Mottled mousers

Latest answer — August 11, 2026

21 Across

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Clue explained

TABBIES are cats with striped, swirled, or spotted coats—the mottled mousers described by the clue. The plural form fits the plural subject.

Clue type:
Definition
Tabby cats with striped and mottled coats

WSJ Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 11, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Black breed
  2. 6Queen in Disney’s “Frozen”
  3. 10Dial in a bathroom
  4. 14Tame unruly eyebrows, e.g.
  5. 15Ship’s spine
  6. 16Princess in Disney’s “Frozen”
  7. 17Stopped spending so much, say
  8. 19Crow’s-nest site
  9. 20Manhunt quarry
  10. 21Mottled mousers
  11. 23Granny Smith descriptor
  12. 25Before sunrise
  13. 26Slow-cooking drumettes over apple wood
  14. 32Strip for chuckles
  15. 33Plans for srs.
  16. 34Dance club VIPs
  17. 37High point
  18. 38Bothersome
  19. 40Keystone State port
  20. 41One end of a royal flush
  21. 42Makeup for a bowler
  22. 43Mescal source
  23. 44Pitcher with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball
  24. 47Alfresco dining spot
  25. 50Japanese legislature
  26. 51Flowery shrubs
  27. 54Batting rarities
  28. 59Make sound
  29. 60Some hard seltzers
  30. 62Easy gait
  31. 63Weapon for Colonel Mustard
  32. 64Arthur Miller’s salesman
  33. 65Hardens
  34. 66Planetary cycle
  35. 67Idyllic spots

Down

  1. 1Religious recess
  2. 2MLB semifinal round
  3. 3Tex-Mex chip dip, informally
  4. 4The Bruins’ sch.
  5. 5Doubter
  6. 6Anita of “La Dolce Vita”
  7. 7Grazing area
  8. 8Split-off group
  9. 9___-Seltzer
  10. 10Rhythmic Brazilian dances
  11. 11Studio sign
  12. 12Photographer Adams
  13. 13Easy victim
  14. 18Campus figure
  15. 22Pleads
  16. 24Depraved
  17. 26Improvised singing style
  18. 27Sulk
  19. 28Prophetic sign
  20. 29“Kid-tested” cereal
  21. 30Nettle
  22. 31Opposition vote
  23. 34Winnerless outcome
  24. 35Cab Calloway specialty
  25. 36Clairvoyant
  26. 38Stir-fry bit
  27. 39National Mall shader
  28. 40Self-esteem
  29. 42Perch for a polar bear
  30. 43News item
  31. 44Steakhouse choices
  32. 45Nervous laugh
  33. 46Roll call response
  34. 47Concords
  35. 48Blue hue
  36. 49Deck of wands, swords, cups and pentacles
  37. 52Out of kilter
  38. 53Brake part
  39. 55Trudge along
  40. 56Like a horse that hobbles
  41. 57McGregor of “Moulin Rouge!”
  42. 58Tax IDs
  43. 61Microbrew, often

