Idle
Crossword Answer — August 01, 2026
Eugene Sheffer Crossword
Saturday, August 01, 2026
By Eugene Sheffer
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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
Eugene Sheffer Crossword Clues
Across
Down
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Sparkle — Answer: GLEAM. Hint: Think of the gentle shine that catches your eye on polished metal. ✨
- 6. Some potatoes — Answer: IDAHOS. Hint: These potatoes share their name with a northwestern U.S. state. 🥔
- 12. Pure — Answer: CHASTE. Hint: Untainted in conduct or character, this describes someone morally spotless. 😇
- 13. Harm — Answer: DAMAGE. Hint: Think of the harm caused when something is broken, weakened, or ruined. 💥
- 14. Group of five — Answer: PENTAD. Hint: Think of the collective name for five things or people. ✋
- 15. Former Disney head — Answer: EISNER. Hint: Think of the executive who led Disney during its animated renaissance in the late 20th century 🎬
- 16. Decorate anew — Answer: REDO. Hint: Give the room a fresh makeover once more. 🖌️
- 17. Doctrines — Answer: ISMS. Hint: These are organized belief systems or schools of thought. 🧠
- 19. Dict. info — Answer: DEF. Hint: A dictionary’s concise explanation of a word is the key here 📖
- 20. Ready, as for surgery — Answer: PREP. Hint: Think of getting fully ready before the operating room 🏥
- 22. QB’s stats — Answer: YDS. Hint: A quarterback’s passing distance is often tracked in this abbreviated stat 🏈
- 24. Nemesis — Answer: FOE. Hint: Think of the adversary who always seems to be working against you. ⚔️
- 27. Athletic shoe brand — Answer: AVIA. Hint: Think of a sporty footwear label known for keeping runners moving. 👟
- 29. Cast a ballot — Answer: VOTE. Hint: Make your choice official at the ballot box. 🗳️
- 32. Inconsistent amounts — Answer: DRIBSANDDRABS. Hint: Small portions arriving here and there rather than all at once 📦
- 35. Painter Magritte — Answer: RENE. Hint: Think of the Belgian surrealist famous for painting a bowler-hatted man and a floating apple. 🎨
- 36. Cupid’s realm — Answer: LOVE. Hint: It’s the place where romance and affection reign supreme. 💘
- 37. Lobbying org. — Answer: PAC. Hint: This group raises money to influence lawmakers and elections. 🗳️
- 38. NBC weekend show — Answer: SNL. Hint: Think of NBC’s long-running late-night sketch comedy show that airs on Saturdays. 📺
- 40. Pugilist’s weapon — Answer: FIST. Hint: A boxer’s most basic tool for throwing a punch 🥊
- 42. Chow down — Answer: EAT. Hint: It’s what you do when you sit down for a meal. 🍽️
- 44. Barks — Answer: ARFS. Hint: Think of the short sounds a dog might make. 🐶
- 46. Old Testament book — Answer: RUTH. Hint: This short Old Testament book tells the story of a loyal woman during the barley harvest. 🌾
- 50. Eerie — Answer: CREEPY. Hint: Unsettling in a way that makes your skin crawl. 👻
- 52. Infant’s outfit — Answer: ONESIE. Hint: A cozy one-piece garment that makes diaper changes a breeze 👶
- 54. Idle — Answer: OTIOSE. Hint: Describes someone doing nothing useful or productive. 💤
- 55. Black birds — Answer: RAVENS. Hint: These clever, dark-feathered birds often appear in tales of omens and mystery. 🐦
- 56. Contacts, e.g. — Answer: LENSES. Hint: They help correct your vision while sitting directly on your eyes. 👀
- 57. Polo, e.g. — Answer: SHIRT. Hint: It’s a collared top that works for both casual wear and sporty style. 👕
Down
- 1. Clarified butter — Answer: GHEE. Hint: This golden cooking fat is made by removing the milk solids from butter and is beloved in Indian cuisine. 🧈
- 2. Crow’s-nest cry — Answer: LAND. Hint: What a lookout might shout upon spotting solid ground ahead! 🏝️
- 3. Bar legally — Answer: ESTOP. Hint: In legal language, this means preventing someone from making a claim or taking a position. ⚖️
- 4. -- glance — Answer: ATA. Hint: It’s the little phrase used before “glance” when something is understood in an instant. 👀
- 5. Of the Middle Ages — Answer: MEDIEVAL. Hint: Relating to knights, castles, and the period between ancient and modern times 🏰
- 6. The same — Answer: IDEM. Hint: A concise Latin expression meaning “the same” fits this clue. 🧐
- 7. Dagwood’s dog — Answer: DAISY. Hint: Think of the loyal pup from the classic comic strip Blondie. 🐶
- 8. Early hrs. — Answer: AMS. Hint: Think of the abbreviation for the hours before noon. 🌅
- 9. Bathroom dispenser filler — Answer: HANDSOAP. Hint: It’s the liquid cleanser you pump onto your hands at the sink. 🧼
- 10. Curved molding — Answer: OGEE. Hint: Think of an elegant architectural trim with a graceful S-shaped curve. 🏛️
- 11. Feudal laborer — Answer: SERF. Hint: Think of a medieval farm worker bound to a lord’s land and service. 🏰
- 12. YMCA class — Answer: CPR. Hint: A lifesaving course that teaches what to do when someone’s heart stops. ❤️
- 18. “Frasier,” to “Cheers” — Answer: SPINOFF. Hint: It’s a series that grows out of an earlier show, following a familiar character into a new setting 📺
