WaPo Crossword Answers Today

Monday’s Daily

By Jay Silverman · Edited by Patti Varol

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WaPo Crossword Clues

Across

Down

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Sarcastic ET of 1980s TV — Answer: ALF. Hint: A snarky little alien from a beloved ’80s sitcom 👽
  2. 4. School vehicles — Answer: BUSES. Hint: They ferry kids to class in a long, noisy line 🚍
  3. 9. "That really sticks in my __!" — Answer: CRAW. Hint: A grumbly phrase for when something gets under your skin 🦀
  4. 13. Laugh syllable — Answer: HAR. Hint: The little chuckle bit in a hearty laugh 😂
  5. 14. "Humble" home — Answer: ABODE. Hint: A modest little place to hang your hat 🏠
  6. 15. "Quiet, you!" — Answer: SHUSH. Hint: A sharp little request for silence in the library 😌
  7. 16. Blackjack card — Answer: ACE. Hint: The card that can be high or low, depending on your hand 🃏
  8. 17. News outlets — Answer: MEDIA. Hint: Places where stories, reports, and headlines get shared with the public 📰
  9. 18. Florida city near St. Petersburg — Answer: TAMPA. Hint: A Gulf Coast neighbor to St. Petersburg with a big bay and even bigger football energy 🏈
  10. 19. Oktoberfest sausage, informally — Answer: BEERBRAT. Hint: A hearty festival franks-and-foam combo comes to mind 🌭
  11. 21. __ pentameter — Answer: IAMBIC. Hint: The classic beat behind many poems and sonnets 🎶
  12. 22. Soft murmur — Answer: COO. Hint: A gentle sound a dove might make 🕊️
  13. 23. Returned home — Answer: GOTBACK. Hint: Made it back to familiar ground again 🏠
  14. 24. Raise a false alarm — Answer: CRYWOLF. Hint: Cry out like danger’s near, even when it isn’t 🐺
  15. 28. Tennis legend Arthur — Answer: ASHE. Hint: Tennis great Arthur who broke barriers on and off the court 🎾
  16. 29. Chest muscles, for short — Answer: PECS. Hint: A gym slang favorite for the upper torso 💪
  17. 30. Secondary Insta accounts — Answer: ALTS. Hint: Other social media identities people keep on the side 😎
  18. 32. Dog park sounds — Answer: ARFS. Hint: Pups at play make this noisy little bark chorus 🐶
  19. 35. Feel crummy — Answer: AIL. Hint: Like when your body’s sending out a sick note 🤒
  20. 36. Soft R&B ballad — Answer: SLOWJAM. Hint: A smooth, romantic groove that lingers late into the night 🎶
  21. 38. Deli bread — Answer: RYE. Hint: A classic sandwich companion with a hearty, earthy flavor 🥪
  22. 40. Long part of a guitar or a giraffe — Answer: NECK. Hint: It’s the slender connector that holds things up on both a guitar and a giraffe 🦒
  23. 42. Causes of sorrow — Answer: WOES. Hint: Troubles that make life feel heavy 😞
  24. 43. Solange, to Blue Ivy Carter — Answer: AUNT. Hint: A mother's sister is a pretty famous title in this family 😊
  25. 44. Surrealist Magritte — Answer: RENE. Hint: A famous Belgian painter who loved bowler hats and clouds ☁️
  26. 46. Skating hazard — Answer: THINICE. Hint: What you don’t want to step on while gliding around the rink ❄️
  27. 48. Market research company often cited in car ads — Answer: JDPOWER. Hint: A familiar source of car-brand bragging rights and reliability rankings 🚗
  28. 51. WSJ competitor — Answer: NYT. Hint: Big name in news with a famous crossword of its own 📰
  29. 52. Mended, as socks — Answer: DARNED. Hint: Fixed in the most old-fashioned, thread-by-thread way 🧦
  30. 53. Sets of sculpted abs, and what the ends of 19-, 23-, 24-, 36-, 46-, and 48-Across are altogether — Answer: SIXPACKS. Hint: A gym-ready term for chiseled cores, and also a tally of those six clue endings together 💪
  31. 58. Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie __" — Answer: AMOUR. Hint: A sweet French endearment tucked into Stevie Wonder’s classic tune 💕
  32. 59. Former "Top Chef" host Lakshmi — Answer: PADMA. Hint: A familiar culinary TV face who judged plenty of plates 🍽️
  33. 60. Santa __, California — Answer: ANA. Hint: A California city that shares its name with a woman’s name 🎅
  34. 61. Promotes heavily — Answer: TOUTS. Hint: Shouts from the rooftops to get attention 📣
  35. 62. Ink mishap — Answer: SMEAR. Hint: A little blunder on the page can leave a messy mark 🖋️
  36. 63. Bar barrel — Answer: KEG. Hint: A small cask for serving drinks at a pub 🍺
  37. 64. Finishes — Answer: ENDS. Hint: What you do when something comes to a close 😄
  38. 65. Leavening agent — Answer: YEAST. Hint: Tiny microbes that help bread rise and beer ferment 🍞
  39. 66. Bighorn's mother — Answer: EWE. Hint: Think of the female parent in a flock, the one Bighorn would call mom 🐑

