Unfold, as a protein
Crossword Answer — August 05, 2026
Answer
Change a protein’s natural shape without necessarily breaking it into pieces. 🧬
WaPo Crossword
Wednesday, August 05, 2026
By Avery Katz & Aaron Gee · 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. Mess up — Answer: BOTCH. Hint: To do something badly or make a mistake is to commit this kind of error. 😅
- 6. Beer foam — Answer: HEAD. Hint: Think of the frothy cap perched atop a freshly poured pint 🍺
- 10. Golden Arches sandwich — Answer: MCRIB. Hint: Think of McDonald’s famously saucy, rib-shaped seasonal sandwich. 🍔
- 15. Sneeze sound — Answer: ACHOO. Hint: The sound you make when your nose suddenly rebels. 🤧
- 16. Upfront stake — Answer: ANTE. Hint: In a card game, this is the money you put in before the first deal. 🃏
- 17. Family, in Hawaiian — Answer: OHANA. Hint: Think of the Hawaiian term for family as a reminder that loved ones stick together. 🌺
- 18. First lesson in "How To DJ"? — Answer: STARTFROMSCRATCH. Hint: A beginner DJ should learn the basics before attempting fancy mixes. 🎧
- 21. Summer shirts — Answer: TANKTOPS. Hint: Think of casual sleeveless tops made for warm, sunny days ☀️
- 22. "Let me say it again ... " — Answer: IREPEAT. Hint: This phrase signals that the speaker is repeating what they just said. 🔁
- 23. Antlered grazer — Answer: ELK. Hint: This sturdy forest dweller is a familiar member of the deer family. 🦌
- 24. Trauma ctrs. — Answer: ERS. Hint: These hospital units treat urgent injuries and other medical crises. 🏥
- 25. Vocalized — Answer: ORAL. Hint: Said aloud rather than kept on the page. 🗣️
- 26. First lesson in "Plumbing: A Beginner's Guide"? — Answer: TAKETHEPLUNGE. Hint: Think of a beginner’s first bold step into both the trade and the water. 🚿
- 32. Rights org. — Answer: ACLU. Hint: This civil liberties group often takes cases involving free speech and equal rights. ⚖️
- 35. Uttered — Answer: SAID. Hint: Spoke these words aloud, rather than merely thinking them. 🗣️
- 36. Mexican state on the Gulf of California — Answer: SONORA. Hint: This northwestern Mexican state borders the Sea of Cortez, also called the Gulf of California. 🌊
- 37. Leap happily — Answer: BOUND. Hint: Picture someone springing through the air with delight. 🦘
- 39. Some jeans — Answer: LEES. Hint: Think of a denim brand whose name also refers to sediment left behind in wine or beer. 🍷
- 41. Lute in Hindi cinema — Answer: SITAR. Hint: This traditional Indian string instrument often provides the instantly recognizable sound of Bollywood music 🎶
- 42. Hosts — Answer: EMCEES. Hint: They guide the show, introduce the acts, and keep the audience engaged 🎤
- 44. 2022 Super Bowl winners — Answer: RAMS. Hint: This Los Angeles team captured Super Bowl LVI against Cincinnati 🏈
- 46. Forecast no. — Answer: TEMP. Hint: Think of the weather reading that tells you whether to bundle up or shed layers. 🌡️
- 47. First lesson in "Sport Climbing and You"? — Answer: LEARNTHEROPES. Hint: It’s the beginner’s introduction to handling climbing gear and technique. 🧗
- 50. Like Death Valley — Answer: ARID. Hint: Think of a place famous for scorching heat and virtually no rainfall. ☀️
- 51. Coconut __ — Answer: OIL. Hint: Think of the versatile kitchen staple often used for frying and moisturizing 🥥
- 52. Poke bowl protein — Answer: AHI. Hint: This prized tuna variety is a classic raw topping in Hawaiian-inspired bowls. 🐟
- 55. Home exercise bike brand — Answer: PELOTON. Hint: Think of the connected indoor cycling brand known for instructor-led classes at home 🚴
- 59. Natural disaster, legally — Answer: ACTOFGOD. Hint: In legal and insurance language, this describes an event caused by nature rather than human action. ⚖️
- 61. First lesson in "A Handbook of Competitive Eating"? — Answer: STEPUPTOTHEPLATE. Hint: It’s the beginner’s advice to approach the meal with confidence and get ready for a big performance. 🍽️
- 63. More frigid — Answer: ICIER. Hint: Think of the comparative adjective for something with a lower temperature. 🥶