- 21. Dorm VIPs — Answer: RAS. Hint: They’re the student staffers who help keep residence-hall life running smoothly. 🏫
- 23. TiVo, for example — Answer: DVR. Hint: It’s a device that records shows so you can watch them later 📺
- 24. New Deal pres. — Answer: FDR. Hint: Think of the 32nd U.S. president who launched the New Deal. 🏛️
- 25. Mine material — Answer: ORE. Hint: It’s the rock pulled from underground because it may contain something valuable. ⛏️
- 26. Genius — Answer: EINSTEIN. Hint: Think of the physicist famous for relativity and a famously unruly hairstyle. 🧠
- 28. Counselors — Answer: ADVISORS. Hint: They’re the people you turn to for guidance when you need a little direction. 🧭
- 30. TV guide abbr. — Answer: TBA. Hint: This listing note means the details will be announced later 📺
- 31. Computer key — Answer: ESC. Hint: This key offers a quick way out of a menu or dialog box. 🏃
- 33. “Big” London attraction — Answer: BEN. Hint: This iconic London landmark is famous for its giant clock face and resonant chimes. 🕰️
- 34. -- Moines — Answer: DES. Hint: Think of the Iowa capital whose name completes this phrase. 🏛️
- 39. Expire — Answer: LAPSE. Hint: Come to an end or become invalid, as a license might. ⏳
- 41. Fountain of Rome — Answer: TREVI. Hint: This famous Roman landmark is where visitors toss coins to wish for a return trip. 🪙
- 42. Earth sci. — Answer: ECOL. Hint: This field studies how living things interact with their environment, often abbreviated in textbooks. 🌿
- 43. Jocular Johnson — Answer: ARTE. Hint: Think of the comedian famous for his delightfully goofy performances on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In 😄
- 45. Deli loaves — Answer: RYES. Hint: Think of the hearty, slightly tangy bread often sliced for sandwiches. 🍞
- 47. Friendly leader? — Answer: USER. Hint: Think of the person who puts a website or app to work. 🖱️
- 48. Shade — Answer: TINT. Hint: Think of a subtle variation in color, like a pastel version of a brighter hue 🎨
- 49. Sarah Vaughan’s “-- My Guy” — Answer: HES. Hint: Complete the title with the contraction meaning “he is.” 🎶
- 51. Dawn goddess — Answer: EOS. Hint: In Greek mythology, she personifies the rosy light that arrives before the sun. 🌅
- 53. Slangy denial — Answer: NAH. Hint: A casual, laid-back way to say no. 🙅
The answer to “Idle” in the Eugene Sheffer crossword is OTIOSE — a 6-letter word. This clue ran in the Eugene Sheffer crossword on August 1, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 54-Across. If it's the entry standing between you and a clean grid, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, plus links to the day's other clues if more than one square is giving you trouble.
“Idle” answer
OTIOSE (6 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 OTIOSE.
Why the answer is OTIOSE
Describes someone doing nothing useful or productive. 💤
When else has “Idle” appeared?
Eugene Sheffer reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up before, and what the answer was each time — handy if you landed here from a puzzle on another date.
August 1, 2026 (this puzzle) → OTIOSE. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.
More clues from the Eugene Sheffer Crossword on August 1, 2026
Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.
- Genius → EINSTEIN
- Expire → LAPSE
- Earth sci. → ECOL
- Jocular Johnson → ARTE
- Deli loaves → RYES
- Dawn goddess → EOS
- Black birds → RAVENS
- Slangy denial → NAH
Want every clue in one place? The full Eugene Sheffer answer list for August 1, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live Eugene Sheffer answers are always one tap from the today page.
About the Eugene Sheffer Crossword
The Eugene Sheffer Crossword is King Features Syndicate's 13×13 daily, roughly 65 clues, running Monday through Saturday in newspapers and free online. This page covers a Saturday puzzle. It has carried Sheffer's byline since 1929 — he was a Columbia University professor of Romance languages — and King Features has kept the name on it long after his death, along with the style: plain-definition clues, familiar abbreviations, and a steady difficulty every day of the week. That means a single stubborn entry is almost always one older proper noun or a piece of crosswordese, and confirming it usually opens the crossings on both sides.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Idle”?
The answer is OTIOSE, a 6-letter word. It appeared in the Eugene Sheffer crossword on August 1, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Idle”?
6 letters: OTIOSE.
Where did this clue appear?
In the Eugene Sheffer crossword on August 1, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 54-Across.
Can “Idle” have a different answer?
Yes — Eugene Sheffer 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 Eugene Sheffer answers?
The full grid for August 1, 2026 is on the Eugene Sheffer answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.