WaPo Crossword Answers Today

Tuesday’s Daily

By Robin Stears · Edited by Patti Varol

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

WaPo Crossword Clues

Across

Down

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Corn cores — Answer: COBS. Hint: These are what remain after the kernels have been eaten away. 🌽
  2. 5. Pet rehoming org. — Answer: ASPCA. Hint: Think of a nonprofit that protects animals and helps them find caring homes. 🐾
  3. 10. Sandwich letters — Answer: BLT. Hint: Think of a classic sandwich made with bacon, lettuce, and tomato, represented by its initials. 🥪
  4. 13. Opera solo — Answer: ARIA. Hint: An opera singer’s featured solo is this musical showcase 🎶
  5. 14. Replacements for flat tires — Answer: SPARES. Hint: What you might keep in the trunk for an unexpected roadside mishap 🚗
  6. 15. "__ la la!" — Answer: OOH. Hint: This playful exclamation of surprise comes before “la la” in a catchy refrain. 🎶
  7. 16. *Video game boost that may repair damage — Answer: HEALTHSPELL. Hint: A magical power-up that restores your character after a rough battle. 🧙
  8. 18. __ Lanka — Answer: SRI. Hint: This island nation was formerly known as Ceylon 🌴
  9. 19. "Absolutely out of the question!" — Answer: NOSIREE. Hint: A playful, emphatic way to reject an idea outright. 🙅
  10. 20. Wall surface — Answer: PLASTER. Hint: A smooth coating used to cover and finish interior walls 🧱
  11. 22. Quick snooze — Answer: NAP. Hint: A brief bit of sleep can recharge you in no time 😴
  12. 23. *Waterproof garment — Answer: RAINCOAT. Hint: A handy layer for staying dry when the clouds open up ☔
  13. 24. Unleashed — Answer: FREED. Hint: Think of someone finally released from confinement or restraint 🕊️
  14. 27. Cry for attention? — Answer: HEY. Hint: A brief shout meant to get someone’s attention 📣
  15. 28. "You're __ human" — Answer: ONLY. Hint: This word emphasizes that being human is the sole explanation for a mistake. 🙂
  16. 29. Charged particle — Answer: ION. Hint: Think of an atom or molecule carrying an electric charge. ⚡
  17. 30. Barely gets (by) — Answer: EKES. Hint: This verb means managing with just enough, often by stretching limited resources. 💰
  18. 32. Vietnamese soup — Answer: PHO. Hint: Think of a fragrant Vietnamese noodle soup often topped with herbs and bean sprouts 🍜
  19. 34. *Internal setting controlled by thermoregulation — Answer: BODYTEMPERATURE. Hint: It’s the heat level your system carefully keeps within a healthy range. 🌡️
  20. 40. Span of epoch proportions? — Answer: EON. Hint: Think of a timespan so vast that ordinary eras seem tiny by comparison. ⏳
  21. 41. Frozen dessert brand — Answer: EDYS. Hint: Think of a classic ice cream label found in the freezer aisle 🍦
  22. 42. NBC show that inspired "30 Rock," for short — Answer: SNL. Hint: This sketch-comedy institution gave Tina Fey plenty of real-life material for her sitcom. 📺
  23. 43. Dull pain — Answer: ACHE. Hint: A mild, lingering discomfort might be described this way. 😣
  24. 46. Superhero franchise initials — Answer: MCU. Hint: Think of the initials for the blockbuster comic-book universe featuring Iron Man and Thor. 🦸
  25. 47. Steel girder — Answer: IBEAM. Hint: A sturdy structural support with a distinctive flanged shape, often used in buildings and bridges 🏗️
  26. 49. *High-intensity workout program — Answer: CROSSFIT. Hint: A popular gym regimen mixes cardio, strength, and constantly varied drills. 🏋️
  27. 52. Kissing in the open, for short — Answer: PDA. Hint: This abbreviation describes showing affection publicly. 😘
  28. 53. Beeper on the road — Answer: CARHORN. Hint: A noisy vehicle alert used to get someone’s attention in traffic. 🚗
  29. 54. Promo in a magazine — Answer: PRINTAD. Hint: It’s a paid message tucked among the articles and photos. 📰
  30. 58. Sci-fi visitors — Answer: ETS. Hint: These otherworldly guests have traveled here from beyond Earth. 👽
  31. 59. Go over twice, or what can be found in the answer to each starred clue — Answer: DOUBLECHECK. Hint: Give it a careful second look to catch anything you missed the first time 🔍
  32. 61. Alumna bio word — Answer: NEE. Hint: In an alumna’s biography, this word introduces the surname she was born with. 📚
  33. 62. Add to a kitty — Answer: ANTEUP. Hint: In a poker game, this means contributing your share to the pot. 🃏
  34. 63. Lo __: noodle dish — Answer: MEIN. Hint: A popular Chinese-style noodle dish often served with vegetables and sauce 🍜
  35. 64. Take a crack at — Answer: TRY. Hint: Give this challenge your best shot 🎯
  36. 65. Cook in a basket — Answer: STEAM. Hint: Use rising vapor to prepare food in a woven container. 🧺
  37. 66. Annual May auto race, informally — Answer: INDY. Hint: Think of the famous 500-mile spectacle held each May in Indiana. 🏁

