Jack-in-the-box feature

Latest answer — July 18, 2026

4 Down

What do you turn to make surprises pop out? 🎉

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

WaPo Mini Crossword

This clue's Saturday, July 18, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Striking thing from a book?
  2. 6FBI agent Seger played by 2-Down on "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders"
  3. 7Setting of the 2024 Netflix series "House of Ninjas"
  4. 8Upturned
  5. 9Soaks up some sun by the sea, say

Down

  1. 1Position with poor prospects
  2. 2"FBI" actress De La Garza
  3. 3Much FBI evidence, once
  4. 4Jack-in-the-box feature
  5. 5All of them may be called on deck

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Striking thing from a book? — Answer: MATCH. Hint: Think about something used to ignite a fire, but in a literary context! 🔥
  2. 6. FBI agent Seger played by 2-Down on "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders" — Answer: CLARA. Hint: Think of a name that means bright or clear, often used in stories! ✨
  3. 7. Setting of the 2024 Netflix series "House of Ninjas" — Answer: JAPAN. Hint: Think of a country known for its cherry blossoms and samurai culture! 🇯🇵
  4. 8. Upturned — Answer: ONEND. Hint: Think about something that's been flipped over! 🔄
  5. 9. Soaks up some sun by the sea, say — Answer: BASKS. Hint: Imagine lying on the beach, soaking in the warmth of the sun! ☀️

Down

  1. 1. Position with poor prospects — Answer: MCJOB. Hint: This term often describes low-wage jobs that lack advancement potential. 💼
  2. 2. "FBI" actress De La Garza — Answer: ALANA. Hint: This actress shares a name with a popular city in Texas! 🌟
  3. 3. Much FBI evidence, once — Answer: TAPES. Hint: Think of something that holds crucial information but is no longer as common today! 📼
  4. 4. Jack-in-the-box feature — Answer: CRANK. Hint: What do you turn to make surprises pop out? 🎉
  5. 5. All of them may be called on deck — Answer: HANDS. Hint: Think about the people who help out during a ship's voyage! ⛵

Recent WaPo Mini Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Jack-in-the-box feature” in the The Washington Post Mini crossword is CRANK — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post Mini crossword on July 18, 2026 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.

“Jack-in-the-box feature” answer

CRANK (5 letters)

Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's CRANK.

Why the answer is CRANK

What do you turn to make surprises pop out? 🎉

When else has “Jack-in-the-box feature” appeared?

The Washington Post Mini 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.

July 18, 2026 (most recent) → CRANK. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More WaPo Mini answers for July 18, 2026

Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the WaPo Mini on July 18, 2026 — tap any clue for its answer and explanation.

Across

Down

Want the whole grid in one place? The full WaPo Mini answer list for July 18, 2026 is on the puzzle's answers page, and today's live WaPo Mini answers are always one click away from the today page.

About the WaPo Mini Crossword

The Washington Post Mini Crossword is a compact daily grid for a fast solve. Like other minis, every letter crosses something else, so one stuck clue can freeze the board — and one revealed answer usually unlocks the rest.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Jack-in-the-box feature”?

The answer is CRANK, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post Mini crossword on July 18, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Jack-in-the-box feature”?

5 letters: CRANK.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post Mini crossword on July 18, 2026, at 4-Down.

Can “Jack-in-the-box feature” have a different answer?

Yes — The Washington Post Mini 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 today's WaPo Mini answers?

Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the WaPo Mini answers page.

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