tree branch on sale at a lumber shop?
  31. 72“Message received, Torah teacher"?
  32. 75“Boo- --!” ("All right!")
  33. 76Defrost
  34. 77Pop singer Mann
  35. 78Indigo and henna
  36. 79O’Hare’s city, for short
  37. 80“Keep -- secret”
  38. 81Island near Sicily
  39. 83Without doubt
  40. 86Jetliner fit for people to live in?
  41. 90Gender discrimination
  42. 94-- upswing (rising)
  43. 95French river of Lyon
  44. 96Composer Chopin
  45. 98Some sporty autos
  46. 101Singer Irene at two dozen years old?
  47. 104Broccoli sections
  48. 108Arthur of tennis
  49. 1091974 CIA spoof film
  50. 110Certain fruit from an Indonesian island?
  51. 113Top-shelf
  52. 115Cut, as grass
  53. 118Leaves out
  54. 119Affection felt upon hearing one’s blind date breathe audibly?
  55. 125Actress Zellweger
  56. 126Go-betweens
  57. 127“I’d like to attempt it”
  58. 128Gown, e.g.
  59. 129Take care of
  60. 130Teaches

Down

  1. 1Sword hilt
  2. 2Burn soother
  3. 3British noble
  4. 4Tote around
  5. 5JFK Library architect
  6. 6Off-road truck, in brief
  7. 7Blended-family father
  8. 8Circus barker
  9. 9Having a top, as a trash can
  10. 10Org. fighting trafficking
  11. 11Mil. morale booster
  12. 12Trail mix
  13. 13Award for sci-fi books
  14. 14Ragouts, e.g.
  15. 15Large hawk
  16. 16Roman god of dreams
  17. 17She sang the hit “Hello”
  18. 18“Horrible” Viking
  19. 19Unanimously
  20. 24Lymph --
  21. 29Sushi fish
  22. 30Bounce back
  23. 31Wear away
  24. 32“Li’l” guy
  25. 34Perturbs
  26. 35Vocalize for a throat check
  27. 37Once lived
  28. 38Busy crawler
  29. 39Highway goo
  30. 40-- -I-am
  31. 41Facts or stats
  32. 42Hide-hair link
  33. 46Official rulings
  34. 48Short and thick
  35. 49River through Budapest
  36. 50Pal of Athos and Porthos
  37. 53Early Sacha Baron Cohen persona
  38. 54-- and kin
  39. 55Litigant
  40. 56I-beam’s cousin
  41. 58Places for sci. experiments
  42. 62Hitchcock film
  43. 63Provo native
  44. 64Premium Cuban cigar
  45. 66Cashew, e.g.
  46. 67Get older
  47. 70Send out
  48. 71Testing stage
  49. 72Pop singer Ora
  50. 73Arab nation
  51. 74Madison Ave. VIPs
  52. 77Poets Tate and Ginsberg
  53. 81Imitate a cat
  54. 82Sleep clinic concern
  55. 84Deplete
  56. 85Wipe with a towel again
  57. 87Thankless sorts
  58. 88Back muscle, for short
  59. 89Failing grade
  60. 91“Deathtrap” writer Levin
  61. 92Knightly title
  62. 93Former big record gp.
  63. 97Sister of Snow-White
  64. 99Pokes fun at
  65. 100Motor oil additive brand
  66. 102“Oh really?”
  67. 103“Oh -- little faith!”
  68. 104Inlet between cliffs
  69. 105Weaker, as an excuse
  70. 106Like sheep
  71. 107Sound of wet impact
  72. 111Theater box
  73. 112All tied up
  74. 114River near the Sphinx
  75. 115Baker’s glove
  76. 116Big brute
  77. 117-- and wherefores
  78. 120Bring to a halt
  79. 121ABA mem.
  80. 122Dil’s father on “Rugrats”
  81. 123Cable stn. for cinephiles
  82. 124Briny body

The answer to “-- ex machina” in the Premier crossword is DEUS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Premier crossword on August 30, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 33-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.

“-- ex machina” answer

DEUS (4 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 DEUS.

What does DEUS mean?

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

(noun)

  • an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel

When else has “-- ex machina” appeared?

Premier 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 30, 2026 (most recent) → DEUS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “-- ex machina”?

The answer is DEUS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Premier crossword on August 30, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “-- ex machina”?

4 letters: DEUS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Premier crossword on August 30, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 33-Across.

Can “-- ex machina” have a different answer?

Yes — Premier 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 Premier Crossword answers?

The full grid for August 30, 2026 is on the Premier Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

Premier 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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