Polite contraction

Latest answer — September 06, 2026

57 Across

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Clue explained

YESM compresses “yes, ma’am” into a crossword-friendly form, omitting the space, comma, and apostrophe. It is a polite affirmative addressed to a woman.

Clue type:
Word form
A person responding respectfully to an older woman

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Sunday, September 06, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Add some oomph to
  2. 6In good __
  3. 11"The Marvels" director DaCosta
  4. 14Latch (onto)
  5. 18Speckled horses
  6. 19Dodge
  7. 20Zingy flavor
  8. 21"Sorry, I slipped"
  9. 22"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," e.g.?
  10. 25"Frozen" reindeer
  11. 26"Come back __!"
  12. 27See 91-Across
  13. 28Like rum barrels
  14. 29Ms. Marvel, for one
  15. 30Fruity drink suffix
  16. 32"Oral contracts are binding," e.g.?
  17. 35Cause of a soccer ball bending midair
  18. 40Vigor
  19. 41Fish eggs
  20. 42Character who calls Homer "neighborino"
  21. 43Romania neighbor
  22. 45Letters said while showing a badge
  23. 47"Ew, stop talking!"
  24. 50"A new pope shall be chosen at a conclave," e.g.?
  25. 55Fall (over)
  26. 56Et __: and others
  27. 57Polite contraction
  28. 58Castle protectors
  29. 59Turn to rubble, briefly
  30. 60Ancient land of the Fertile Crescent
  31. 63Scout leader?
  32. 64NHL trophy namesake
  33. 66"The strike zone is between the chest and knees," e.g.?
  34. 71Significant amount of spots?
  35. 74Piglet moms
  36. 75Drank daintily
  37. 79__-back
  38. 80Unsettling look
  39. 82Target of some laser therapy
  40. 85City bond, for short
  41. 86Birthplace of MLK
  42. 87"The ball must hit the cushion before dropping into the pocket," e.g.?
  43. 91With 27-Across, patriotic Muppet
  44. 92Home security co.
  45. 93Malaysian fleet
  46. 94__ for tat
  47. 95Mexican lager
  48. 97AKB48 genre
  49. 100Miami Beach fair for gallerists and curators
  50. 102"Chickens will be fed in the coop," e.g.?
  51. 107Designer initials
  52. 108Former Yankee slugger, familiarly
  53. 109"That wasn't wholly true"
  54. 110Tennis star Naomi
  55. 114Airport pickup option
  56. 118Space City pro
  57. 119"Wear sensible shoes and a lumbar support belt," e.g.?
  58. 122Coming-of-age story subject, often
  59. 123Cheap, plastic camera type
  60. 124Curtain beam, often
  61. 125Agree to take part
  62. 126Latin 101 verb
  63. 127Copy
  64. 128Public affairs network
  65. 129Source of wealth

Down

  1. 1Petulant cry
  2. 2Petulant look
  3. 3Salt and pepper, e.g.
  4. 4Like Dracula
  5. 5Air pump meas.
  6. 6Super Monkey Ball developer
  7. 7Rating for mild language, perhaps
  8. 8Countess counterpart
  9. 9French farewell
  10. 10Recliner room
  11. 11Part of a table setting
  12. 12Shoreline feature
  13. 13Sales rep
  14. 14"Gee, that seems unlikely"
  15. 15Treasure-y note?
  16. 16__ glasses
  17. 17Jen Psaki's network
  18. 20Dress-up box item
  19. 23Liam of "The Naked Gun"
  20. 24Draped neckline
  21. 31Moore of "The Substance"
  22. 33Get close
  23. 34"__ go bragh!"
  24. 35Shuts up tight
  25. 36"Hijack" star Elba
  26. 37Dabble in
  27. 38Just hanging about
  28. 39Dozes (off)
  29. 42Sweet Sixteen org.
  30. 44__ and vigor
  31. 45Toned
  32. 46Sarajevo's region
  33. 48"Light My Candle" singer in 117-Down
  34. 49Long-term goals for some startups
  35. 51Sleeper sofa
  36. 52Dubai leader
  37. 53"Downton Abbey" countess
  38. 54Powdery mineral
  39. 59Imagined
  40. 61Issa of "Barbie"
  41. 62"What a downer"
  42. 63Rte. finder
  43. 65Anxiety-related med. condition
  44. 67Novelist Dinesen
  45. 68Tuna roll wrap
  46. 69Singer Stefani
  47. 70Force measured in newtons
  48. 71Start of a lament
  49. 72"Star Trek" android
  50. 73Movie soundtracks
  51. 76Family-friendly hotel room
  52. 77How anchovies may be packed
  53. 78Guinness serving, often
  54. 8159-Across stuff
  55. 82__ Lanka
  56. 83Michael of "Barbie"
  57. 84Vegan thickener
  58. 87Indonesian island
  59. 88Gawk
  60. 89Tripoli resident
  61. 90Small clock inserts
  62. 96"And I'm finished"
  63. 97"Come along for the ride"
  64. 98Italian "You're welcome"
  65. 99Bet calculations
  66. 101Drinks noisily
  67. 102Wasabi product
  68. 103Some deco pieces
  69. 104__ Wafers
  70. 105Sludgy stuff
  71. 106Big cat sounds
  72. 111Finger click
  73. 112College basketball coach Barnes
  74. 113Potter's oven
  75. 115Objections
  76. 116Author Wiesel
  77. 117Musical set in Alphabet City
  78. 120Involuntary spasm
  79. 121Southwestern Indian state

The answer to “Polite contraction” in the The Washington Post crossword is YESM — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 6, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 57-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.

“Polite contraction” answer

YESM (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 YESM.

When else has “Polite contraction” 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 6, 2026 (most recent) → YESM. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Polite contraction”?

The answer is YESM, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 6, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Polite contraction”?

4 letters: YESM.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 6, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 57-Across.

Can “Polite contraction” 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 6, 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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