Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten

Latest answer — August 17, 2026

48 Across

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Clue explained

NCAA stands for the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the organization that governs major U.S. college sports, including the Pac-12 and Big Ten conferences.

Clue type:
Abbreviation
The logo of the National Collegiate Athletic Association

WSJ Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 17, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1SAT prep study
  2. 6Blue-green hue
  3. 10Use your incisors
  4. 14Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela
  5. 15Catch some waves
  6. 16Anise-flavored Greek liqueur
  7. 17Jennifer with multiple platinum albums
  8. 18Birthplace of Fibonacci and Galileo
  9. 19Voice above a tenor
  10. 20Having two flat surfaces always equidistant, as a sheet of glass
  11. 23“New Rules” singer ___ Lipa
  12. 25Gothic novelist Radcliffe
  13. 26Catchall category: Abbr.
  14. 27Like some loans
  15. 32Incite
  16. 33Ballgame delayer
  17. 34Refrain from a night of heavy drinking?
  18. 41“Keep quiet” contracts, for short
  19. 42Nickel back word
  20. 44Suit stand, by another name
  21. 48Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten
  22. 50Feel remorse for
  23. 51Cal. spans
  24. 52Common storefront sign, and a hint to 20-, 27-, 34- and 44-Across
  25. 57“Now it’s clear”
  26. 58Arrived
  27. 59Spacious
  28. 6232-nation grp.
  29. 63Bitter brews, briefly
  30. 64Follow
  31. 65Narrow valley
  32. 66Send salacious selfies, say
  33. 67Title pages?

Down

  1. 1Kilmer of “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”
  2. 2Gold, in Granada
  3. 3Spot for a Brit, casually
  4. 4Explorer Tasman
  5. 5Exotic market
  6. 6Quakers of Colorado?
  7. 7Witty comment
  8. 8Bear in the night sky
  9. 9At a distance
  10. 10Shark in front of a net, say
  11. 11Dummy letters in cryptography
  12. 12Ancient Mexican
  13. 13Fleece stuff
  14. 21Opposite of SSW
  15. 22“I don’t need ___” (restaurant regular’s comment)
  16. 23“What’s the ___?” (“Who cares?”)
  17. 24Nickel back word
  18. 28Antlered animal
  19. 29Criticize savagely
  20. 30Temporary trend
  21. 31Copacabana Beach setting
  22. 35China’s Zhou ___
  23. 36Words at a wedding
  24. 37Skin pic
  25. 38Designer’s deg.
  26. 39Depp of “Nosferatu”
  27. 40At any point
  28. 43Martians, e.g.: Abbr.
  29. 44Encrust, like 60-Down might
  30. 45Physicist Rutherford
  31. 46Big ___, California
  32. 47Turned sharply
  33. 48Twangy
  34. 49Largest of the Greek islands
  35. 52Send an online reminder to
  36. 53CBS franchise
  37. 54Stare in awe
  38. 55“The Odyssey” film format
  39. 56Top-notch
  40. 60See 44-Down
  41. 61Agreeable answer

