Like a tips-only bar

Editorially verified for the Oct 17, 2026

42 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

A bar counter with a tip jar, suggesting a bar where tips are accepted.

Clue explained

The likely play is “open bar”: guests generally aren’t charged for each drink, so at a tips-only bar, tips may be the only money they leave. “Open” is therefore a loose, playful description of the bar rather than a standard term for that payment arrangement.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 17, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

Across

  1. 1Aid in scratching an itch
  2. 5Jeans choice
  3. 9"What's wrong with u?"
  4. 12Vader offspring
  5. 13Southwestern casserole
  6. 16"Same here"
  7. 17"Let's do this!"
  8. 18Forex benchmark
  9. 19The old you
  10. 21Like some kitchen herbs
  11. 22Nullifies
  12. 24Tradition within Swedish coffee culture
  13. 25Like some jobs
  14. 26Abound (with)
  15. 27Shengjian __: pan-fried pork bun
  16. 30Setting of Fox's "Best Medicine"
  17. 31Milanese dish traditionally served with risotto
  18. 33With 47-Down, extra lives?
  19. 34Service rep with a lack of humanity
  20. 35David's "Baywatch" role
  21. 36Eyes angrily
  22. 38Takes down
  23. 39Letters from a bygone empire
  24. 40Travels cross-country?
  25. 41Wades through
  26. 42Leave out
  27. 43Nullifidian
  28. 45Cold treat
  29. 48National Farm Toy Museum locale
  30. 49Whiz
  31. 50Home brewer's appliance
  32. 52Chute material
  33. 54Resolved
  34. 55Exploit
  35. 56Court figs.
  36. 57Nueva canción great Mercedes
  37. 58Singer who has six top 10 studio albums with her namesake band

Down

  1. 1Scary-good moments?
  2. 2Role for one who picks the melody?
  3. 3Asset in a snowball fight
  4. 4"You're telling me that's only part of the story?"
  5. 5Spots for muckety-mucks?
  6. 6Like someone who gets stuck in traffic, perhaps
  7. 7Pings online
  8. 8Birds that recognize faces and hold grudges
  9. 9Rotisserie rod
  10. 10Expert in nonverbal communication
  11. 11Obey
  12. 14Cry for attention
  13. 15James in the Blues Hall of Fame
  14. 16Feature of Namibia's flag
  15. 20"Yo!"
  16. 23Ed of "Up"
  17. 24End of Oktober?
  18. 26__ and the Maytals
  19. 27Rang up from down under?
  20. 28Opening sequence
  21. 29Sounds amazed
  22. 30Some off-the-rack purchases, briefly
  23. 32"Free your pores" brand
  24. 34Entice
  25. 37Bypass online promos
  26. 41"Victory!" letters
  27. 42Like a tips-only bar
  28. 43Place for a stent
  29. 44Point value of "five" in Scrabble
  30. 45"Only joking"
  31. 46Michael of "The Running Man"
  32. 47See 33-Across
  33. 48Chits
  34. 51As well
  35. 53"About __ big"

The answer to “Like a tips-only bar” in the The Washington Post crossword is OPEN — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 17, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 42-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.

“Like a tips-only bar” answer

OPEN (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 OPEN.

What does OPEN mean?

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

(adjective)

  • allowing access, passage, or a view through an empty space; not closed or blocked
  • exposed to the air or to view; not covered
  • with the outer edges or sides drawn away from each other; unfolded or spread out

When else has “Like a tips-only bar” 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 17, 2026 (most recent) → OPEN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Like a tips-only bar”?

The answer is OPEN, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 17, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Like a tips-only bar”?

4 letters: OPEN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 17, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 42-Down.

Can “Like a tips-only bar” 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 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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