- 64. Ingredient in a cooling lotion — Answer: ALOE. Hint: This soothing plant gel is a classic remedy for sunburned skin 🌿
- 65. Locations for Christmas lights — Answer: EAVES. Hint: Look up toward the roof’s edges, where holiday lights are often hung. 🎄
- 66. Welcome relief on a hot day — Answer: SHADE. Hint: Look for the cool shelter that blocks the sun’s rays. 🌳
- 67. Scottish lids — Answer: TAMS. Hint: Think of the traditional Scottish woolen caps often topped with a pom-pom 🎩
- 68. High-protein grain — Answer: SPELT. Hint: This ancient wheat variety is prized for its nutty flavor and extra protein 🌾
Down
- 1. Slather with butter, perhaps — Answer: BASTE. Hint: Try this cooking action when coating food with melted butter or pan juices. 🧈
- 2. In base eight — Answer: OCTAL. Hint: Think of the number system that counts with eight digits, from zero through seven. 🧮
- 3. "You'll __ me someday" — Answer: THANK. Hint: This phrase predicts that someone will eventually show gratitude for your help. 🙏
- 4. Winery keepsake — Answer: CORK. Hint: Think of the little piece some people save after opening a bottle of wine 🍷
- 5. Throat-soothing brew — Answer: HOTTEA. Hint: A warm cup often mixed with honey can calm an irritated throat. 🍯
- 6. Ice dweller off the coast of Greenland — Answer: HARPSEAL. Hint: This Arctic pinniped is known for its snowy-white coat and dark facial markings. 🦭
- 7. Actress Mireille — Answer: ENOS. Hint: Think of the actress who played Sarah Linden in *The Killing* 🎬
- 8. Self-serve bank device — Answer: ATM. Hint: Look for the machine that lets you withdraw cash without visiting a teller. 🏧
- 9. "You are my fire / The one __": "I Want It That Way" opening lyrics — Answer: DESIRE. Hint: This lyric’s missing word names the intense want the singer feels. 🔥
- 10. Cherries atop Black Forest cake — Answer: MORELLOS. Hint: These tart, dark cherries are the classic fruity crown of a German chocolate dessert. 🍒
- 11. Crack, as lips — Answer: CHAP. Hint: Dry winter air can make them split and sting. 💨
- 12. Assign stars to — Answer: RATE. Hint: Evaluate something using a familiar five-star scale ⭐
- 13. Cuzco civilization — Answer: INCA. Hint: Think of the ancient Andean empire that made Cuzco its capital. 🏔️
- 14. Thai currency whose symbol was once used to represent Bitcoin — Answer: BAHT. Hint: Think of Thailand’s national currency, whose familiar symbol briefly had a second life in crypto circles. 💰
- 19. Tined flatware — Answer: FORKS. Hint: Think of the table utensil with several prongs for spearing food 🍴
- 20. Dice game — Answer: CRAPS. Hint: A casino favorite played by rolling a pair of dice 🎲
- 25. "Heavens!" — Answer: OHDEAR. Hint: An exclamation of surprise or dismay when something goes wrong 😮
- 26. Guitar peg, e.g. — Answer: TUNER. Hint: It helps you adjust a string until the pitch is just right. 🎸
- 27. Like the rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras — Answer: TIERED. Hint: Arranged in successive levels, like a staircase carved into a mountainside 🏞️
- 28. Bushels and pecks — Answer: UNITS. Hint: These are both ways of measuring quantities, especially on a farm. 📏
- 29. Scribbled reminder — Answer: NOTE. Hint: A brief message jotted down so you won’t forget something. 📝
- 30. Family nickname — Answer: GRAM. Hint: A cozy family nickname for your grandmother. 👵
- 31. Wyatt of Tombstone — Answer: EARP. Hint: Think of the famous lawman linked to the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. 🤠
- 32. Biblical brother — Answer: ABEL. Hint: This son of Adam and Eve met a tragic fate at the hands of his jealous brother. 📖
- 33. "Follow me" — Answer: COME. Hint: A brief invitation asking someone to accompany you points the way. 👣
- 34. Pixar film about a young sea monster — Answer: LUCA. Hint: This animated adventure follows a curious youngster who discovers friendship and freedom beneath the Italian sun. 🌊
- 38. Unfold, as a protein — Answer: DENATURE. Hint: Change a protein’s natural shape without necessarily breaking it into pieces. 🧬
