Actor McKellen

Latest answer — September 28, 2026

5 Down

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Clue explained

IAN is the first name of actor Ian McKellen, known for roles including Gandalf in “The Lord of the Rings” films and Magneto in the “X-Men” films.

Clue type:
Pop culture
Portrait of actor Ian McKellen

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Monday, September 28, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

Across

  1. 1Game, __, match
  2. 4Piece of cake
  3. 9Granny Smith, for one
  4. 14The "A" of ETA: Abbr.
  5. 15Spanish form of Paul
  6. 16"Get out of town!"
  7. 17Words of support from an abacus?
  8. 20Brainstorming outputs
  9. 21Epitome of slowness
  10. 22Six years for a U.S. Senator, e.g.
  11. 23__ Arabia
  12. 25Pre-K basics
  13. 29Words of support from a rideshare driver?
  14. 32Santa __, California
  15. 35Used a pair of sculls, say
  16. 36Chutzpah
  17. 37Out that gets a runner home, for short
  18. 39Like some evening gowns
  19. 40Invoice amount
  20. 41Rebuff
  21. 44Sault __ Marie
  22. 45Words of support from a crossbody bag?
  23. 48Orange skin
  24. 49Madrid museum
  25. 50Quick inhalation
  26. 54Not united
  27. 56Prefix with -lithic
  28. 57Words of support from a broken elevator?
  29. 62Around, in dates
  30. 63Phone notification
  31. 64Tasseled hat that shares a name with a Moroccan city
  32. 65Leg joints
  33. 66Smallest possible
  34. 67Swim-bike-run race, informally

Down

  1. 1"Tell me already!"
  2. 2Slowly wear away
  3. 3More accurate
  4. 4Pros who are busy in Apr.
  5. 5Actor McKellen
  6. 6"SNL" TV network
  7. 7Sense of finality that may be needed after a breakup
  8. 8Pursued doggedly
  9. 9Against
  10. 10Location that may have "No running" and "No diving" signs
  11. 11Dominate, in gaming slang
  12. 12Go on the __: get out of town
  13. 13Organ with a retina
  14. 18Top that's useful in layering, for short
  15. 19Innocent one
  16. 23Mitchell of "Pretty Little Liars"
  17. 24__ Lingus: Irish carrier
  18. 26"Turn! Turn! Turn!" band, with "The"
  19. 27Desire
  20. 28Fuzzy fabric
  21. 30"Pretty in Pink" star Ringwald
  22. 31Sticking straight up, as hair
  23. 32Up and about
  24. 33Two-time Australian Open winner Osaka
  25. 34Follow, as a hunch
  26. 38Burlesque performance
  27. 39Spirit
  28. 41Inexplicably weird
  29. 42Natter (on)
  30. 43Amer. capital
  31. 46Iridescent gem
  32. 47"Good lord!"
  33. 51In midair
  34. 52Underground waste line
  35. 53__ scheme
  36. 55School support orgs.
  37. 56Golf stroke near the hole
  38. 57"How nasty"
  39. 58Take first prize
  40. 59Mine lode
  41. 60Pro vote
  42. 61Surgery ctrs.

The answer to “Actor McKellen” in the The Washington Post crossword is IAN — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 28, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 5-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.

“Actor McKellen” answer

IAN (3 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 IAN.

When else has “Actor McKellen” appeared?

The Washington Post 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 28, 2026 (most recent) → IAN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Actor McKellen”?

The answer is IAN, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 28, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Actor McKellen”?

3 letters: IAN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 28, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 5-Down.

Can “Actor McKellen” have a different answer?

Yes — The Washington Post 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 WaPo Crossword answers?

The full grid for September 28, 2026 is on the WaPo Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Washington Post Crossword is published by The Washington Post; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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