Great balls of fire
Editorially verified for the Aug 30, 2026
128 Across
Scroll down for rest of crossword answers
Clue explained
“Great balls of fire” evokes stars as enormous fiery spheres, making STARS a playful answer. The clue’s wording also alludes to the famous exclamation and song title “Great Balls of Fire.”
- Clue type:
- Pun or wordplay
WaPo Crossword
This clue's Sunday, August 30, 2026 appearance
Tap a square to reveal a letter.
Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
Across
- 26__ acid
- 81Spoiled
- 90Sock end
- 110Mean
- 124Fizzled out
- 125Slushy treat
- 127Vibe
- 131Canary feed
Down
- 17Trousers
- 29Org.
- 40Secular
- 55Curved
- 93Tater
- 102Pulpy refuse
- 103Molar cover
- 113Lends a hand
- 122Casting need
The answer to “Great balls of fire” in the The Washington Post crossword is STARS — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 30, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 128-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.
“Great balls of fire” answer
STARS (5 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 STARS.
What does STARS mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of STARS is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(verb)
- (of a film, play, or other show) have (someone) as a principal performer
- decorate or cover with star-shaped marks or objects
When else has “Great balls of fire” 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 30, 2026 (most recent) → STARS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Great balls of fire”?
The answer is STARS, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 30, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Great balls of fire”?
5 letters: STARS.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 30, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 128-Across.
Can “Great balls of fire” 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 30, 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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