Toe the line

Latest answer — October 02, 2026

59 Down

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Clue explained

To “toe the line” is to comply with a rule or authority, so OBEY fits the phrase. The clue uses the idiom in its command-like form.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A person stands with their toes at a line marked on the floor.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Friday, October 02, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Big horn
  2. 5"Scoot!"
  3. 12Winery tub
  4. 15Human rights lawyer Clooney
  5. 16Bacon strips
  6. 17Kerfuffle
  7. 18Story told with a twist
  8. 20Replayed tennis serve
  9. 21Gnats, termites, and the like
  10. 22River deposit
  11. 23Timothée Chalamet trilogy set on a desert planet
  12. 24Like some elephants
  13. 27"Golly!"
  14. 29Party gift created with a twist
  15. 34Tolkien monster
  16. 37Shuts with force
  17. 38Food package phrase
  18. 39Speak highly of
  19. 41Gaps
  20. 44Like many supermodels
  21. 45Dizzy
  22. 47Simply must
  23. 49Filmmaker Spike
  24. 50Cocktail served with a twist
  25. 54"Pagliacci" clown
  26. 55Carriers of raw metals
  27. 59Fail to mention
  28. 61Hopper on a pet
  29. 64Orange __ tea
  30. 65Ballpoint brand
  31. 66Feat performed with a twist
  32. 69Large deer in the Rockies
  33. 70Barbecue spot
  34. 71Tabloid duo
  35. 72Golf hole meas.
  36. 73States as fact
  37. 74Reseals, as a road

Down

  1. 1Third-largest city in the Sunshine State
  2. 2"Uh, I think so"
  3. 3Low choir voices
  4. 4Window-switching shortcut
  5. 5Flight board abbr.
  6. 6Star Wars Day month
  7. 7Figs. targeted by phishers
  8. 8Kenneth of "9-1-1"
  9. 9L'Oréal rival
  10. 10"Think" singer Franklin
  11. 11French fashion letters
  12. 12Fast-food combo
  13. 13Yemeni port
  14. 14Handy bag
  15. 19"¿Cómo __?"
  16. 23Believer in a noninterfering god
  17. 25Woes
  18. 26Thunder sound
  19. 28Wild beast also called a wildebeest
  20. 30Largest city in the Cornhusker State
  21. 31Sesame Street's resident Grouch
  22. 32Fit
  23. 33Country singer Lovett
  24. 34Patron saint of Norway
  25. 35Uncommon
  26. 36Pool equipment
  27. 40Railroad station
  28. 42This, in Spanish
  29. 43Mix
  30. 46"Blue Bloods" actor Cariou
  31. 48Early afternoon hr.
  32. 51Rummages (through)
  33. 52Big grinders
  34. 53Sealed the victory
  35. 56Japanese dog breed
  36. 57Mars exploration vehicle
  37. 58Comes across as
  38. 59Toe the line
  39. 60Tame
  40. 62To be, in French
  41. 63Way out there
  42. 66Sch. supporter
  43. 67Halloween mo.
  44. 68Hi-__ graphics

The answer to “Toe the line” in the The Washington Post crossword is OBEY — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 2, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 59-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.

“Toe the line” answer

OBEY (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 OBEY.

What does OBEY mean?

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

(verb)

  • submit to the authority of (someone) or comply with (a law)

When else has “Toe the line” 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.

October 2, 2026 (most recent) → OBEY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Toe the line”?

The answer is OBEY, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 2, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Toe the line”?

4 letters: OBEY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 2, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 59-Down.

Can “Toe the line” 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 October 2, 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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