Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"

Latest answer — July 23, 2026

28 Across

Think of a natural resource that fuels both engines and stories! ⛽

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Thursday, July 23, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Like a specialized committee
  2. 6Qualified
  3. 10Sheer delight
  4. 14Ready to drop
  5. 15Squander
  6. 16Wet and squirmy
  7. 17Springsteen portrayer Jeremy __ White
  8. 18__ carotene
  9. 19Athletic brand
  10. 20Cinematographer's assignment?
  11. 23Short greetings
  12. 24Straight, for short
  13. 25Make an alliance
  14. 28Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"
  15. 29Opposite of sans
  16. 31Many a Chiwere language student
  17. 32Screenwriter's assignment?
  18. 36Toys with tails
  19. 38Nutrient in spinach
  20. 39"Srsly!?"
  21. 41iPhone helper
  22. 42"Ghostbusters" actor Harold
  23. 44Costume designer's assignment?
  24. 46Question in reply to "omw," maybe
  25. 47"Anyone __?"
  26. 49Detroit labor org.
  27. 50Town in Ontario County, New York
  28. 52The works
  29. 53Aves. and blvds.
  30. 56Director's assignment?
  31. 60Low on dough
  32. 62Zither kin
  33. 63Sound that comes from on high
  34. 64Volkswagen Group subsidiary
  35. 65Like supervillains
  36. 66Hall of Famer Shaquille
  37. 67Get out of bed
  38. 68French jeweler and glassmaker Lalique
  39. 69Bookish sorts

Down

  1. 1Teeming (with)
  2. 2Metropolis in north-central India
  3. 3The MLB's Angels, to fans
  4. 4Cookie with a limited-edition BTS collaboration
  5. 5"Harriet" and "Wicked" Oscar nominee Erivo
  6. 6Monastery leader
  7. 7Veal cordon __
  8. 8Tolkien saga, briefly
  9. 9Old mice and such
  10. 10Italian salami city
  11. 11Recurring melodic phrase
  12. 12Big grazer
  13. 13Cornea locale
  14. 21Mello __ soda
  15. 22"Dang!"
  16. 26Gestation sites
  17. 27Put forth
  18. 28High-end hotel chain
  19. 29"Concrete Rose" novelist Thomas
  20. 30Dryer outlet
  21. 32S'mores cookers
  22. 33Speak from a rostrum
  23. 34Namesakes of most planets
  24. 35Little devils
  25. 37"That didn't escape my notice"
  26. 40Windows shaped like 13-Downs
  27. 43Product of a schism
  28. 45Golden, as bygone days
  29. 48Foam
  30. 51Otherworldly
  31. 52Waldorf salad fruit
  32. 53Less polite
  33. 54Trepidation
  34. 55Exchanges for money
  35. 57Order at a restaurant
  36. 58CNN anchor Burnett
  37. 59__ poem: free-form orchestral work
  38. 60Target score in disc golf
  39. 61"Bien sûr"

The answer to “Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"” in the The Washington Post crossword is OIL — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on July 23, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 28-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.

“Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"” answer

OIL (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 OIL.

Why the answer is OIL

Think of a natural resource that fuels both engines and stories! ⛽

What does OIL mean?

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

(noun)

  • a viscous liquid derived from petroleum, especially for use as a fuel or lubricant
  • oil paint
  • information or facts

When else has “Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"” 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.

July 23, 2026 (most recent) → OIL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"”?

The answer is OIL, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on July 23, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"”?

3 letters: OIL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on July 23, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 28-Across.

Can “Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"” 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 July 23, 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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