Down in the dumps

Latest answer — September 17, 2026

48 Down

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Clue explained

Someone who is down in the dumps is gloomy, meaning sad or dispirited. The adjective fits the descriptive construction “down in the dumps.”

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A person sitting alone with a gloomy expression.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Thursday, September 17, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Necklace clasp spot
  2. 5Rather peculiar
  3. 11Implore
  4. 14Tandoor, for one
  5. 15Sub
  6. 16Credit card fig.
  7. 17Reporter's approach to a story about a bracelet?
  8. 19Game cube
  9. 20"Cheap Thrills" singer
  10. 21Lowe's purchase
  11. 22Lariat
  12. 23Reporter's approach to a story about a doppelgänger?
  13. 26Workers featured in the opening scenes of "Frozen"
  14. 28Greet someone from a distance
  15. 29Gets a rise out of, in a way
  16. 30Spanish "Listen!"
  17. 31Soy block
  18. 34Phoenix team
  19. 35Reporter's approach to a story about a male duck?
  20. 38Small jazz combo
  21. 40Provide a fake alibi for, say
  22. 41Swelter
  23. 44Tap dancer Hines
  24. 46"You're right!"
  25. 49Make changes to
  26. 50Reporter's approach to a story about a picnic pest?
  27. 52Prayer ender
  28. 53Lamb wrap with tzatziki
  29. 55Charged particle
  30. 56Tennessee athlete, for short
  31. 57Reporter's approach to a story about a spring bloom?
  32. 61Before, in old poetry
  33. 62Compilation
  34. 63Subway Series squad
  35. 64Acid letters
  36. 65__-sense
  37. 66River through Flanders

Down

  1. 1San Francisco's __ Hill
  2. 2Janelle's "Abbott Elementary" role
  3. 3Deep in thought
  4. 4Tuneup target
  5. 5"__ sells seashells ... "
  6. 6Tropical ring-tailed mammal
  7. 7Built one's campaign around
  8. 8Breakfast brand
  9. 9Country great Nelson
  10. 10"__-haw!"
  11. 11Sign of trouble
  12. 12Camp nurse's supply
  13. 13Salad leaves
  14. 18Mascara target
  15. 22Variety show
  16. 23Wee hour
  17. 24Modus operandi
  18. 2553-Across bread
  19. 27Champagne barrel
  20. 29Mandolin kin
  21. 32"... Fine."
  22. 33Shortest mo.
  23. 35"Dinner is served!"
  24. 36Some big hoppers
  25. 37Fighting
  26. 38Small quakes
  27. 39Took deep pleasure (in)
  28. 41Three-time Best Actress Oscar winner McDormand
  29. 42Driver's "Star Wars" role
  30. 43Up to today
  31. 44Rough road surface
  32. 45Fix, as a tennis racket or golf club
  33. 47"Yeah, right!"
  34. 48Down in the dumps
  35. 50Like an eyebrow
  36. 51Pointless
  37. 54Asana expert
  38. 57LP successors
  39. 58Farm pen
  40. 59Great Basin native
  41. 60Georgia, once: Abbr.

The answer to “Down in the dumps” in the The Washington Post crossword is GLOOMY — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 17, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 48-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.

“Down in the dumps” answer

GLOOMY (6 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 GLOOMY.

What does GLOOMY mean?

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

(adjective)

  • dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening
  • causing or feeling depression or despondency

When else has “Down in the dumps” 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 17, 2026 (most recent) → GLOOMY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Down in the dumps”?

The answer is GLOOMY, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 17, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Down in the dumps”?

6 letters: GLOOMY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 17, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 48-Down.

Can “Down in the dumps” 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 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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