Wind instrument?

Latest answer — October 11, 2026

86 Across

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A rooftop weather vane with an arrow that turns to indicate wind direction.

Clue explained

A weather vane is a wind “instrument”: its arrow turns to show which direction the wind is coming from. Traditional vanes often have a rooster or arrow on top, balanced on a vertical rod so the freely moving pointer can respond to the breeze. Unlike an anemometer, it shows direction rather than wind speed.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Sunday, October 11, 2026 appearance

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The answer to “Wind instrument?” in the The Washington Post crossword is VANE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 11, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 86-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.

“Wind instrument?” answer

VANE (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 VANE.

What does VANE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a broad blade attached to a rotating axis or wheel which pushes or is pushed by wind or water and forms part of a machine or device such as a windmill, propeller, or turbine

When else has “Wind instrument?” 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 11, 2026 (most recent) → VANE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Wind instrument?”?

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

How many letters is the answer to “Wind instrument?”?

4 letters: VANE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 11, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 86-Across.

Can “Wind instrument?” 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 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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