Tough to form a bond with

Latest answer — October 03, 2026

36 Across

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Clue explained

Someone aloof seems distant or emotionally detached, making it difficult to form a bond with them. The answer is an adjective describing that person.

Clue type:
Definition
A person stands apart from a nearby social group.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 03, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Item dropped in the drink
  2. 6Chiromancer's target
  3. 10Overwhelm
  4. 14Hair extension
  5. 15Cookies and cream treat
  6. 17Baseball's all-time RBI leader
  7. 18Rescuers on the run?
  8. 19Bases for busts
  9. 21Not accidental
  10. 22Oft-redacted fig.
  11. 23Many an adoptee
  12. 27Ones correcting they're gaffes, perhaps?
  13. 32French "deadly"
  14. 34Christmas song
  15. 35"Pass"
  16. 36Tough to form a bond with
  17. 37Media that led to record losses
  18. 38"What she said"
  19. 40WoW, for one
  20. 41Visit a souk
  21. 43Steer clear of
  22. 44Product of green energy?
  23. 47Relatively helpful business practice?
  24. 48Hip-hop figures
  25. 51Groundwork
  26. 54Neighborhood blot
  27. 56Open
  28. 60"Enough's enough"
  29. 61"Truth!"
  30. 62"Gigi" composer
  31. 63Chocolate brand owned by Berkshire Hathaway
  32. 64Ginormous
  33. 65Samsung appliance

Down

  1. 1Pulls a switch
  2. 2Birds for whom a color is named
  3. 3More than ready
  4. 4Bath water
  5. 5Split evenly, informally
  6. 6Play __
  7. 7Ararat lander
  8. 8Island ring
  9. 9Messy locks
  10. 10"Yentl" setting
  11. 11Spencer of "Good Morning America"
  12. 12"Don't Matter" singer
  13. 13Move to another state?
  14. 16"Nothing new under the sun"
  15. 20Heart's location?
  16. 24Long jumper's destination
  17. 25Olympic archer?
  18. 26Safety gear for ER workers
  19. 28"The White Tiger" actor Rajkummar
  20. 29On easy street
  21. 30Sandra's "Ocean's 8" co-star
  22. 31DIY help site
  23. 32"Fire Country" actress Diane
  24. 33Chewy brand
  25. 37Lombardy birthplace of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger
  26. 39"Ugh!"
  27. 42Not square
  28. 43Spot for unique gifts
  29. 45Mike Brown's NBA team
  30. 46Afternoon outing?
  31. 49"Almost Famous" director
  32. 50Underground government operation?
  33. 51Reddish-brown horses
  34. 52Toner additive
  35. 53Turn on an axis
  36. 55Toffee bar
  37. 57Certain parent
  38. 5857-Down in a meadow
  39. 59Semi

The answer to “Tough to form a bond with” in the The Washington Post crossword is ALOOF — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 3, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 36-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.

“Tough to form a bond with” answer

ALOOF (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 ALOOF.

What does ALOOF mean?

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

(adjective)

  • not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant

When else has “Tough to form a bond with” 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 3, 2026 (most recent) → ALOOF. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Tough to form a bond with”?

The answer is ALOOF, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Tough to form a bond with”?

5 letters: ALOOF.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 3, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 36-Across.

Can “Tough to form a bond with” 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 3, 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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