- 40. Makes out — Answer: SMOOCHES. Hint: Shares romantic kisses with someone 💋
- 43. Sharpen on a leather belt — Answer: STROP. Hint: A barber might use this leather strip to hone a razor’s edge 🪒
- 45. Ill will — Answer: SPITE. Hint: A mean-spirited desire to hurt or annoy someone 😈
- 48. Suggest — Answer: HINTAT. Hint: Give an indirect indication of something without saying it outright. 💡
- 49. Gets married by Elvis, perhaps — Answer: ELOPES. Hint: Chooses a secret, spontaneous wedding rather than a traditional ceremony, perhaps 💍
- 52. Tequila plant — Answer: AGAVE. Hint: This spiky succulent is the plant distilled to make tequila, though it is not a cactus 🌵
- 53. Guest spot? — Answer: HOTEL. Hint: A place where a traveler might check in for the night 🛎️
- 54. Namely — Answer: IDEST. Hint: A slightly formal way to say “that is.” 💡
- 55. Trident-shaped letters — Answer: PSIS. Hint: Think of Greek symbols resembling tiny three-pronged forks. 🔱
- 56. __ A Sketch — Answer: ETCH. Hint: It’s the action that completes the name of a classic drawing toy 🎨
- 57. Skywalker raised on Alderaan — Answer: LEIA. Hint: Think of the fearless princess who leads the Rebel Alliance and is Luke’s twin sibling 👑
- 58. Pointed column — Answer: OPED. Hint: Look for a newspaper column that boldly argues a viewpoint. 📰
- 59. Chemistry class model — Answer: ATOM. Hint: It’s the tiny building block of matter often shown with a nucleus and orbiting electrons ⚛️
- 60. Try to fly — Answer: FLAP. Hint: Think of the rhythmic wing motion a bird uses to get airborne 🐦
- 62. Lisbon greeting — Answer: OLA. Hint: A casual hello you might hear while wandering Portugal’s capital. 👋
The answer to “Unfold, as a protein” in the The Washington Post crossword is DENATURE — a 8-letter word. This clue ran in the The Washington Post crossword on August 5, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 38-Down. 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.
“Unfold, as a protein” answer
DENATURE (8 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 DENATURE.
Why the answer is DENATURE
Change a protein’s natural shape without necessarily breaking it into pieces. 🧬
When else has “Unfold, as a protein” appeared?
The Washington Post 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 5, 2026 (this puzzle) → DENATURE. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.
More clues from the WaPo Crossword on August 5, 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.
- Leap happily → BOUND
- Hosts → EMCEES
- First lesson in "Sport Climbing and You"? → LEARNTHEROPES
- Like Death Valley → ARID
- Home exercise bike brand → PELOTON
- First lesson in "A Handbook of Competitive Eating"? → STEPUPTOTHEPLATE
- More frigid → ICIER
- Welcome relief on a hot day → SHADE
Want every clue in one place? The full The Washington Post answer list for August 5, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live WaPo Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.
About the WaPo Crossword
The Washington Post Crossword is a classic American daily 15×15 (larger on Sunday), free to play online and known for fair, conversational cluing. This page covers a Wednesday puzzle. Theme answers and mid-length fill trade places in importance; when a theme clue stalls you, a confirmed crossing entry usually breaks the corner open.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Unfold, as a protein”?
The answer is DENATURE, a 8-letter word. It appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 5, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Unfold, as a protein”?
8 letters: DENATURE.
Where did this clue appear?
In the The Washington Post crossword on August 5, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 38-Down.
Can “Unfold, as a protein” have a different answer?
Yes — The Washington Post 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 WaPo Crossword answers?
The full grid for August 5, 2026 is on the WaPo Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.