Giant oceanic surface current
Latest answer — October 07, 2026
31 Down
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Clue explained
A gyre is a huge system of surface ocean currents that circulates in a broad loop. Winds and Earth’s rotation help drive these systems, which move water and heat around the oceans; the North Pacific and North Atlantic gyres are two examples. The word often appears in discussions of ocean plastic, since floating debris can become concentrated in parts of these circulating currents.
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- Definition
WaPo Crossword
This clue's Wednesday, October 07, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “Giant oceanic surface current” in the The Washington Post crossword is GYRE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 31-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.
“Giant oceanic surface current” answer
GYRE (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 GYRE.
What does GYRE mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of GYRE is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(verb)
- whirl or gyrate
When else has “Giant oceanic surface current” 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 7, 2026 (most recent) → GYRE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Giant oceanic surface current”?
The answer is GYRE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Giant oceanic surface current”?
4 letters: GYRE.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 31-Down.
Can “Giant oceanic surface current” 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 7, 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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