Gloomy __: pessimistic sort

Latest answer — September 21, 2026

39 Across

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Clue explained

“Gloomy Gus” is a familiar expression for a pessimistic or perpetually downcast person. GUS is the nickname-like second half of that phrase.

Clue type:
Nickname or title
A downcast person representing a gloomy, pessimistic mood.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Monday, September 21, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Dot-__: online businesses
  2. 5Capital of South Korea
  3. 10Clever remark
  4. 14Shape of many a car logo
  5. 15Inner circle
  6. 16Caterer's coffee servers
  7. 17"Just act naturally!"
  8. 19AirPods holders
  9. 20Chocolaty treats that may have walnuts
  10. 21Portable device with a touchscreen
  11. 23Baby bear
  12. 24__ farewell: said goodbye
  13. 25Vietnam War film directed by Stanley Kubrick
  14. 33Between ports
  15. 34Second-string players
  16. 35Lamb's mother
  17. 36Sow's opposite
  18. 37Renewable energy option
  19. 38Safari park roarer
  20. 39Gloomy __: pessimistic sort
  21. 40Comedian Wyatt
  22. 41Annoys
  23. 42Quickly resolved legal matter
  24. 46Finishes up
  25. 47Part of FTW and BTW
  26. 48Talks back to
  27. 51Morton who plays Circe in "The Odyssey"
  28. 56Help in wrongdoing
  29. 57Do the same, and what the ends of 17-, 25-, and 42-Across can do
  30. 59Genuine
  31. 60Face-to-face exams
  32. 61Prefix with skeleton
  33. 62Like a couch potato
  34. 63Move, as a root-bound houseplant
  35. 64Consider to be

Down

  1. 1Salad with bacon and eggs
  2. 2"Back to you," in radio lingo
  3. 3BLT spread
  4. 4Insincere round of applause
  5. 5Book copier of old
  6. 6Loosen (up)
  7. 7Poems of praise
  8. 8Address that often starts with "www"
  9. 9Not quite closed
  10. 10Montreal's province
  11. 11Eurasian border river
  12. 12Memo heading
  13. 13Soft "Hey, you!"
  14. 18E pluribus __
  15. 22Singer Lambert
  16. 24Laundry whitener
  17. 25North Dakota city
  18. 26Spend all of
  19. 27Rental contract
  20. 28Govt.-issued investments
  21. 29Book of maps
  22. 30Knightley of "Bend It Like Beckham"
  23. 31Furry "Star Wars" creatures
  24. 32Uptight
  25. 37Summons
  26. 38Officially permitted to drive, say
  27. 40Walking stick
  28. 43Big name in milk chocolate
  29. 44Ultimate
  30. 45Melt
  31. 48South Asian silk dress
  32. 49Tucked in for the night
  33. 50Barking marine mammal
  34. 51Smack
  35. 52French greeting
  36. 53Song
  37. 54Keep out of sight
  38. 55Tiny particle
  39. 58Mine yield

The answer to “Gloomy __: pessimistic sort” in the The Washington Post crossword is GUS — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 21, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 39-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.

“Gloomy __: pessimistic sort” answer

GUS (3 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 GUS.

When else has “Gloomy __: pessimistic sort” 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 21, 2026 (most recent) → GUS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Gloomy __: pessimistic sort”?

The answer is GUS, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Gloomy __: pessimistic sort”?

3 letters: GUS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 21, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 39-Across.

Can “Gloomy __: pessimistic sort” 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 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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