Puzzle

Editorially verified for the Oct 14, 2026

8 Across

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A person looking puzzled as they think over a question.

Clue explained

To bemuse someone is to puzzle or bewilder them—to leave them unsure what to make of something. It’s close to “confuse,” rather than the more familiar sense of “amuse” as making someone laugh.

Clue type:
Definition

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, October 14, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1No-frills supermarket chain
  2. 5Receipt fig.
  3. 8Puzzle
  4. 14Weaver's machine
  5. 15"Pshaw!"
  6. 16Perfect alignment
  7. 17*Black Friday enticement
  8. 19Peak with a name from Koyukon
  9. 20"The Matrix" hero
  10. 21Wee bit
  11. 23Left in a cave, as some cheese
  12. 24*Words with a WWII-era doodle
  13. 28Mardi Gras song originally called "Jock-A-Mo"
  14. 29Fabled race day napper
  15. 30"I'll shake on that!"
  16. 31Berra with a record 10 World Series rings as a player
  17. 34Centipede releaser
  18. 38Family guy
  19. 39*Shout on a playground
  20. 41Pod of whales
  21. 42"Do the Right Thing" actor Davis
  22. 44Stint in office
  23. 45Much Duchamp work
  24. 46Pitch setter
  25. 48Superhot, as wing sauce
  26. 50*Introductory phrase
  27. 53Stepped heavily
  28. 55Grammy winner India.__
  29. 56Sudden flight
  30. 57Demolish
  31. 59Marketing slogans, or what the answers to the starred clues are?
  32. 63Does some tailoring on
  33. 64"Fearless" or "Lover," for Taylor Swift
  34. 65Iditarod terminus city
  35. 66Thrift store transaction
  36. 67Sketch show with celebrity 50-Down, for short
  37. 68Flakes

Down

  1. 1__ too soon
  2. 2Lav
  3. 3Gets off the web
  4. 4Put at risk
  5. 5Pacific tuna
  6. 6Large parrot that forms a pair bond
  7. 7Angle symbol, in geometry
  8. 8Subject of a 49-foot bronze statue in Nara, Japan
  9. 9WSW opposite
  10. 10Mosque tower
  11. 11Utility bill data
  12. 12Foot part
  13. 13"Wednesday" werewolf
  14. 18Chess piece in castling
  15. 22More pale
  16. 24Little buddy
  17. 25Stores with Småland play areas
  18. 26Fluctuate wildly
  19. 27Basic Latin verb
  20. 32Determined to get
  21. 33Test for some srs.
  22. 35Leader of the Greek army during the Trojan War
  23. 36Diameter halves
  24. 37Apple desktops
  25. 39Talk over the clamor
  26. 40"Ms. Marvel" star Vellani
  27. 43Pure Leaf beverage
  28. 45Realms
  29. 47Pass by
  30. 49Starbucks size
  31. 50Members of 67-Across's Five-Timers Club, e.g.
  32. 51Tiny arachnids
  33. 52Pine (for)
  34. 53Type of ski lift
  35. 54Hold the throne
  36. 58Web address
  37. 60Actress Gadot
  38. 61Angsty rock
  39. 62Do some tailoring on

The answer to “Puzzle” in the The Washington Post crossword is BEMUSE — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 14, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 8-Across. Other answers we've seen for this clue include CONUNDRUM. 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.

“Puzzle” answer

BEMUSE (6 letters) — most recent; also seen as CONUNDRUM

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 BEMUSE.

What does BEMUSE mean?

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

(verb)

  • puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone)

Other answers for “Puzzle”

The Washington Post has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides BEMUSE, it has also been CONUNDRUM. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Puzzle”?

The answer is BEMUSE, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 14, 2026. Other answers for this clue include CONUNDRUM.

How many letters is the answer to “Puzzle”?

6 letters: BEMUSE. Earlier fills for this clue have also been CONUNDRUM (9).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 14, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 8-Across. Earlier appearances: August 31, 2026 → CONUNDRUM.

Can “Puzzle” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides BEMUSE, The Washington Post has also used CONUNDRUM for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

Where can I find the rest of this day's WaPo Crossword answers?

The full grid for October 14, 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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