Jay's successor (and predecessor)

Latest answer — September 04, 2026

5 Across

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Clue explained

Conan refers to Conan O’Brien, who succeeded Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show and was then succeeded by Leno when Leno returned. Thus Jay is both Conan’s predecessor and successor in that hosting succession.

Clue type:
Pop culture
Conan O’Brien pictured during his late-night television hosting career.

WaPo Mini Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 04, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Mulberry or hackberry, but not blackberry
  2. 5Jay's successor (and predecessor)
  3. 7"See what's next," for Netflix
  4. 8A -lein can be added to it
  5. 9Groups of reps

Down

  1. 1Cable channel that features a Star of the Month
  2. 2Tornadoes might blow them off
  3. 3With 6-Down, privately
  4. 4Irk incessantly
  5. 6See 3-Down

The answer to “Jay's successor (and predecessor)” in the The Washington Post Mini crossword is CONAN — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post Mini crossword on September 4, 2026 at 5-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.

“Jay's successor (and predecessor)” answer

CONAN (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 CONAN.

When else has “Jay's successor (and predecessor)” 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.

September 4, 2026 (most recent) → CONAN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Jay's successor (and predecessor)”?

The answer is CONAN, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post Mini crossword on September 4, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Jay's successor (and predecessor)”?

5 letters: CONAN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post Mini crossword on September 4, 2026, at 5-Across.

Can “Jay's successor (and predecessor)” 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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