Soothe operator?

Latest answer — September 24, 2026

5 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

BALM can be a verb meaning “to soothe,” making it a playful “operator” that calms or comforts rather than a telephone or mathematical operator. The question mark signals this whimsical reading.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A small container of soothing balm

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Thursday, September 24, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Bit of baby talk
  2. 5Soothe operator?
  3. 9Hutches
  4. 13Rink leap
  5. 14Geography buff's compendium
  6. 16Milquetoast
  7. 17*Urn that self-returns?
  8. 19"Purple Haze" rocker Hendrix
  9. 20__ Strauss & Co.
  10. 21Discord figs.
  11. 23Flat cap
  12. 24*Spreading the gospel of continental breakfast, turndown service, and free Wi-Fi?
  13. 28Took in
  14. 29The Roaring Twenties, e.g.
  15. 30Target of some recycling drives
  16. 31Some 35mm cameras
  17. 33Woes
  18. 36Submitter's button
  19. 37*Corny, sappy, or cheesy?
  20. 40Discord fig.
  21. 43Seafaring wood
  22. 44Isolate, in corporate jargon
  23. 48Small diadems
  24. 50Member of the fam
  25. 52Drops in the morning
  26. 53*Treating guests to some honey, perhaps?
  27. 57Quitter's button
  28. 58__-poly
  29. 59Tex-Mex extra, for short
  30. 60Screen type at many a science museum
  31. 62Oregon Trail cry, or an apt title for this puzzle?
  32. 66CarPlay companion
  33. 67"Bo-ring!"
  34. 68On in years
  35. 69Rapa Nui monoliths
  36. 70Tried to get home, say
  37. 71Journo's hook

Down

  1. 1Morse code unit
  2. 2Mexican salamander found in mountain lakes
  3. 3Greek goddess of the harvest
  4. 4Still in it to win it
  5. 5Purse
  6. 6Off-rd. rig
  7. 7Vicuña kin
  8. 8George __ University
  9. 9Vegan sando
  10. 10Gatekeeping type
  11. 11Word often said over prayer hands
  12. 12Sequins effect
  13. 15Grasslike plant
  14. 18Murchison Falls river
  15. 22Setting of the animated film "Flushed Away"
  16. 24Consumes
  17. 25"Black Panther" villain Killmonger
  18. 26Worker who gets around a lot
  19. 27Touches down
  20. 32Henley, for one
  21. 34Curing agent for century eggs
  22. 35Ashram leader, perhaps
  23. 38Broadcasting
  24. 39"I get the point already!"
  25. 40Pascal's wager subject
  26. 41Spanish expression of shock
  27. 42Lash thickener
  28. 45Lanyard attachment
  29. 46Freeloaded
  30. 47Have debts
  31. 49Makes a winter blanket?
  32. 51Grand opening?
  33. 54Secluded valleys
  34. 55Wipes brand
  35. 56Hearing-related
  36. 61Number on an old clock
  37. 63Numeric prefix
  38. 64Married
  39. 65Lines from an admirer

The answer to “Soothe operator?” in the The Washington Post crossword is BALM — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 24, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 5-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.

“Soothe operator?” answer

BALM (4 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 BALM.

What does BALM mean?

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

(noun)

  • a fragrant cream or liquid used to heal or soothe the skin
  • a tree which yields a fragrant resinous substance, especially one used in medicine
  • a bushy herb of the mint family, with leaves smelling and tasting of lemon

When else has “Soothe operator?” 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 24, 2026 (most recent) → BALM. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Soothe operator?”?

The answer is BALM, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 24, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Soothe operator?”?

4 letters: BALM.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 24, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 5-Across.

Can “Soothe operator?” 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 24, 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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