Down

  1. 1. "High Hopes" lyricist Sammy — Answer: CAHN. Hint: Think of the lyricist who teamed with Van Heusen on classics like “High Hopes.” 🎵
  2. 2. "Milk's Favorite Cookie" brand — Answer: OREO. Hint: Think of the iconic sandwich cookie famously paired with a glass of milk. 🍪
  3. 3. Skewed view — Answer: BIAS. Hint: A perspective that isn’t completely neutral might have this. 🎯
  4. 4. __ solution: contacts wearer's need — Answer: SALINE. Hint: It’s the gentle liquid used to rinse and care for contact lenses. 👁️
  5. 5. Cathedral recess — Answer: APSE. Hint: Think of the rounded niche in a cathedral, often located behind the altar. 🏛️
  6. 6. Sticky tree juice — Answer: SAP. Hint: It’s the nourishing liquid that flows through a tree and can be collected for syrup. 🌳
  7. 7. Purchase in advance — Answer: PREPAY. Hint: Settle the bill before the goods or service arrive 💳
  8. 8. String section instruments — Answer: CELLI. Hint: These bowed instruments are the lower-pitched cousins of violins and violas 🎻
  9. 9. Lion of Narnia — Answer: ASLAN. Hint: This majestic feline is the brave ruler of Narnia. 🦁
  10. 10. Paul Revere House city — Answer: BOSTON. Hint: Think of the Massachusetts city where this historic home is preserved 🏛️
  11. 11. Cosmetics giant — Answer: LOREAL. Hint: This global beauty brand is known for hair color, skincare, and makeup. 💄
  12. 12. Two points, in tennis — Answer: THIRTY. Hint: On the scoreboard, this comes after love and fifteen. 🎾
  13. 14. TV soccer analyst Messing — Answer: SHEP. Hint: Think of the former U.S. soccer goalkeeper who became a TV commentator ⚽
  14. 17. Swap with — Answer: TRADETO. Hint: Think of exchanging one thing for another with someone else. 🔄
  15. 21. "Amscray!" — Answer: SCOOT. Hint: This playful command means “get out of here” or “hurry away.” 🏃
  16. 23. High regard — Answer: RESPECT. Hint: The admiration you show someone who has truly earned your esteem 👏
  17. 24. Bit of baloney — Answer: FIB. Hint: It’s a tiny, harmless untruth rather than a slice of lunch meat. 🤥
  18. 25. Milne youngling — Answer: ROO. Hint: This bouncy little character is the baby kangaroo from Winnie-the-Pooh. 🦘
  19. 26. Infinity sign's lack — Answer: END. Hint: Think about what an endless loop needs in order to finally come to a close. 🔚
  20. 27. Stitched border — Answer: HEM. Hint: A neat fabric finish that keeps an edge from fraying. 🧵
  21. 31. "Jeopardy!" host Jennings — Answer: KEN. Hint: Think of the celebrated quiz-show champion who became the face of this trivia classic 📺
  22. 32. Be nosy — Answer: PRY. Hint: Take a curious peek where you weren’t invited 👀
  23. 33. Like some Orthodox Jews — Answer: HASIDIC. Hint: Describes Jews associated with a deeply traditional and mystical movement within Judaism 🕍
  24. 35. "For crying out loud!" — Answer: YEESH. Hint: An exasperated outburst when patience runs thin 😩
  25. 36. School URL suffix — Answer: EDU. Hint: Look for the web address ending commonly associated with colleges and universities 🎓
  26. 37. Draw upon — Answer: USE. Hint: Rely on a resource when you need to draw from it. 🧰
  27. 38. Molecule in some vaccines — Answer: RNA. Hint: This genetic messenger can teach cells how to recognize a threat 🧬
  28. 39. Shade tree with serrated leaves — Answer: ELM. Hint: Think of a familiar park tree whose toothed leaves flutter in the breeze 🌳
  29. 43. Regional speech pattern — Answer: ACCENT. Hint: It’s the distinctive way people from a particular place pronounce their words. 🗣️
  30. 44. Meteorite's mark — Answer: CRATER. Hint: A space rock can leave this bowl-shaped scar behind. ☄️
  31. 45. Rocking toy, in baby talk — Answer: HORSEY. Hint: Think of the cutesy name a toddler might give a rocking ride shaped like a farm animal 🐴
  32. 46. Very hard to see — Answer: MINUTE. Hint: Think of something so tiny it nearly disappears from view. 🔍
  33. 48. Vietnamese sandwich — Answer: BANHMI. Hint: This Vietnamese street-food favorite layers savory fillings, pickled vegetables, and herbs in a crisp baguette. 🥖
  34. 50. Combo meal drinks — Answer: SODAS. Hint: What you might sip alongside fries and a sandwich in a fast-food deal 🥤
  35. 51. Moving line on a weather map — Answer: FRONT. Hint: Think of the boundary where two different air masses meet on a forecast map. 🌦️
  36. 52. Work overseen by a sous-chef — Answer: PREP. Hint: Think of the ingredient chopping and setup that happen before cooking begins. 🔪
  37. 54. Deep purple — Answer: PLUM. Hint: Think of a small, juicy fruit known for its rich violet hue. 🍇
  38. 55. Adolescent — Answer: TEEN. Hint: A young person who’s no longer a child but not yet an adult 🧑
  39. 56. Tart — Answer: ACID. Hint: Think of a sharp, sour flavor that makes you pucker! 🍋
  40. 57. Big Apple fashion letters — Answer: DKNY. Hint: Think of a designer label named for its founder and hometown. 👗
  41. 60. Arthur of "The Golden Girls" — Answer: BEA. Hint: Think of the sharp-tongued actress who played Dorothy on the beloved sitcom 📺

