Picks up the pace
Editorially verified for the Aug 26, 2026
24 Down
Scroll down for rest of crossword answers
Clue explained
HASTENS means “picks up the pace” or makes something happen more quickly. The third-person singular verb form matches the present-tense clue wording.
- Clue type:
- Definition
WaPo Crossword
This clue's Wednesday, August 26, 2026 appearance
Tap a square to reveal a letter.
Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
Across
Down
The answer to “Picks up the pace” in the The Washington Post crossword is HASTENS — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 26, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 24-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.
“Picks up the pace” answer
HASTENS (7 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 HASTENS.
What does HASTENS mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of HASTENS is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(verb)
- be quick to do something
When else has “Picks up the pace” 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 26, 2026 (most recent) → HASTENS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Picks up the pace”?
The answer is HASTENS, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 26, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Picks up the pace”?
7 letters: HASTENS.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 26, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 24-Down.
Can “Picks up the pace” 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 26, 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.
Crossword Clues
Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.
- ___ classic ("The Rocky Horror Picture Show" or "Pulp Fiction," e.g.)
- Greek goddesses of the seasons
- Optional mission in a video game
- Shindig for someone to announce whether they're having a boy or a girl
- Show on which Tina Fey and Seth Meyers have worked as head writers, in brief
- Tropical cocktail with bananas, strawberries, rum and coconut cream
- Shindig for someone settling into a new home
- Jennifer who wrote "A Visit From the Goon Squad"
- Shindig for someone who's about to tie the knot
- Like a dish of veal or chicken dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, then fried in butter
- Wolf in "The Jungle Book"
- Initials on a map until 1991
- Shindig for the cast and crew after filming is done ... with a hint to entering this answer and three others in the grid
- ___ Millan, celebrity dog trainer
- High-def flat screen, for short
- Broth that might come from a dissolved cube