Like an unlocked door

Latest answer — September 22, 2026

39 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

OPEN describes a door that is not shut or secured, as an unlocked door typically is. It functions as an adjective here.

Clue type:
Definition
An open, unlocked door leading into a room.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 22, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Percussion instruments with taut tops
  2. 6Highest mountain in Japan
  3. 10Use a needle and thread
  4. 13Superficial layer
  5. 15Guy known for his first-person perspective?
  6. 16Abu Dhabi's fed.
  7. 17Composer Shostakovich
  8. 18Harlem Renaissance writer __ Neale Hurston
  9. 19Bikini top
  10. 20Exhibit A: That awful handwriting
  11. 23"Little Bunny __"
  12. 24Lit __: English major's course
  13. 25Arduous
  14. 26Exhibit B: That loud guffaw
  15. 31Belarus capital
  16. 33Cars
  17. 34"__ Doubtfire"
  18. 35Exhibit C: That unruly hair
  19. 38Position
  20. 41Student
  21. 42"With any luck"
  22. 44Exhibit D: That goofy stare
  23. 49Gave approval to
  24. 50Out-of-pocket amount
  25. 51Area of influence
  26. 53Lacking all refinement, facetiously, or like the person described in 20-, 26-, 35-, and 44-Across?
  27. 58Omelet ingredient
  28. 59Dental exam image
  29. 60Mystery
  30. 63Come out on top
  31. 64Snub-nosed dogs
  32. 65Catch, as a fish
  33. 66Triumphant cry
  34. 67High-pitched wind instrument
  35. 68"Give it a go"

Down

  1. 1Netflix format, originally
  2. 2Sleep cycle letters
  3. 3Horned equines of mythology
  4. 4Procedures
  5. 5Typeface line
  6. 6Unnerve
  7. 7Japanese noodle
  8. 8Jam holders
  9. 9Apple all-in-one computer
  10. 10Forester carmaker
  11. 11Pincered insect
  12. 12Riches
  13. 14Canon competitor
  14. 21"Kitchy-kitchy-__"
  15. 22Some old radios
  16. 23County event with lots of fried food
  17. 25"I wonder ... "
  18. 27Tennis sequence after a serve
  19. 28__ generis: unique
  20. 29And so on: Abbr.
  21. 30Norse god of mischief
  22. 32Disposable coffee pod
  23. 36Word after photo or special
  24. 37Golfer Michelle __ West
  25. 38In a playful manner
  26. 39Like an unlocked door
  27. 40Place to sleep
  28. 41Furry companions
  29. 43Whiter with age
  30. 44Off-the-wall
  31. 45Sandwich also known as a grinder
  32. 46Endorses digitally
  33. 47Childcare expert LeShan
  34. 48Clearheaded
  35. 52Impressionist painter Édouard
  36. 54Trade show
  37. 55Defeat soundly
  38. 56"Othello" villain
  39. 57Nasdaq rival
  40. 61Cambridge sch.
  41. 62"It's __-win situation"

The answer to “Like an unlocked door” in the The Washington Post crossword is OPEN — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 22, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 39-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 an unlocked door” 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 an unlocked door” 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 22, 2026 (most recent) → OPEN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Like an unlocked door”?

The answer is OPEN, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 22, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Like an unlocked door”?

4 letters: OPEN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 22, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 39-Down.

Can “Like an unlocked door” 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 22, 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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