Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff

Latest answer — October 08, 2026

42 Across

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A saxophone representing the distinctive riff in Gerry Rafferty’s song “Baker Street.”

Clue explained

The instrument in the memorable “Baker Street” riff is a saxophone, shortened here to sax. Gerry Rafferty’s 1978 song is especially associated with that sax hook, played by session musician Raphael Ravenscroft. Its prominent sound helps give the track its distinctive, slightly wistful character.

Clue type:
Pop culture

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Thursday, October 08, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Hydrocortisone target
  2. 5Glissade garb
  3. 9"Wanna hear a secret?"
  4. 13Animated blue tang of film
  5. 14Heavy burden
  6. 15Behind schedule
  7. 16Christ the Redeemer veneer material
  8. 18Gets lawyers involved
  9. 19Sound heard around a crib
  10. 20Places that are all fun and games
  11. 22Verbal finger wag
  12. 24Hoppy brew with a low ABV
  13. 27Cut with an axe
  14. 28Tree in the name of a Bay Area city
  15. 29Palindromic family member
  16. 30Line of symmetry
  17. 32Palindromic family member
  18. 34Part of a routine
  19. 37"Why must you overcomplicate everything?," or what can be said about 16-, 24-, 49-, and 58-Across
  20. 41Perceived
  21. 42Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff
  22. 43Body image?
  23. 44Brain scan letters
  24. 46Spider's spinning
  25. 485G predecessor
  26. 49Contents of a cheese pull, often
  27. 53"You know it!"
  28. 54Surf shop?
  29. 55"Well, whaddaya know!"
  30. 57__ Whip: frozen pineapple treat
  31. 58Genre originally known as the West Coast sound
  32. 63College town in Iowa
  33. 64Figs. that may be delayed by weather
  34. 65Territory "where America's day begins"
  35. 66Lean to one side
  36. 67Glum
  37. 68Blows it

Down

  1. 1Cards at a casino?
  2. 2Also
  3. 3Act the class clown
  4. 4Prefix with -dermic or -thermic
  5. 5Little one
  6. 6Spanish one
  7. 7Bluefin, yellowfin, and blackfin
  8. 8Password preceder
  9. 9Texting etiquette?
  10. 10Riyadh resident
  11. 11Pricey
  12. 12Thompson of "Hedda"
  13. 17Not great, not terrible
  14. 21Take the path of least resistance, say
  15. 22Pad see ew cuisine
  16. 23Suggestive messages
  17. 25Only cardinal direction not in a state name
  18. 26Funny sketches
  19. 31Most susceptible to collecting dust?
  20. 33Prayer __
  21. 35Four or five, maybe
  22. 36Ramble on
  23. 38Lakers legend Shaquille
  24. 39Rink leap
  25. 40Lends color
  26. 45Lost colour
  27. 4722-Down currency
  28. 49Wearable prize
  29. 50Some indigenous Mexicans
  30. 51Diamond chain
  31. 52Muse of poetry
  32. 56Spur to action
  33. 59Murder-ous cry
  34. 60Sales channel
  35. 61Vehicle that may be self-driving
  36. 62Tour de France distances, informally

The answer to “Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff” in the The Washington Post crossword is SAX — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 8, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 42-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.

“Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff” answer

SAX (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 SAX.

What does SAX mean?

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

(noun)

  • a saxophone

When else has “Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff” 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 8, 2026 (most recent) → SAX. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff”?

The answer is SAX, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff”?

3 letters: SAX.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 8, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 42-Across.

Can “Instrument in a "Baker Street" riff” 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 8, 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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