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. SAT prep study — Answer: VOCAB. Hint: Reviewing word meanings is a smart way to prepare for this college entrance exam 📚
  2. 6. Blue-green hue — Answer: AQUA. Hint: Think of a refreshing color often seen in tropical waters! 🌊
  3. 10. Use your incisors — Answer: GNAW. Hint: Use your front teeth to wear away at something. 🦷
  4. 14. Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela — Answer: ARUBA. Hint: This sunny island lies just north of Venezuela in the Caribbean. 🏝️
  5. 15. Catch some waves — Answer: SURF. Hint: Ride ocean swells on a board. 🏄
  6. 16. Anise-flavored Greek liqueur — Answer: OUZO. Hint: This Greek spirit gets its distinctive flavor from anise. 🥃
  7. 17. Jennifer with multiple platinum albums — Answer: LOPEZ. Hint: Think of the surname of Jenny from the Block. 🎶
  8. 18. Birthplace of Fibonacci and Galileo — Answer: PISA. Hint: This Italian city is famous for a famously leaning landmark. 🏛️
  9. 19. Voice above a tenor — Answer: ALTO. Hint: In vocal ranges, this lies above tenor and below soprano. 🎶
  10. 20. Having two flat surfaces always equidistant, as a sheet of glass — Answer: PLANEPARALLEL. Hint: A sheet with this geometry has two flat faces that remain equally spaced. 📐
  11. 23. “New Rules” singer ___ Lipa — Answer: DUA. Hint: The singer behind “New Rules” has this short first name. 🎤
  12. 25. Gothic novelist Radcliffe — Answer: ANN. Hint: This Gothic novelist wrote The Mysteries of Udolpho. 📚
  13. 26. Catchall category: Abbr. — Answer: MISC. Hint: This abbreviation labels assorted items that do not fit elsewhere. 🗂️
  14. 27. Like some loans — Answer: INTERESTFREE. Hint: These loans carry no added borrowing charge. 💸
  15. 32. Incite — Answer: FUEL. Hint: To incite something is to supply it with extra impetus. 🔥
  16. 33. Ballgame delayer — Answer: RAIN. Hint: This weather can postpone a game played outdoors. ☔
  17. 34. Refrain from a night of heavy drinking? — Answer: MAKEITADOUBLE. Hint: A drinker’s playful request can mean ordering two instead of one. 🍸
  18. 41. “Keep quiet” contracts, for short — Answer: NDAS. Hint: These short contracts promise that private information will stay private. 🤫
  19. 42. Nickel back word — Answer: FIVE. Hint: A nickel’s value points to this number. 🪙
  20. 44. Suit stand, by another name — Answer: CLOTHESVALET. Hint: This handy furniture holds garments neatly. 👔
  21. 48. Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten — Answer: NCAA. Hint: This collegiate sports authority oversees major conferences. 🏀
  22. 50. Feel remorse for — Answer: RUE. Hint: To regret a choice is to do this. 😔
  23. 51. Cal. spans — Answer: YRS. Hint: Calendars measure these stretches of time. 📅
  24. 52. Common storefront sign, and a hint to 20-, 27-, 34- and 44-Across — Answer: PARKINGINREAR. Hint: This sign directs drivers to spaces behind the building. 🚗
  25. 57. “Now it’s clear” — Answer: ISEE. Hint: Use this brief phrase when you finally understand. 💡
  26. 58. Arrived — Answer: CAME. Hint: This past-tense verb means showed up. 🚪
  27. 59. Spacious — Answer: ROOMY. Hint: Describes a place with plenty of elbow room 🏠
  28. 62. 32-nation grp. — Answer: NATO. Hint: This international alliance includes thirty-two member countries. 🌍
  29. 63. Bitter brews, briefly — Answer: IPAS. Hint: Hop-forward beers are often shortened this way. 🍺
  30. 64. Follow — Answer: ENSUE. Hint: Events that happen afterward do this. ➡️
  31. 65. Narrow valley — Answer: GLEN. Hint: Picture a snug valley between hills. 🏞️
  32. 66. Send salacious selfies, say — Answer: SEXT. Hint: This verb describes sending suggestive messages or photos. 📱
  33. 67. Title pages? — Answer: DEEDS. Hint: Property documents can serve as these ownership papers. 📜

