Processing centers?

Editorially verified for the Aug 29, 2026

39 Down

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An educational illustration of a human brain representing information processing.

Clue explained

BRAINS are “processing centers” in the figurative sense: they process thoughts, information, and decisions. The question mark marks this metaphorical reading rather than a literal facility.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 29, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Chance to refuel after a run
  2. 9Cruelty-free target of poaching
  3. 13Contributes to
  4. 14Ncuti who plays the Fifteenth Doctor
  5. 15Mobile vendor?
  6. 16Extravagant
  7. 17Chiang Mai residents
  8. 18Bath bomb component
  9. 20Place that's all abuzz
  10. 21The Refined Feline purchase, perhaps
  11. 22Did brunch, say
  12. 23Like crosswords, hopefully
  13. 24Vicuña kin
  14. 28Folks who are so last yr.
  15. 29Spanish for "the gilded one"
  16. 30Pilots on the air
  17. 34Conflict involving customs
  18. 35Y as in Yucatan?
  19. 36Japanese leader
  20. 37On point
  21. 38Deg. from Goizueta
  22. 41Causes a scene?
  23. 43Snippy
  24. 44Physical procedure?
  25. 47Husk-steamed fare
  26. 48Freshens, in a way
  27. 49New York university
  28. 51Swears
  29. 52Cutesy name for the squishy parts of a paw
  30. 53Trash
  31. 54High-minded one

Down

  1. 1Name on a literary award
  2. 2Chart-topper
  3. 3Fix a lot, say
  4. 4Polish brand
  5. 5Takes a load off
  6. 6__-Cat
  7. 7Like gochujang and jjimjilbang
  8. 8Bumbling
  9. 9With a crispy crust, say
  10. 10Piedmont blues guitarist Baker
  11. 11Unaccounted for, for short
  12. 12Tirade
  13. 14Important part of a set
  14. 16Country homes?
  15. 19Played out
  16. 21Swears
  17. 23Full scholarships, informally
  18. 25Mercury or Saturn
  19. 26Gator tail?
  20. 27Short cry for help
  21. 28Means of indirect access
  22. 29Stray
  23. 30Femme canonisée: Abbr.
  24. 31Hesitant sound
  25. 32Art form that originated in the Bronx
  26. 33Knife block insert
  27. 37"Oryx and Crake" novelist
  28. 38Capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra
  29. 39Processing centers?
  30. 40"About dang time!"
  31. 42Sustainable landscaping options
  32. 43__ Up: board game with a desert motif
  33. 44Slender fastener
  34. 45Stubbs of the Four Tops
  35. 46Some Olds works
  36. 47Polka horn
  37. 50Suni honored with the Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award in 2025

The answer to “Processing centers?” in the The Washington Post crossword is BRAINS — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 29, 2026, a Saturday 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.

“Processing centers?” answer

BRAINS (6 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 BRAINS.

What does BRAINS mean?

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

(noun)

  • an organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning as the coordinating centre of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity
  • intellectual capacity

When else has “Processing centers?” 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 29, 2026 (most recent) → BRAINS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Processing centers?”?

The answer is BRAINS, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 29, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Processing centers?”?

6 letters: BRAINS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 29, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 39-Down.

Can “Processing centers?” 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 29, 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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