Down

  1. 1. "Moby-Dick" captain — Answer: AHAB. Hint: The obsessed sea captain who won’t let the white whale off the hook 🐳
  2. 2. Ruth Bader Ginsburg's collar fabric — Answer: LACE. Hint: A delicate trim often found on formal collars and cuffs 👩‍⚖️
  3. 3. Give away instead of throw away — Answer: FREECYCLE. Hint: Pass it on to someone who can use it rather than sending it to the dump ♻️
  4. 4. Panda's diet — Answer: BAMBOO. Hint: What a panda happily munches all day long 🌿
  5. 5. Ridesharing rival of Lyft — Answer: UBER. Hint: A popular app-based ride option that often goes head-to-head with Lyft 🚗
  6. 6. __ fountain — Answer: SODA. Hint: Think of a bubbly drink you might enjoy on a hot day! 🥤
  7. 7. Amend text — Answer: EDIT. Hint: Give it a quick revision to make it better ✍️
  8. 8. Salty body of water — Answer: SEA. Hint: A vast stretch of briny water by the shore 🌊
  9. 9. Room — Answer: CHAMBER. Hint: A grand old room fit for meetings or sleeping quarters 🏛️
  10. 10. Ballroom dance from Cuba — Answer: RUMBA. Hint: A lively Latin dance with Cuban roots and plenty of hip action 💃
  11. 11. Gelatinous dish — Answer: ASPIC. Hint: A savory, wobbly molded dish that often surrounds meat or vegetables 🍮
  12. 12. Wallop — Answer: WHACK. Hint: A quick, sharp hit that really lands with force 🥊
  13. 15. Jason of "Hobbs & Shaw" — Answer: STATHAM. Hint: A certain action-star Jason brings the muscle in a Fast & Furious spin-off 😎
  14. 20. Competes on the crew team — Answer: ROWS. Hint: Does the rowing machine, in a way, for the team 😄
  15. 21. Apple platform — Answer: IOS. Hint: Think mobile and fruity for this operating system! 🍏
  16. 23. Bunsen burner nozzle — Answer: GASJET. Hint: Tiny outlet that feeds the flame in a lab setup 🔥
  17. 24. Pro who's a master of deduction? — Answer: CPA. Hint: A numbers whiz who can sniff out every tiny discrepancy 🕵️
  18. 25. Harness strap — Answer: REIN. Hint: A rider’s control line keeps a horse in check 🐴
  19. 26. Kareem's former team, on scoreboards — Answer: LAL. Hint: The purple-and-gold crew from Los Angeles shines on arena displays 🏀
  20. 27. Bloom — Answer: FLOWER. Hint: A colorful plant’s proud little show-off moment 🌸
  21. 31. Number of players in checkers — Answer: TWO. Hint: It takes a pair to play this board game duel 👥
  22. 33. Rich dessert with a long shelf life — Answer: FRUITCAKE. Hint: Holiday loaf packed with candied fruit and famous for lasting ages 🎂
  23. 34. Lip-__: mouth the words — Answer: SYNC. Hint: What you do to a song when you silently match every lyric 🎤
  24. 36. Barbecue rods — Answer: SKEWERS. Hint: Grilling sticks that hold the good stuff over the flames 🍢
  25. 37. Campfire residue — Answer: ASH. Hint: What’s left after the flames have done their part 🔥
  26. 39. French summer — Answer: ETE. Hint: The French word for the warmest season is a tiny one ☀️
  27. 41. Pastry hybrids — Answer: CRONUTS. Hint: A bakery mashup that blends croissant and donut vibes 🥐
  28. 43. Actress Taylor-Joy — Answer: ANYA. Hint: This rising star stole the spotlight in 'The Queen's Gambit' and has a unique name! 🎭
  29. 45. "Toy Story 3" voice actor Beatty — Answer: NED. Hint: A familiar screen name hiding behind a small animated role. 🎬
  30. 47. To some extent — Answer: INPART. Hint: A phrase meaning only partly, not completely 🙂
  31. 48. Matchmaking platform available in Hebrew — Answer: JDATE. Hint: A dating site with a Hebrew-friendly twist 😏
  32. 49. Comedian Wayans — Answer: DAMON. Hint: One of the Wayans family known for his stand-up and acting gigs 😄
  33. 50. Self-satisfied — Answer: PROUD. Hint: Feeling pretty pleased with yourself 😌
  34. 53. "We're on the __ page" — Answer: SAME. Hint: A phrase meaning you’re in full agreement and thinking alike 📘
  35. 54. Bit of inspiration — Answer: IDEA. Hint: A bright little thought that helps you get started 💡
  36. 55. Short holiday? — Answer: XMAS. Hint: A brief festive break packed with cheer and gifts 🎄
  37. 56. Was sure about — Answer: KNEW. Hint: Had it firmly in mind 😌
  38. 57. Fragrant herb — Answer: SAGE. Hint: A wise little herb that adds a lovely aroma to stuffing and roasts 🌿
  39. 59. College maj. for an aspiring therapist — Answer: PSY. Hint: A major that dives into the mind rather than the body 🧠