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Black breed — Answer: ANGUS. Hint: This cattle breed is known for its dark coat and flavorful beef. 🐄
  2. 6. Queen in Disney’s “Frozen” — Answer: ELSA. Hint: This ice-powered royal shares the spotlight with her sister Anna. ❄️
  3. 10. Dial in a bathroom — Answer: SOAP. Hint: Think of a familiar bathroom brand whose name is also something you turn. 🧼
  4. 14. Tame unruly eyebrows, e.g. — Answer: PLUCK. Hint: Use tweezers to tidy up those unruly brows. ✨
  5. 15. Ship’s spine — Answer: KEEL. Hint: Think of the sturdy backbone running along the bottom of a ship 🚢
  6. 16. Princess in Disney’s “Frozen” — Answer: ANNA. Hint: She’s the warmhearted younger royal sister of Elsa. ❄️
  7. 17. Stopped spending so much, say — Answer: SCALEDBACK. Hint: Think of trimming your spending without eliminating it entirely. 💸
  8. 19. Crow’s-nest site — Answer: MAST. Hint: Look for the high perch atop a ship’s tall pole. ⛵
  9. 20. Manhunt quarry — Answer: ESCAPEE. Hint: This is the person a manhunt is trying to track down. 🕵️
  10. 21. Mottled mousers — Answer: TABBIES. Hint: These house cats are known for their striped or mottled coats and knack for catching mice. 🐱
  11. 23. Granny Smith descriptor — Answer: TART. Hint: This apple variety is known for its crisp, mouth-puckering flavor 🍏
  12. 25. Before sunrise — Answer: EARLY. Hint: Think of the quiet hours when the day is just beginning 🌅
  13. 26. Slow-cooking drumettes over apple wood — Answer: SMOKINGWINGS. Hint: Think of a low-and-slow barbecue technique that gives chicken pieces a deliciously smoky flavor. 🍗
  14. 32. Strip for chuckles — Answer: COMIC. Hint: Think of a funny illustrated feature in a newspaper. 😂
  15. 33. Plans for srs. — Answer: IRAS. Hint: Think of retirement accounts that help seniors prepare financially. 💰
  16. 34. Dance club VIPs — Answer: DJS. Hint: They keep the beats spinning and the crowd moving all night. 🎧
  17. 37. High point — Answer: APEX. Hint: Think of the summit—the very top of something. ⛰️
  18. 38. Bothersome — Answer: PESKY. Hint: Describes something irritatingly troublesome or annoying. 😤
  19. 40. Keystone State port — Answer: ERIE. Hint: Think of Pennsylvania’s harbor on the Great Lakes, named after the lake it borders. ⚓
  20. 41. One end of a royal flush — Answer: TEN. Hint: This card is the low end of poker’s most dazzling straight flush. 🃏
  21. 42. Makeup for a bowler — Answer: FELT. Hint: This soft, sturdy material is a classic choice for shaping a bowler hat. 🎩
  22. 43. Mescal source — Answer: AGAVE. Hint: This prickly desert plant is harvested to make the smoky spirit. 🌵
  23. 44. Pitcher with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball — Answer: FLAMETHROWER. Hint: Picture a pitcher whose blazing delivery belongs on a battlefield, not a ballfield. 🔥
  24. 47. Alfresco dining spot — Answer: PATIO. Hint: A sunny outdoor place to enjoy your meal 🌞
  25. 50. Japanese legislature — Answer: DIET. Hint: Japan’s national lawmaking body goes by this distinctive name. 🏛️
  26. 51. Flowery shrubs — Answer: AZALEAS. Hint: These garden shrubs are loved for their vibrant, showy blooms 🌸
  27. 54. Batting rarities — Answer: TRIPLES. Hint: In baseball, these three-base hits are uncommon enough to feel special ⚾
  28. 59. Make sound — Answer: CURE. Hint: Think of a verb meaning to restore someone to health. 🩺
  29. 60. Some hard seltzers — Answer: WHITECLAWS. Hint: Think of a fizzy drink brand named for what a big cat might swipe with. 🐾
  30. 62. Easy gait — Answer: TROT. Hint: Think of a horse’s steady, two-beat way of moving. 🐎
  31. 63. Weapon for Colonel Mustard — Answer: ROPE. Hint: Think of the simple household item Colonel Mustard might wield in a classic murder-mystery board game 🕵️
  32. 64. Arthur Miller’s salesman — Answer: LOMAN. Hint: Think of the tragic traveling salesman at the center of Miller’s family drama. 🎭
  33. 65. Hardens — Answer: SETS. Hint: Like gelatin does as it cools 🧊
  34. 66. Planetary cycle — Answer: YEAR. Hint: It’s the time Earth needs to make one complete trip around the Sun. 🌍
  35. 67. Idyllic spots — Answer: EDENS. Hint: Think of paradise-like gardens where everything seems perfect. 🌿

