Protective layer?

Latest answer — July 22, 2026

45 Across

Think of a creature that lays eggs and keeps them safe under its wings! 🐔

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, July 22, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Mission by the San Antonio River Walk
  2. 6Irks
  3. 11IT dept. array
  4. 14Steel rod
  5. 15Target Center, e.g.
  6. 16"I found it!"
  7. 17Singer known as the "Queen of Christmas"
  8. 19Like rubies and garnets
  9. 20"Anne of Green Gables" setting
  10. 21Proactive Health pet food brand
  11. 23Agcy. concerned with scheduling?
  12. 24Oscar won by Jessie Buckley for "Hamnet"
  13. 29"No ifs, __, or buts"
  14. 31"Ambiguous Desire" singer Parks
  15. 32Mina Kimes's channel
  16. 33Doofus
  17. 36Sit next to
  18. 38Feel bad
  19. 39Device that gets the party poppin'?
  20. 43Enthusiast
  21. 44"Beyond the Gates," for one
  22. 45Protective layer?
  23. 46With skill
  24. 48Knee parts, for short
  25. 50Hertz rentals
  26. 54Academic field for Judith Butler
  27. 58Change shades
  28. 59Pageant wear
  29. 60Gives a lecture
  30. 62Prof's deg., often
  31. 63Vacation for posers?, or what can be found in each set of circled letters
  32. 67Luau strings, briefly
  33. 68Korean dumplings
  34. 69Guitarist Steve
  35. 70Billie Eilish's "__ Guy"
  36. 71Piano exercise
  37. 72Like baklava

Down

  1. 1Fleet
  2. 2Get a rise out of?
  3. 3Out of the country
  4. 4Primary
  5. 5Dental care brand
  6. 6Airbnb competitor
  7. 7Notable time
  8. 8'70s baby, e.g.
  9. 9Opposite of WSW
  10. 10"Just tell us!"
  11. 11Oft-shaved cheese
  12. 12Simple Southern dessert
  13. 13Feeling low
  14. 18Chuckle noise
  15. 22"Where the Wild Things __"
  16. 25Run roughshod over
  17. 26"Jane the Virgin" grandmother
  18. 27Spot to veg
  19. 28Longtime NBC sketch show, casually
  20. 30Weep loudly
  21. 34Crunch muscles
  22. 35Ice cream treat
  23. 37Word that's trademarked in Ohio State University's official name
  24. 39Headscarf
  25. 40Gas station choice
  26. 41A pop
  27. 42Magazine with an annual "Female Founders" list
  28. 43Web page that has all the answers
  29. 47"Absolutely!"
  30. 49"You said it!"
  31. 51Stick
  32. 52Hearty amber beer
  33. 53Six-line poem
  34. 55Sound alike
  35. 56Food writer Drummond
  36. 57"Revolutionary Road" novelist Richard
  37. 61Stick in one's __
  38. 62Spot for a pint
  39. 64Vegan-friendly latte option
  40. 65Serengeti antelope
  41. 66Do the math

The answer to “Protective layer?” in the The Washington Post crossword is HEN — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on July 22, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 45-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.

“Protective layer?” answer

HEN (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 HEN.

Why the answer is HEN

Think of a creature that lays eggs and keeps them safe under its wings! 🐔

What does HEN mean?

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

(noun)

  • a female bird, especially of a domestic fowl
  • a female lobster, crab, or salmon

When else has “Protective layer?” 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 22, 2026 (most recent) → HEN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Protective layer?”?

The answer is HEN, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on July 22, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Protective layer?”?

3 letters: HEN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on July 22, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 45-Across.

Can “Protective layer?” 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 22, 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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