Zen riddles

Latest answer — September 05, 2026

45 Down

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Clue explained

KOANS are paradoxical or puzzling questions used in Zen practice to prompt meditation beyond ordinary logical reasoning. The plural form matches “riddles.”

Clue type:
Definition
A Zen meditation setting with a monk near a rock garden

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Saturday, September 05, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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Across

  1. 1Nowhere near
  2. 5Allegro
  3. 10Improvise
  4. 14Podcaster's software option
  5. 16Cricket field shape
  6. 17Conversion that some pray will be successful?
  7. 18Work with Python, say
  8. 19Arise
  9. 20Retraced one's steps, in a way
  10. 21Light touch
  11. 24Hybrid punctuation mark
  12. 26Unsure where to go
  13. 28Logical start
  14. 29Jane in a suit?
  15. 30Pantheon honoree
  16. 31Cereal with a vanilla-flavored Confetti version
  17. 34Back up
  18. 35Kleptocracy ruler
  19. 36"The Mystery at Lilac Inn" sleuth
  20. 38Setting of Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes"
  21. 40Hermitlike
  22. 41Wanders in an airport?
  23. 42Sportscaster Patrick
  24. 43Words of warning
  25. 44Absolute noob
  26. 48Steered
  27. 49Pretty penny or bad penny
  28. 50Collection of highlights, perhaps
  29. 52Dreamcast maker
  30. 53Help line?
  31. 57Kathryn of "WandaVision"
  32. 58Strong desire for one in search of just desserts?
  33. 59Secondary social media accounts
  34. 60Pernod flavor
  35. 61Headphones maker based in Milwaukee

Down

  1. 1Actuarial stat
  2. 2Quaint transmission
  3. 3Word with pop or op
  4. 4Like an Inverted Jenny stamp
  5. 5Turn sharply to the right?
  6. 6"Cancel the launch!"
  7. 72025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Bueckers
  8. 8Something that may be on display while playing D&D
  9. 9"Silent Spring" subj.
  10. 10Informal lexicon
  11. 11Vegetarian sushi option
  12. 12Beggared belief
  13. 13Fundraising promise
  14. 15Turn into a competition, say
  15. 20Subpar
  16. 21Trampoline park gear
  17. 22"We agreed on this!"
  18. 23Bar exam setting?
  19. 25Utah's Capitol __ National Park
  20. 27Article
  21. 31Neighborhood that may contain a paifang
  22. 32Minute Maid brand
  23. 33Unserious
  24. 35Mine wagon
  25. 37Intruder from under the surface
  26. 39Semisoft cheese
  27. 40Halt
  28. 41Country star Yearwood
  29. 43Showed up at dinner?
  30. 45Zen riddles
  31. 46"The Wrestler" Oscar nominee
  32. 47Light blades
  33. 51Alcove
  34. 53Mamdani political org.
  35. 54Bath lav
  36. 55"__ no use"
  37. 56Org. that oversees 41-Across

The answer to “Zen riddles” in the The Washington Post crossword is KOANS — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on September 5, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 45-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.

“Zen riddles” answer

KOANS (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 KOANS.

What does KOANS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a paradoxical anecdote or riddle without a solution, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and provoke enlightenment

When else has “Zen riddles” 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 5, 2026 (most recent) → KOANS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Zen riddles”?

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

How many letters is the answer to “Zen riddles”?

5 letters: KOANS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on September 5, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 45-Down.

Can “Zen riddles” 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 5, 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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