Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges
Editorially verified for the Oct 17, 2026
8 Down
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Clue explained
Magpies are corvids, a family of birds known for their intelligence, and research has shown that they can recognize individual human faces. They can also remember people they regard as threats, which helps explain the clue’s grudge-holding reputation. Their social behavior is striking: magpies may alert other birds to danger, so a bird that remembers a person can affect how its neighbors respond, too.
- Clue type:
- Definition
WaPo Crossword
This clue's Saturday, October 17, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges” in the The Washington Post crossword is MAGPIES — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 17, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 8-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.
“Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges” answer
MAGPIES (7 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 MAGPIES.
What does MAGPIES mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of MAGPIES is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(noun)
- a long-tailed crow with boldly marked (or green) plumage and a noisy call
- any bird of the Australasian butcherbird family, having black-and-white plumage and musical calls
- used figuratively to refer to a person who obsessively collects things or who chatters idly
When else has “Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges” 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.
October 17, 2026 (most recent) → MAGPIES. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges”?
The answer is MAGPIES, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 17, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges”?
7 letters: MAGPIES.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 17, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 8-Down.
Can “Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges” 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 October 17, 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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