Al __: pasta specification

Latest answer — September 04, 2026

68 Across

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Clue explained

DENTE completes the pasta term al dente, meaning cooked until firm to the bite. The clue’s “Al __” fill-in-the-blank wording supplies the first part of the phrase.

Clue type:
Fill-in-the-blank
Firm-cooked pasta served on a fork.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 04, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Breaks down
  2. 5Virginie-Occidentale et Californie
  3. 10Chilean sea __
  4. 14"Love ya!"
  5. 15Diana Taurasi's jersey number
  6. 16Joined with
  7. 17Bach title
  8. 18Settles
  9. 19Leader of a chipmunk band
  10. 20Concern that one's sneakers are hopelessly out of style?
  11. 23Bakery allure
  12. 25First responder gp.
  13. 26Indication that docs are included
  14. 27Knocked over a bottle of booze?
  15. 32Forest carpet
  16. 33Chitchat
  17. 34Web design lang.
  18. 35Not well-balanced, or an apt title for this puzzle?
  19. 39Phillipa of "Hamilton"
  20. 41Tax return fig.
  21. 42Hit close to home?
  22. 46"Project Runway" timer?
  23. 51See 45-Down
  24. 52Tyke
  25. 53Pirouetting, say
  26. 54Going on and on about one's new cookware?
  27. 59Pont des Arts city
  28. 60Olympic gymnast Strug
  29. 61St. Louis landmark
  30. 64"My Brilliant Friend" novelist Ferrante
  31. 65Etsy business
  32. 66Macaroni art need
  33. 67Curl counts
  34. 68Al __: pasta specification
  35. 69Looks at

Down

  1. 1"I can't believe u"
  2. 2Be behind, in a way
  3. 3Does a pub crawl
  4. 4Crayfish kin
  5. 5Engrave
  6. 6"Don't be like __!"
  7. 7Folk singer Guthrie
  8. 8Protein in some vegan ribs
  9. 9Tahini ingredient
  10. 10Convictions
  11. 11Onsets
  12. 12Knit or purl
  13. 13Some smart TVs
  14. 16Buildup on a menorah, perhaps
  15. 21Miss
  16. 22Research-funding org.
  17. 23Cash provider
  18. 24Hopping pal of Pooh
  19. 28Motivation for a vanity project
  20. 29Big name in sealant
  21. 30"Frankly," in texts
  22. 31In need of salt, say
  23. 35Publisher with a mountain peak logo
  24. 36Put away the groceries?
  25. 37Many moons __
  26. 38A-lister
  27. 39Time commitment for some jrs.
  28. 40Gets
  29. 42Detail in a van Gogh self-portrait
  30. 43Downright
  31. 44Cpl. or sgt.
  32. 45With 51-Across, Wyle drama
  33. 46Closing number
  34. 47Pugsley kin
  35. 48Out of options
  36. 49Rays home, for short
  37. 50Court
  38. 51Three-time Oscar nominee Laurie
  39. 55Intel org.
  40. 56Persia, today
  41. 57Lit __
  42. 58Unit equal to 20 north-south blocks in New York City
  43. 62Pool necessity
  44. 63Guys

The answer to “Al __: pasta specification” in the The Washington Post crossword is DENTE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 4, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 68-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.

“Al __: pasta specification” answer

DENTE (5 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 DENTE.

What does DENTE mean?

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

(adjective)

  • (of food, typically pasta) cooked so as to be still firm when bitten

When else has “Al __: pasta specification” 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 4, 2026 (most recent) → DENTE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Al __: pasta specification”?

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

How many letters is the answer to “Al __: pasta specification”?

5 letters: DENTE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 4, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 68-Across.

Can “Al __: pasta specification” 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 4, 2026 is on the WaPo Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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