"This is not a __!"
Editorially verified for the Aug 23, 2026
77 Down
Scroll down for rest of crossword answers
Clue explained
The phrase “This is not a drill!” means that an emergency or announcement is real rather than a practice exercise. DRILL is therefore the missing noun in the quotation.
- Clue type:
- Phrase or idiom
WaPo Crossword
This clue's Sunday, August 23, 2026 appearance
Tap a square to reveal a letter.
Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
Across
- 46Wee bits
- 55Swine
- 87Decided
- 92Bad look
- 100Kung __ tofu
- 105Doozy
- 114Charon?
- 118Father
- 119All fired up
Down
- 13Jam
- 15__ point
- 18Kiddos
- 41Oracle
- 48Pluck
- 57Badger
- 66Spot
- 72Cast out
- 83Peak
- 93Expected
- 103"For real?"
- 104Greek wrap
- 105Mammoth
- 117__ and downs
The answer to “"This is not a __!"” in the The Washington Post crossword is DRILL — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 23, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 77-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.
“"This is not a __!"” answer
DRILL (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 DRILL.
What does DRILL mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of DRILL is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(noun)
- a tool or machine with a rotating cutting tip or reciprocating hammer or chisel, used for making holes
- instruction or training in military exercises
- a predatory mollusc that bores into the shells of other molluscs in order to feed on the soft tissue
When else has “"This is not a __!"” 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 23, 2026 (most recent) → DRILL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “"This is not a __!"”?
The answer is DRILL, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 23, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “"This is not a __!"”?
5 letters: DRILL.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 23, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 77-Down.
Can “"This is not a __!"” 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 23, 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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