Looking for today's Washington Post Crossword answers? The full solution to today's puzzle — dated July 27, 2026 — is at the top of this page, updated the moment the new grid goes live. The WaPo crossword is a free daily 15×15 with fair, conversational cluing, played by millions online. Whether you're checking a finished grid, unlocking one stubborn square, or want the whole answer key, every across and down solution is listed below.

Full WaPo Crossword answer list for today

Every clue from today's grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Sarcastic ET of 1980s TVALF
4School vehiclesBUSES
9"That really sticks in my __!"CRAW
13Laugh syllableHAR
14"Humble" homeABODE
15"Quiet, you!"SHUSH
16Blackjack cardACE
17News outletsMEDIA
18Florida city near St. PetersburgTAMPA
19Oktoberfest sausage, informallyBEERBRAT
21__ pentameterIAMBIC
22Soft murmurCOO
23Returned homeGOTBACK
24Raise a false alarmCRYWOLF
28Tennis legend ArthurASHE
29Chest muscles, for shortPECS
30Secondary Insta accountsALTS
32Dog park soundsARFS
35Feel crummyAIL
36Soft R&B balladSLOWJAM
38Deli breadRYE
40Long part of a guitar or a giraffeNECK
42Causes of sorrowWOES
43Solange, to Blue Ivy CarterAUNT
44Surrealist MagritteRENE
46Skating hazardTHINICE
48Market research company often cited in car adsJDPOWER
51WSJ competitorNYT
52Mended, as socksDARNED
53Sets of sculpted abs, and what the ends of 19-, 23-, 24-, 36-, 46-, and 48-Across are altogetherSIXPACKS
58Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie __"AMOUR
59Former "Top Chef" host LakshmiPADMA
60Santa __, CaliforniaANA
61Promotes heavilyTOUTS
62Ink mishapSMEAR
63Bar barrelKEG
64FinishesENDS
65Leavening agentYEAST
66Bighorn's motherEWE

