Cutting comeback

Editorially verified for the Aug 21, 2026

41 Down

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A comedian speaking into a microphone while an audience reacts

Clue explained

A BURN is a cutting or stinging comeback, especially a sharp verbal reply. The clue uses “cutting” figuratively.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 21, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Graduate from a balance bike
  2. 6"Zounds!"
  3. 10"Not only that ... "
  4. 14Sauce for chipotles
  5. 15German automaker
  6. 16Nana's daughter
  7. 17Collar clip-on
  8. 18Hard punch
  9. 19Big name in morning TV
  10. 20Get the gray out, say
  11. 21"A bottle where the rapid decrease in pressure upon opening creates foam, please" request?
  12. 24Caitlin Clark's home state
  13. 25Topical antiseptic
  14. 26"A light coffee, and do not drop it, please" request?
  15. 31Small flower?
  16. 32Raw minerals
  17. 33"Nature" airer
  18. 36Biblical name of ancient Syria
  19. 37Wolverines and Badgers
  20. 39Canada Goose garment
  21. 40Inquire
  22. 41Head of a museum?
  23. 42Full of passion
  24. 43"I'll take my potato as a pancake (but you'll probably bring fries)" request?
  25. 46Future resident
  26. 49Cringeworthy, in Gen Alpha slang
  27. 50Strict enforcement of the rules for a civil society, or how to process the requests in 21-, 26-, and 43-Across?
  28. 53Greek T
  29. 56Tofu nutrient
  30. 57Drama honor
  31. 58Feature of some accents
  32. 60Smoothie berry
  33. 61Merino, e.g.
  34. 62"Pale Blue Dot" subject
  35. 63Top of many an indoor stadium
  36. 64Trawling equipment
  37. 65Clothe

Down

  1. 1Took care of, say
  2. 2Circular current
  3. 3Shower with love, with "on"
  4. 4Old hoops gp.
  5. 5Daily record
  6. 6Causes of some grade inflation
  7. 7Beach party?
  8. 8For two voices, in music
  9. 9Archaeologists' workplaces
  10. 10Mardi Gras event
  11. 11Video game brother
  12. 12Let out, as pigs
  13. 13Try to decipher a stereogram, perhaps
  14. 22Have
  15. 23Auction units
  16. 24Bullet point
  17. 26Bracket org.
  18. 27Messes up
  19. 28Ineffective
  20. 29Unwilling (to)
  21. 30Branch
  22. 33Ballad writer
  23. 34Oak exterior
  24. 35Ocular woe
  25. 37__ service
  26. 38Medium ability
  27. 39"Ta-ta!"
  28. 41Cutting comeback
  29. 42Toyed (with)
  30. 43"Stop being such a jerk!"
  31. 44Singing in some Ricola ads
  32. 45Shakira's "__ Wolf"
  33. 46"Odyssey" prelude
  34. 47Many a "Breaking Bad" figure
  35. 48Clock-changing hr.
  36. 51Cor anglais kin
  37. 52Real hoot
  38. 53Scale button
  39. 54Tunneling pests
  40. 55Cries of disgust
  41. 59Tug-of-__

The answer to “Cutting comeback” in the The Washington Post crossword is BURN — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 21, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 41-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.

“Cutting comeback” answer

BURN (4 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 BURN.

What does BURN mean?

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

(verb)

  • (of a fire) produce flames and heat while consuming a material such as coal or wood
  • destroy, damage, or injure by heat or fire
  • produce (a CD or DVD) by copying from an original or master copy

When else has “Cutting comeback” 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.

August 21, 2026 (most recent) → BURN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Cutting comeback”?

The answer is BURN, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Cutting comeback”?

4 letters: BURN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 21, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 41-Down.

Can “Cutting comeback” 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 August 21, 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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