Down

  1. 1. Kilmer of “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” — Answer: VAL. Hint: This actor shares a first name with a familiar short name for Valerie. 🎬
  2. 2. Gold, in Granada — Answer: ORO. Hint: A Spanish speaker in Granada would use this word for the precious metal. ✨
  3. 3. Spot for a Brit, casually — Answer: CUPPATEA. Hint: A Brit might pause for this cozy drink. ☕
  4. 4. Explorer Tasman — Answer: ABEL. Hint: Recall the first name of the Dutch navigator who lent his name to a sea. 🧭
  5. 5. Exotic market — Answer: BAZAAR. Hint: A colorful marketplace filled with unusual goods fits this description. 🛍️
  6. 6. Quakers of Colorado? — Answer: ASPENS. Hint: These Colorado trees seem to make a lot of peaceful conversation. 🌳
  7. 7. Witty comment — Answer: QUIP. Hint: A snappy remark delivered with a smile. 😄
  8. 8. Bear in the night sky — Answer: URSA. Hint: Look among the constellations for this great celestial bear. 🐻
  9. 9. At a distance — Answer: AFAR. Hint: A word describing something that happens far away. 🌌
  10. 10. Shark in front of a net, say — Answer: GOALIE. Hint: A hockey defender might be described this way in a playful comparison. 🏒
  11. 11. Dummy letters in cryptography — Answer: NULLS. Hint: In coded messages, these fillers carry no intended meaning. 🔐
  12. 12. Ancient Mexican — Answer: AZTEC. Hint: Think of the powerful civilization that flourished in pre-Columbian Mexico. 🏛️
  13. 13. Fleece stuff — Answer: WOOL. Hint: This cozy fiber is commonly gathered from sheep. 🐑
  14. 21. Opposite of SSW — Answer: NNE. Hint: A compass point that sits across from the south-southwest direction 🧭
  15. 22. “I don’t need ___” (restaurant regular’s comment) — Answer: AMENU. Hint: A familiar patron confidently declines the listing of available dishes. 🍽️
  16. 23. “What’s the ___?” (“Who cares?”) — Answer: DIF. Hint: This casual question asks whether a matter is important. 🤷
  17. 24. Nickel back word — Answer: UNUM. Hint: Read the motto on a nickel’s reverse for this Latin phrase fragment. 🪙
  18. 28. Antlered animal — Answer: ELK. Hint: Think of a large deer often seen in forests or national parks! 🦌
  19. 29. Criticize savagely — Answer: TRASH. Hint: To condemn something harshly is to give it a very rough review. 🗑️
  20. 30. Temporary trend — Answer: FAD. Hint: It catches on quickly and fades just as fast. ✨
  21. 31. Copacabana Beach setting — Answer: RIO. Hint: This Brazilian city hosts the famous Copacabana shoreline. 🌴
  22. 35. China’s Zhou ___ — Answer: ENLAI. Hint: Complete the name of the Chinese premier who served under Mao. 🇨🇳
  23. 36. Words at a wedding — Answer: IDO. Hint: A traditional pair of vows signals mutual commitment. 💍
  24. 37. Skin pic — Answer: TAT. Hint: A permanent skin design gets this casual nickname. 🎨
  25. 38. Designer’s deg. — Answer: BFA. Hint: This undergraduate arts credential suits many aspiring designers. 🎓
  26. 39. Depp of “Nosferatu” — Answer: LILYROSE. Hint: She is the actor and model who shares a famous surname with Johnny. 🎬
  27. 40. At any point — Answer: EVER. Hint: This word covers all possible times. ⏳
  28. 43. Martians, e.g.: Abbr. — Answer: ETS. Hint: Science-fiction visitors from another world fit this abbreviation. 👽
  29. 44. Encrust, like 60-Down might — Answer: CAKEON. Hint: To cover something thickly with a crust is to do this. 🍰
  30. 45. Physicist Rutherford — Answer: ERNEST. Hint: The scientist who helped reveal the atom’s nucleus 🔬
  31. 46. Big ___, California — Answer: SUR. Hint: This word often follows 'big' and is also a common abbreviation for a popular surfing term! 🏄‍♂️
  32. 47. Turned sharply — Answer: VEERED. Hint: Changed direction abruptly 🚗
  33. 48. Twangy — Answer: NASAL. Hint: Having a sharp, resonant sound 🎶
  34. 49. Largest of the Greek islands — Answer: CRETE. Hint: Greece’s biggest island, found in the Mediterranean 🌊
  35. 52. Send an online reminder to — Answer: PING. Hint: Send a quick digital nudge 📲
  36. 53. CBS franchise — Answer: NCIS. Hint: A long-running procedural about naval criminal investigations 📺
  37. 54. Stare in awe — Answer: GAPE. Hint: Look with your mouth open in amazement 😮
  38. 55. “The Odyssey” film format — Answer: IMAX. Hint: A giant-screen movie presentation format 🎬
  39. 56. Top-notch — Answer: AONE. Hint: Describes something of the highest quality 🏆
  40. 60. See 44-Down — Answer: MUD. Hint: Look to 44-Down for a clue involving wet earth 🪣
  41. 61. Agreeable answer — Answer: YES. Hint: A simple affirmative response 👍

The answer to “Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten” in the Wall Street Journal crossword is NCAA — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal crossword on August 17, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 48-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.

“Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten” answer

NCAA (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 NCAA.

When else has “Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten” 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 17, 2026 (most recent) → NCAA. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten”?

The answer is NCAA, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal crossword on August 17, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten”?

4 letters: NCAA.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Wall Street Journal crossword on August 17, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 48-Across.

Can “Org. regulating the Pac-12 and Big Ten” 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 17, 2026 is on the WSJ answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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