Source of the fruit flavor in many candies
Crossword Answer — July 31, 2026
The sweet scent chemistry behind many fruity candies is often borrowed from this class of compounds 🍬
WaPo Mini Crossword
Friday, July 31, 2026
By Pete Muller & Frank Longo
Tap a square to reveal a letter.
Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
WaPo Mini Crossword Clues
Across
Down
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Luxury has a metaphorical one — Answer: LAP. Hint: Think of the soft part of an upscale ride, not a literal body part 🚗
- 4. Like the smell of burning rubber — Answer: ACRID. Hint: Sharp, harsh, and a little nose-wrinkling 😖
- 7. What flows through Worms — Answer: RHINE. Hint: A famous European river that passes by the city of Worms 🏞️
- 8. Folk or funk, e.g. — Answer: GENRE. Hint: A category that can swing from traditional tunes to groovy beats 🎶
- 9. Source of the fruit flavor in many candies — Answer: ESTER. Hint: The sweet scent chemistry behind many fruity candies is often borrowed from this class of compounds 🍬
Down
- 1. With 3-Down, using only big words? — Answer: LARGE. Hint: A word for something big and roomy, like it’s trying to sound extra fancy. 🐘
- 2. Regrets yesterday's gym session, perhaps — Answer: ACHES. Hint: What you may feel after overdoing it at the gym. 🤕
- 3. See 1-Down — Answer: PRINT. Hint: A copy from a printer, not the original page 📄
- 5. Opening phrase from a dictator? — Answer: INRE. Hint: A dictator might kick things off with a commanding first word, not a whole speech 😏
- 6. One may be halted by headlights — Answer: DEER. Hint: A forest wanderer can freeze in the glare of a car’s beams 🦌
The answer to “Source of the fruit flavor in many candies” in the The Washington Post Mini crossword is ESTER — a 5-letter word. This clue ran in the WaPo Mini on July 31, 2026 (9-Across), and if it's the last square standing between you and a finished grid, that's the word you need. Below you'll find why it fits, plus every other clue and answer from that day's puzzle in case more than one square has you stuck.
“Source of the fruit flavor in many candies” answer
ESTER (5 letters)
Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's ESTER.
Why the answer is ESTER
The sweet scent chemistry behind many fruity candies is often borrowed from this class of compounds 🍬
More WaPo Mini answers for July 31, 2026
Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the WaPo Mini on July 31, 2026 — tap any clue for its answer and explanation.
Across
- 1. Luxury has a metaphorical one → LAP
- 4. Like the smell of burning rubber → ACRID
- 7. What flows through Worms → RHINE
- 8. Folk or funk, e.g. → GENRE
- 9. Source of the fruit flavor in many candies → ESTER
Down
- 1. With 3-Down, using only big words? → LARGE
- 2. Regrets yesterday's gym session, perhaps → ACHES
- 3. See 1-Down → PRINT
- 5. Opening phrase from a dictator? → INRE
- 6. One may be halted by headlights → DEER
Want the whole grid in one place? The full WaPo Mini answer list for July 31, 2026 is on the puzzle's answers page, and today's live WaPo Mini answers are always one click away from the today page.
About the WaPo Mini Crossword
The Washington Post Mini Crossword is a compact daily grid for a fast solve. Like other minis, every letter crosses something else, so one stuck clue can freeze the board — and one revealed answer usually unlocks the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Source of the fruit flavor in many candies”?
The answer is ESTER, a 5-letter word. It appeared in the The Washington Post Mini crossword on July 31, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Source of the fruit flavor in many candies”?
5 letters: ESTER.
Where did this clue appear?
In the The Washington Post Mini crossword on July 31, 2026, at 9-Across.
Where can I find the rest of today's WaPo Mini answers?
Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the WaPo Mini answers page.