Down

  1. 1. Religious recess — Answer: APSE. Hint: Look for the church’s rounded nook behind the altar. ⛪
  2. 2. MLB semifinal round — Answer: NLCS. Hint: This playoff series determines which National League team advances to the World Series. ⚾
  3. 3. Tex-Mex chip dip, informally — Answer: GUAC. Hint: This creamy avocado-based dip is a classic partner for tortilla chips. 🥑
  4. 4. The Bruins’ sch. — Answer: UCLA. Hint: This Los Angeles university is famous for its Bruins sports teams. 🐻
  5. 5. Doubter — Answer: SKEPTIC. Hint: Someone who questions whether claims are true 🤔
  6. 6. Anita of “La Dolce Vita” — Answer: EKBERG. Hint: Think of the glamorous Swedish actress who made a splash in Fellini’s iconic film. 🎬
  7. 7. Grazing area — Answer: LEA. Hint: Think of a grassy meadow where livestock might munch. 🐄
  8. 8. Split-off group — Answer: SECT. Hint: A breakaway group united by shared beliefs might be called this 🧩
  9. 9. ___-Seltzer — Answer: ALKA. Hint: This fizzy antacid brand is a classic remedy for an upset stomach. 🫧
  10. 10. Rhythmic Brazilian dances — Answer: SAMBAS. Hint: These lively Brazilian dances are closely associated with Carnival celebrations. 💃
  11. 11. Studio sign — Answer: ONAIR. Hint: This glowing notice means the broadcast is happening right now. 📻
  12. 12. Photographer Adams — Answer: ANSEL. Hint: Think of the celebrated nature photographer known for breathtaking black-and-white landscapes of the American West. 📷
  13. 13. Easy victim — Answer: PATSY. Hint: Someone easily fooled or blamed might be called this. 🎯
  14. 18. Campus figure — Answer: DEAN. Hint: Think of the university leader who oversees a college or faculty 🎓
  15. 22. Pleads — Answer: BEGS. Hint: Makes an urgent, heartfelt request. 🙏
  16. 24. Depraved — Answer: TWISTED. Hint: Think morally corrupt and wicked rather than merely unusual. 😈
  17. 26. Improvised singing style — Answer: SCAT. Hint: A playful jazz technique where singers improvise with nonsense syllables 🎷
  18. 27. Sulk — Answer: MOPE. Hint: Brood quietly when you’re feeling gloomy or resentful. 😔
  19. 28. Prophetic sign — Answer: OMEN. Hint: A little sign that seems to foretell what’s coming next 🔮
  20. 29. “Kid-tested” cereal — Answer: KIX. Hint: Think of a light, crunchy breakfast cereal that kids have long loved. 🥣
  21. 30. Nettle — Answer: IRK. Hint: To bother or annoy someone is to do this. 😤
  22. 31. Opposition vote — Answer: NAY. Hint: A brief ballot response rejecting the motion 🗳️
  23. 34. Winnerless outcome — Answer: DRAW. Hint: Neither side comes out ahead in this evenly matched result 🤝
  24. 35. Cab Calloway specialty — Answer: JIVE. Hint: Think of the lively, swinging dance style this bandleader helped popularize. 🎶
  25. 36. Clairvoyant — Answer: SEER. Hint: Someone with a crystal-ball reputation might fit this clue 🔮
  26. 38. Stir-fry bit — Answer: PEA. Hint: This tiny green veggie adds a pop of color and sweetness to the wok. 🫛
  27. 39. National Mall shader — Answer: ELM. Hint: Think of the stately tree that might cast shade along Washington, D.C.’s iconic lawn 🌳
  28. 40. Self-esteem — Answer: EGO. Hint: Your inner sense of personal worth can be described this way. 🪞
  29. 42. Perch for a polar bear — Answer: FLOE. Hint: This floating slab of sea ice makes a chilly resting spot in the Arctic. 🧊
  30. 43. News item — Answer: ARTICLE. Hint: A piece of reporting you might read in a newspaper or online 📰
  31. 44. Steakhouse choices — Answer: FILETS. Hint: At a steakhouse, these are prized for being especially tender and boneless. 🥩
  32. 45. Nervous laugh — Answer: TITTER. Hint: A small, uneasy chuckle that slips out during an awkward moment 😅
  33. 46. Roll call response — Answer: HERE. Hint: Say this to let the teacher know you’re present. 🙋
  34. 47. Concords — Answer: PACTS. Hint: Think of formal agreements made between two or more parties 🤝
  35. 48. Blue hue — Answer: AZURE. Hint: Think of the clear sky on a sunny day. 🔵
  36. 49. Deck of wands, swords, cups and pentacles — Answer: TAROT. Hint: This mystical card deck features four suits tied to classic symbols and fortune-telling 🔮
  37. 52. Out of kilter — Answer: AWRY. Hint: Something out of kilter is noticeably off balance or not quite right. 🌀
  38. 53. Brake part — Answer: SHOE. Hint: This curved component presses against the inside of a drum to slow a vehicle. 🛞
  39. 55. Trudge along — Answer: PLOD. Hint: Move forward slowly and heavily, as if each step takes effort. 🥾
  40. 56. Like a horse that hobbles — Answer: LAME. Hint: Describes an animal walking with an uneven, painful gait 🐴
  41. 57. McGregor of “Moulin Rouge!” — Answer: EWAN. Hint: Think of the Scottish actor who played Christian opposite Nicole Kidman in this dazzling musical. 🎬
  42. 58. Tax IDs — Answer: SSNS. Hint: These personal identification numbers help employers and the government track your earnings. 🧾
  43. 61. Microbrew, often — Answer: IPA. Hint: This hoppy craft-beer style is a favorite of small breweries. 🍺

The answer to “Mottled mousers” in the Wall Street Journal crossword is TABBIES — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal crossword on August 11, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 21-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.

“Mottled mousers” answer

TABBIES (7 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 TABBIES.

What does TABBIES mean?

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

(noun)

  • a grey or brownish cat mottled or streaked with dark stripes
  • a fabric with a watered pattern, typically silk
  • a plain weave

When else has “Mottled mousers” appeared?

Wall Street Journal 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.

August 11, 2026 (most recent) → TABBIES. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Mottled mousers”?

The answer is TABBIES, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal crossword on August 11, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Mottled mousers”?

7 letters: TABBIES.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Wall Street Journal crossword on August 11, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 21-Across.

Can “Mottled mousers” have a different answer?

Yes — Wall Street Journal 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 WSJ answers?

The full grid for August 11, 2026 is on the WSJ answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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