Trade punches

Latest answer — September 11, 2026

40 Across

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Clue explained

As a verb, “spar” means to engage in a light or practice fight, especially by exchanging punches. The plural noun “punches” in the clue describes the action indirectly.

Clue type:
Definition
Two boxers lightly exchanging punches during training.

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 11, 2026 appearance

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The answer to Trade punches in the The Washington Post crossword is SPAR — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 11, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 40-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.

Trade punches” answer

SPAR (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 SPAR.

What does SPAR mean?

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

(noun)

  • a thick, strong pole such as is used for a mast or yard on a ship

When else has “Trade punches” 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 11, 2026 (most recent) SPAR. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Trade punches”?

The answer is SPAR, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 11, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Trade punches”?

4 letters: SPAR.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 11, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 40-Across.

Can “Trade punches” 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 11, 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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