Prefix in many a Scottish surname

Latest answer — August 16, 2026

80 Down

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Clue explained

Mac is a prefix meaning “son of” in many Scottish surnames, as in MacDonald or MacLeod. The clue asks for the surname element, not a particular person.

Clue type:
Definition
A Scottish sign featuring a surname beginning with Mac

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Sunday, August 16, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Best of the best
  2. 5Syrup source
  3. 10That partner
  4. 14Fistfuls of dollars
  5. 18Authorize
  6. 19Cookies with a "You asked for it" collaboration with 29-Across
  7. 20Surrounding glow
  8. 21La Scala solo
  9. 22Ron + (Kristen + Alexander Graham)
  10. 24Clint + (Francis Scott + Keegan-Michael)
  11. 26NYC drama award
  12. 27Slangy contraction
  13. 28Land between Can. and Mex.
  14. 29Peanut butter cup brand
  15. 30Sally + (Julia + Philip)
  16. 34Like stress balls and fidget spinners
  17. 35End of term?
  18. 36"Knock yourself out!"
  19. 39Suzuki who won nine batting titles in two countries
  20. 43Knocked out
  21. 44Some reservoir residents
  22. 48Barry + (Elliot + Jimmy)
  23. 51Nia + (Elton + Tommy)
  24. 54Othello's betrayer
  25. 55Bulgarian, e.g.
  26. 56Endow with, as authority
  27. 58Autonomous vacuum
  28. 59Utmost degree
  29. 60Aligned
  30. 62Labors mightily to accomplish
  31. 63Grover + (Alton + Helen Gurley)
  32. 68Term of endearment?
  33. 71Leveraged __: corporate acquisition
  34. 72"Print to" option
  35. 75Really sad
  36. 76Sound from a kettle or a snake
  37. 78Actor Epps
  38. 80Island home of the Hana Highway
  39. 81(Adam + Minnie) + Helms
  40. 83Fiona + (Lemmon + London)
  41. 85Speaker brand
  42. 86Theater reviewers
  43. 89Plug's place
  44. 90Channel that rarely fails to make one cry
  45. 92Matinee hrs.
  46. 94"The Return of the King" king
  47. 98Cleary + (Faith + Jonah)
  48. 104Small donkeys
  49. 105Ballerina's turning point
  50. 107Ancient France
  51. 108"So Sick" R&B singer
  52. 109Keith + (Garfunkel + Carney)
  53. 111(Underwood + Fisher) + Johnny
  54. 114New Mexico art hub
  55. 115Santa's specialty
  56. 116Leading
  57. 117Nikon rival
  58. 118Nikon products
  59. 119Novelist Émile
  60. 120Baking gloves
  61. 121Pt. of IMF

Down

  1. 1Defense witness, often
  2. 2Basic skateboard trick
  3. 3Many a Seanan McGuire work
  4. 4Sheepish sort?
  5. 5Crib accessory
  6. 6Venues that often have corporate names
  7. 7Nails, as with snowballs
  8. 8"U r 2 funny!"
  9. 9Start at the beginning?
  10. 10Guitar player's aid
  11. 11Hawaiian dance
  12. 12Nest egg letters
  13. 13Holy
  14. 14Boat trailers?
  15. 15Schoolyard retort
  16. 16Certain hardware store patron, casually
  17. 17Smart-alecky
  18. 18Lead-up to a date?
  19. 23Convertibles
  20. 25Lotto game
  21. 28Thrifted, perhaps
  22. 31Bleak
  23. 32Spots for scrubs
  24. 33"ManningCast" brother
  25. 34In stitches
  26. 37"__ well that ends well"
  27. 38Smokestack dust
  28. 39"Game, set, match"
  29. 40Puss, in Paris
  30. 41Top temperature
  31. 42Skater Midori
  32. 43101, for one
  33. 44Tricks
  34. 45Measures of resistance
  35. 46Liberty org.
  36. 47Hurdle for a DA-to-be
  37. 49Pain relief brand
  38. 50Donated
  39. 52"Oh, __ up!"
  40. 53Connect
  41. 56Williams with five Wimbledon singles titles
  42. 57Whirlpool
  43. 61Captures
  44. 62Completely wreck
  45. 63Eggnog spice
  46. 64Concede a golden goal, say
  47. 65Of all time
  48. 66Nose-tapping sounds
  49. 67Kind of roast
  50. 68Site for film fans
  51. 69Lawnmower brand
  52. 70Sanskrit honorifics
  53. 72Rat or Brat follower
  54. 73Team led by Mike Krzyzewski for 42 seasons
  55. 74Clenched hand
  56. 76Munich mister
  57. 77Terse affirmative
  58. 79Provide a new look
  59. 80Prefix in many a Scottish surname
  60. 82Printer function
  61. 83Closer at the Globe
  62. 84Kid
  63. 87__ sock
  64. 88Winter puddle topper
  65. 90Many a "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" character
  66. 91Fake
  67. 92Landing spot of Noah's Ark
  68. 93Liquids
  69. 94Borders
  70. 95Like most farmland
  71. 96Shady spot
  72. 97Wimbledon surface
  73. 99Everglades wader
  74. 100Like Machu Picchu
  75. 101Listed, to a Brit
  76. 102Antibacterial brand
  77. 103Kind of Kind, in Köln
  78. 105Texter's "Bye for now"
  79. 106Peak near Olympus
  80. 110Aussie hopper
  81. 111Vid taker
  82. 112Sashimi choice
  83. 113Ecol. or geol.

The answer to “Prefix in many a Scottish surname” in the The Washington Post crossword is MAC — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 16, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 80-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.

“Prefix in many a Scottish surname” answer

MAC (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 MAC.

What does MAC mean?

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

(noun)

  • macaroni

When else has “Prefix in many a Scottish surname” 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 16, 2026 (most recent) → MAC. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Prefix in many a Scottish surname”?

The answer is MAC, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 16, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Prefix in many a Scottish surname”?

3 letters: MAC.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 16, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 80-Down.

Can “Prefix in many a Scottish surname” 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 16, 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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