Real or ideal suffix

Editorially verified for the Aug 31, 2026

48 Down

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Educational graphic showing how the suffix “-ist” forms nouns

Clue explained

-IST is a suffix meaning a person associated with a practice, belief, or field, as in realist or idealist. It follows “real” or “ideal” to form the words named in the clue.

Clue type:
Word form

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 31, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Confess (to)
  2. 6__ at the moon
  3. 1023-Down fig.
  4. 13Extract, as minerals from soil
  5. 14Gobi Desert continent
  6. 15Egg cells
  7. 16Avian scavengers with red heads
  8. 19Tread the boards
  9. 20Feathery neckwear
  10. 21Smitten Kitchen blogger Perelman
  11. 22Some QB protectors
  12. 24Neatens up text boxes, say
  13. 27Hangry plea
  14. 29Demo release
  15. 31Secretly included on an email
  16. 34Pop singer Carly __ Jepsen
  17. 35"The Incredibles" supersuit designer Mode
  18. 36Portuguese phone greeting
  19. 37Health retreat
  20. 40Recipe amt.
  21. 42Addams cousin
  22. 43Gambling town near Tahoe
  23. 45One of eight on an octopus
  24. 47Supple
  25. 49Paperwork for leisure travelers
  26. 53Nonprofit journalism agcy.
  27. 54Most civil
  28. 58Rotten
  29. 5920-vol. lexicon
  30. 61Karate rank
  31. 62Dallas City Hall architect I.M. __
  32. 63Part of speech that requires a direct object
  33. 67Enter a race
  34. 68Benefit
  35. 69Baking tool with holes
  36. 70Actress Adams of "The Muppets"
  37. 71Fairy tale opening
  38. 72Screen found in many a living room, or what 16-, 29-, 49-, and 63-Across can be called

Down

  1. 1"I do" location
  2. 2Card with two pips
  3. 3"Knives Out" protagonist
  4. 4"Grody!"
  5. 5Hitchcock film with nonhuman villains
  6. 6Capital of Cuba
  7. 7Columbus sch.
  8. 8Untamed
  9. 9Penalties for missing due dates
  10. 10__ favor: "please," in Spanish
  11. 11Indulged too much
  12. 12May, in June
  13. 17Bear who steals "pic-a-nic" baskets
  14. 18__ Eats: DoorDash rival
  15. 23Upper house of Congress
  16. 25Cell service initials
  17. 26High-end camera, for short
  18. 28Language ending
  19. 30Large cask
  20. 31Running tally of drinks at a pub
  21. 32Pharaoh played by Elizabeth Taylor
  22. 33Puzzle
  23. 38Collects $200 in Monopoly
  24. 39Class with easels
  25. 41Least fancy
  26. 44Valuable excavation find
  27. 46Team VIP
  28. 48Real or ideal suffix
  29. 50Cry of victory
  30. 51Antiseptic fluid
  31. 52Czech or Pole
  32. 55Olympic swords
  33. 56Start a tennis rally
  34. 57Neighbor of Nepal
  35. 60Gorilla researcher Fossey
  36. 64Indefinite amount
  37. 65Nervous twitch
  38. 66"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" aunt, familiarly

The answer to “Real or ideal suffix” in the The Washington Post crossword is IST — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 31, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 48-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.

“Real or ideal suffix” answer

IST (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 IST.

When else has “Real or ideal suffix” 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 31, 2026 (most recent) → IST. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Real or ideal suffix”?

The answer is IST, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 31, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Real or ideal suffix”?

3 letters: IST.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 31, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 48-Down.

Can “Real or ideal suffix” 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 31, 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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