Looking for today's Washington Post Crossword answers? The full solution to today's puzzle — dated August 4, 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
1Corn coresCOBS
5Pet rehoming org.ASPCA
10Sandwich lettersBLT
13Opera soloARIA
14Replacements for flat tiresSPARES
15"__ la la!"OOH
16*Video game boost that may repair damageHEALTHSPELL
18__ LankaSRI
19"Absolutely out of the question!"NOSIREE
20Wall surfacePLASTER
22Quick snoozeNAP
23*Waterproof garmentRAINCOAT
24UnleashedFREED
27Cry for attention?HEY
28"You're __ human"ONLY
29Charged particleION
30Barely gets (by)EKES
32Vietnamese soupPHO
34*Internal setting controlled by thermoregulationBODYTEMPERATURE
40Span of epoch proportions?EON
41Frozen dessert brandEDYS
42NBC show that inspired "30 Rock," for shortSNL
43Dull painACHE
46Superhero franchise initialsMCU
47Steel girderIBEAM
49*High-intensity workout programCROSSFIT
52Kissing in the open, for shortPDA
53Beeper on the roadCARHORN
54Promo in a magazinePRINTAD
58Sci-fi visitorsETS
59Go over twice, or what can be found in the answer to each starred clueDOUBLECHECK
61Alumna bio wordNEE
62Add to a kittyANTEUP
63Lo __: noodle dishMEIN
64Take a crack atTRY
65Cook in a basketSTEAM
66Annual May auto race, informallyINDY

Down

#ClueAnswer
1"High Hopes" lyricist SammyCAHN
2"Milk's Favorite Cookie" brandOREO
3Skewed viewBIAS
4__ solution: contacts wearer's needSALINE
5Cathedral recessAPSE
6Sticky tree juiceSAP
7Purchase in advancePREPAY
8String section instrumentsCELLI
9Lion of NarniaASLAN
10Paul Revere House cityBOSTON
11Cosmetics giantLOREAL
12Two points, in tennisTHIRTY
14TV soccer analyst MessingSHEP
17Swap withTRADETO
21"Amscray!"SCOOT
23High regardRESPECT
24Bit of baloneyFIB
25Milne younglingROO
26Infinity sign's lackEND
27Stitched borderHEM
31"Jeopardy!" host JenningsKEN
32Be nosyPRY
33Like some Orthodox JewsHASIDIC
35"For crying out loud!"YEESH
36School URL suffixEDU
37Draw uponUSE
38Molecule in some vaccinesRNA
39Shade tree with serrated leavesELM
43Regional speech patternACCENT
44Meteorite's markCRATER
45Rocking toy, in baby talkHORSEY
46Very hard to seeMINUTE
48Vietnamese sandwichBANHMI
50Combo meal drinksSODAS
51Moving line on a weather mapFRONT
52Work overseen by a sous-chefPREP
54Deep purplePLUM
55AdolescentTEEN
56TartACID
57Big Apple fashion lettersDKNY
60Arthur of "The Golden Girls"BEA

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 (August 4, 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.