"__ tu": Verdi aria

Latest answer — October 07, 2026

4 Down

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A baritone performing an aria from Verdi’s opera Un ballo in maschera.

Clue explained

“Eri tu” is the title phrase of a Verdi aria from the opera *Un ballo in maschera*; it means “it was you.” In the opera’s final act, Renato sings the aria as he wrestles with betrayal and revenge. The clue asks for the missing word before “tu,” so the answer is the Italian “eri.” Verdi’s dramatic melody gives the aria a life beyond the puzzle: it is a showpiece for a baritone voice.

Clue type:
Fill-in-the-blank

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, October 07, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Built (on)
  2. 6Many an A-lister
  3. 11Swing's path
  4. 14Cartoon canine who speaks with an "R" consonant mutation
  5. 15Level
  6. 16"Argo" org.
  7. 17Ruin the Olympic Games?
  8. 19Every last bit
  9. 20Tammy Duckworth's title, briefly
  10. 21Merry-go-round music
  11. 22Bas-__
  12. 24Like many dirt roads
  13. 26Home of Hawaii's Merrie Monarch Festival
  14. 27Destroy casual chitchat?
  15. 32Tennis great Andre
  16. 35Georgia airport code
  17. 36"If you ask me ... "
  18. 37Massage
  19. 38Super vision?
  20. 39Polite title
  21. 40A in geometry
  22. 42French wine classification
  23. 43Annette of "Virgin River"
  24. 46Wreak havoc on origami supplies?
  25. 49Forever and ever
  26. 50Repeat for emphasis
  27. 54"Who __!"
  28. 57Burlesque bit
  29. 58Light touch
  30. 59Sometimes called, for short
  31. 60Lay waste to a dairy product?
  32. 63Virginia Woolf's "__ Dalloway"
  33. 64"__ mañana"
  34. 65A-list
  35. 66Light touch
  36. 67Elizabeth who plays the Scarlet Witch
  37. 68Trig ratios

Down

  1. 1Common voice for an opera villain
  2. 2Colorado town near Snowmass
  3. 3Curling piece
  4. 4"__ tu": Verdi aria
  5. 5Brunei money
  6. 6Orchard fruit
  7. 7Congeal
  8. 8Viscous goo
  9. 9Having one's day in court?
  10. 10Deal in, as vintage clothing
  11. 11Breakfast bowl berry
  12. 12Annoy but good
  13. 13Baby camel
  14. 18Africa-to-Asia land bridge
  15. 23Trickster in Norse mythology
  16. 25Jr. officers
  17. 26URL starter
  18. 28Invites to one's apartment, say
  19. 29Childish comeback
  20. 30Get just right
  21. 31Giant oceanic surface current
  22. 32Part of UAE
  23. 33Hindu mentor
  24. 34Lie for, say
  25. 38Goes astray
  26. 41Las Vegas WNBA team
  27. 42Primary
  28. 43__ nerve
  29. 44Shows signs of growth?
  30. 45Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby
  31. 47Top dog
  32. 48Three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Troy
  33. 51Saved on supper, perhaps
  34. 52Sample size?
  35. 53Stage combat props
  36. 54Not quite dry
  37. 55Sticky pod
  38. 56From Perth to Sydney
  39. 57Make full
  40. 61Curvy letter
  41. 62Yale grad

The answer to “"__ tu": Verdi aria” in the The Washington Post crossword is ERI — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 4-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.

“"__ tu": Verdi aria” answer

ERI (3 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 ERI.

When else has “"__ tu": Verdi aria” 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 7, 2026 (most recent) → ERI. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"__ tu": Verdi aria”?

The answer is ERI, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"__ tu": Verdi aria”?

3 letters: ERI.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 4-Down.

Can “"__ tu": Verdi aria” 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 7, 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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