Down

#ClueAnswer
1"Moby-Dick" captainAHAB
2Ruth Bader Ginsburg's collar fabricLACE
3Give away instead of throw awayFREECYCLE
4Panda's dietBAMBOO
5Ridesharing rival of LyftUBER
6__ fountainSODA
7Amend textEDIT
8Salty body of waterSEA
9RoomCHAMBER
10Ballroom dance from CubaRUMBA
11Gelatinous dishASPIC
12WallopWHACK
15Jason of "Hobbs & Shaw"STATHAM
20Competes on the crew teamROWS
21Apple platformIOS
23Bunsen burner nozzleGASJET
24Pro who's a master of deduction?CPA
25Harness strapREIN
26Kareem's former team, on scoreboardsLAL
27BloomFLOWER
31Number of players in checkersTWO
33Rich dessert with a long shelf lifeFRUITCAKE
34Lip-__: mouth the wordsSYNC
36Barbecue rodsSKEWERS
37Campfire residueASH
39French summerETE
41Pastry hybridsCRONUTS
43Actress Taylor-JoyANYA
45"Toy Story 3" voice actor BeattyNED
47To some extentINPART
48Matchmaking platform available in HebrewJDATE
49Comedian WayansDAMON
50Self-satisfiedPROUD
53"We're on the __ page"SAME
54Bit of inspirationIDEA
55Short holiday?XMAS
56Was sure aboutKNEW
57Fragrant herbSAGE
59College maj. for an aspiring therapistPSY

Today's Washington Post Crossword answers

Today's solution appears above, laid out clue by clue — every Across answer followed by every Down answer, exactly as the grid reads. Because a full crossword shares so many crossings, one wrong letter can block a whole corner, so we list each answer separately: reveal only the one you need and keep solving the rest yourself. The grid is confirmed and refreshed daily as soon as the puzzle is published.

What is the Washington Post Crossword?

The Washington Post Crossword is the paper's free daily puzzle — a classic American 15×15 on weekdays (larger on Sunday), played at washingtonpost.com/games/crossword. It's known for fair, conversational cluing and approachable themes: a solid everyday solve that sits neatly between a quick mini and the toughest end of the NYT week. Millions of solvers treat it as a weekday habit, which is why a single tricky clue can send people hunting for just that one answer without spoiling the rest of the grid.

How the WaPo Crossword compares to other dailies

It shares the same 15×15 shape as the big American dailies, with its own editorial voice:

WaPoNYT (main)LA Times
Grid size15×15 (larger Sunday)15×15 (21×21 Sunday)15×15 (larger Sunday)
DifficultyAccessible, fairRamps to a hard SaturdayAccessible, smooth
CostFree onlineGames subscriptionFree online
Clue styleConversational themesHeavy wordplay, misdirectionFair, playful themes

Tips for solving the WaPo Crossword

  • Crack the theme early. Long theme answers often share a twist — spotting it hands you several entries at once.
  • Start with the fill-in-the-blanks. They're the quickest points and flood the grid with crossing letters.
  • Trust the crossings. A clue you can't get alone usually falls once its crossing words are in place.
  • Watch the endings. Plurals end in S, past-tense answers in ED — free letters once you notice the clue's tense.
  • Use the solver for one answer. Our crossword solver reveals a single clue's answer from your known letters, without spoiling the rest.

Browse past Washington Post Crossword answers

Every previous WaPo Crossword is archived on this page by date, with its full across and down solutions — handy for checking yesterday's grid or one you set aside. The archive updates automatically each day, so it stays complete without spoiling the current day. Stuck on a single clue, our crossword solver will reveal just that answer.

Browse more puzzles on the crossword solver, or use it to crack any clue from any publication.

Frequently asked questions

What are today's Washington Post Crossword answers?

The full Across and Down solution for today's puzzle (July 27, 2026) is listed at the top of this page, updated as soon as it's released.

Is the Washington Post Crossword free?

Yes — it's free to play online each day at washingtonpost.com/games/crossword, and our answers and clues are free too.

How do I see just one answer without spoiling the rest?

Each answer is listed separately, so you can reveal only the clue you're stuck on and keep solving the rest of the grid yourself.

How is the WaPo Crossword different from the WaPo Mini?

The daily crossword is a full 15×15 (larger on Sunday); the Mini is a tiny speed puzzle. Same publisher, different size and solve time.

Where can I find past Washington Post Crossword answers?

Every previous puzzle is in the archive on this page, listed by date with full solutions, updated automatically each day.