Respected leader

Latest answer — September 09, 2026

66 Across

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Clue explained

An ELDER is a respected senior person or leader, particularly within a community or religious group.

Clue type:
Definition
A respected older community leader speaking at a meeting.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, September 09, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Insensitive
  2. 6Not out
  3. 10Apple variety
  4. 14__ Productions: media company founded by Oprah
  5. 15West Coast sch. that joined the Big Ten in 2024
  6. 16Team with a lot of pull?
  7. 17All over
  8. 18Birds whose oil is used in Aboriginal medicine
  9. 19Super Serum seller
  10. 20Soccer player who shares every little detail online?
  11. 23__-di-dah
  12. 24Blubber
  13. 25Accident report?
  14. 28"What a gimme!"
  15. 31Mail
  16. 34King topper in a game of war
  17. 35Singer Halliwell
  18. 36Leave in a fit?
  19. 38Soccer player from a Florida archipelago?
  20. 41Like steak, but not cake
  21. 42Reasons to go to extra innings
  22. 43Jazz (up)
  23. 44Rookie gamer
  24. 45Speck on a map
  25. 46Sign
  26. 47Long fish
  27. 49"Truthfully" initials
  28. 51Soccer player who doesn't pull their weight?
  29. 58Lean
  30. 59Within reach
  31. 60Eaglet home
  32. 61Avant-garde style
  33. 62Small bird of prey
  34. 63"You almost guessed it!"
  35. 64Staircase part
  36. 65"Now!"
  37. 66Respected leader

Down

  1. 1Fella
  2. 2Robusto! sauce brand
  3. 3Many an Eid celebrant
  4. 4Lets the cat out of the bag
  5. 5Ketanji colleague
  6. 6Sought compensation
  7. 7Height
  8. 8Nickname for comedian Gabriel Iglesias
  9. 9Stand for artistic freedom?
  10. 10Bible
  11. 11Wheel spinner
  12. 12Father of Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia
  13. 13Flexible amount
  14. 21Joyful
  15. 22Italy's third-largest city
  16. 25National trees of the United States
  17. 26Place where people cruise through life?
  18. 27Get to
  19. 29Preferring platonic relationships, for short
  20. 30Searches (through)
  21. 32Iron output
  22. 33Herb in jerk seasoning
  23. 35Company with an annual search for a spokesbaby
  24. 36Flamin' Hot puff
  25. 37"College GameDay" network
  26. 39Short time out
  27. 40From dawn __ dusk
  28. 45Finder's cry
  29. 46"Such is life"
  30. 48Spot for a tee party?
  31. 50Knee protector
  32. 51Small talk
  33. 52Deputy
  34. 53Spreadsheet input
  35. 54Guitar ridge
  36. 55Yankee nickname of the 2000s
  37. 56"__ and shine!"
  38. 57Lots of bucks
  39. 58Some 37-Down highlights: Abbr.

The answer to “Respected leader” in the The Washington Post crossword is ELDER — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 9, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 66-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.

“Respected leader” answer

ELDER (5 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 ELDER.

What does ELDER mean?

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

(adjective)

  • (of one or more out of a group of associated people) of a greater age

When else has “Respected leader” 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.

September 9, 2026 (most recent) → ELDER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Respected leader”?

The answer is ELDER, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 9, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Respected leader”?

5 letters: ELDER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 9, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 66-Across.

Can “Respected leader” 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 September 9, 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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