WSJ Crossword Answers Today
Stroke Of Luck
By Freddie Cheng · Edited by Mike Shenk
Tap a square to reveal a letter.
Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
WSJ Crossword Clues
Across
Down
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. In support of — Answer: FOR. Hint: Backing the cause, not against it 🤝
- 4. Farfalle or fusilli, for example — Answer: PASTA. Hint: A bowlful of twisty Italian comfort food 🍝
- 9. Taunting remarks — Answer: JEERS. Hint: Sharp little digs tossed at someone in a crowd 😏
- 14. Anger — Answer: IRE. Hint: A fiery little feeling that flares up fast 🔥
- 15. Polite way to eat udon, in Japan — Answer: SLURP. Hint: A noodle-no-no elsewhere, but perfectly courteous in Japan 🍜
- 16. Oil platform? — Answer: EASEL. Hint: A painter’s support can also sound like a place for drilling 😄
- 17. Aquatic rescue ring — Answer: LIFESAVER. Hint: A buoyant helper tossed to someone in trouble at sea 🛟
- 19. Committed to paper — Answer: WROTE. Hint: Put it in writing, not just in your head ✍️
- 20. A bit wet — Answer: MOIST. Hint: Just slightly damp, not dripping 💧
- 21. Big shot, for short — Answer: VIP. Hint: A very important person gets the red-carpet treatment 🌟
- 23. Capote, to his pals — Answer: TRU. Hint: A familiar nickname for Truman Capote among friends 😄
- 24. Scat legend Fitzgerald — Answer: ELLA. Hint: Jazz’s first lady had a voice that could swing a room 🎤
- 25. Subject of some down-vs.-up arguments — Answer: TOILETSEAT. Hint: A household throne that can spark a surprisingly heated debate about its position 🚽
- 29. Misleads — Answer: DELUDES. Hint: Pulls the wool over someone’s eyes 🤥
- 31. Spot for a sermon — Answer: CHURCH. Hint: Where a Sunday message might be delivered ⛪
- 32. Roast host — Answer: EMCEE. Hint: The one doing the roasting is also the one holding the mic at the party 🎤
- 35. Splices a movie together, say — Answer: EDITS. Hint: Does the post-production magic on a film, for example 🎬
- 36. Cassette successor — Answer: COMPACTDISC. Hint: The shiny little disc that took over music stores after tapes faded away 💿
- 39. Part of a chain, perhaps — Answer: STORE. Hint: A place that might hang among many others in a retail lineup 🛍️
- 41. Rakish fellows — Answer: ROUES. Hint: Old-school men about town with a shady charm 😏
- 42. Pies served hot — Answer: PIZZAS. Hint: Round, cheesy slices that vanish fast when they’re fresh from the oven 🍕
- 44. Target of statistical analysis — Answer: DATASET. Hint: What a statistician might study as a whole bundle of information 📊
- 49. Aromatic breakfast item — Answer: ONIONBAGEL. Hint: A savory ring that can make your morning breath a little bolder 😄
- 52. Bangkok language — Answer: THAI. Hint: It’s the language you’d hear in Thailand’s bustling capital. 🇹🇭
- 53. Be behind — Answer: OWE. Hint: What you still have after borrowing from someone 🙂
- 54. Knee part often injured in sports, for short — Answer: ACL. Hint: A key knee ligament that athletes hear about way too often 🏃
- 55. Lightning producer — Answer: STORM. Hint: It’s the kind of weather that can really make a scene 🌩️
- 56. Grows dimmer — Answer: FADES. Hint: Like a sunset losing its glow 🌅
- 59. Golfer’s dream shot, and what 17-, 25-, 36- and 49-Across each have — Answer: HOLEINONE. Hint: A perfect tee-to-green miracle, and the kind of thing each of those long entries shares on the scoreboard ⛳
- 62. Break out, as fighting — Answer: ERUPT. Hint: Think of a volcano suddenly getting into the fight 🌋
- 63. Marking on a calendar — Answer: EVENT. Hint: A special date to circle on the calendar 📅
- 64. Unagi roll ingredient — Answer: EEL. Hint: A slippery little swimmer often tucked into sushi rolls 🐟
- 65. Settle, as a debt — Answer: REPAY. Hint: Make good on what you owe and put the matter to rest 💸
- 66. Monopoly stack — Answer: DEEDS. Hint: Paper titles you keep when you own the block 🏠
- 67. Not wet — Answer: DRY. Hint: Like a towel after a good squeeze, with no moisture left behind 🏜️
Down
- 1. Made movies — Answer: FILMED. Hint: Shot scenes and captured them on camera 🎬
- 2. Baltimore baseballer — Answer: ORIOLE. Hint: A feathered team name points to Baltimore’s ballpark bird 🐦
- 3. Coffee request at a diner — Answer: REFILL. Hint: What you ask for when your mug’s gone mysteriously empty ☕
- 4. Audible alternative to a tap on the shoulder — Answer: PSST. Hint: A soft little sound used to get someone’s attention without making a scene 🤫
- 5. Chicken ___ king — Answer: ALA. Hint: This phrase often refers to a popular sandwich chain known for its poultry offerings! 🍔
- 6. Minivan’s kin, for short — Answer: SUV. Hint: A boxy ride that’s a close cousin to a minivan 📦
- 7. Famed Roman fountain — Answer: TREVI. Hint: Rome’s most famous coin-tossing fountain awaits 🌊
- 8. Tax-filing month — Answer: APRIL. Hint: The month that usually brings deadlines and a little paperwork stress 📄
- 9. Synagogue attendee — Answer: JEW. Hint: A regular at the temple, in a very broad sense ✡️
- 10. Knack for music — Answer: EAR. Hint: The kind of talent that lets you pick up a tune by ear 🎵
- 11. Difficult to understand — Answer: ESOTERIC. Hint: So obscure it feels like a secret handshake 🧩
- 12. Take back, as an accusation — Answer: RETRACT. Hint: Pull it back and make it sound like it was never said 😅
- 13. Gumshoes — Answer: SLEUTHS. Hint: They’re the ones poking around for clues instead of chewing them up 🕵️
- 18. Jacob’s twin — Answer: ESAU. Hint: Biblical sibling who traded birthright for stew 😏
- 22. Chest muscle, informally — Answer: PEC. Hint: Bodybuilder shorthand for that upper-bench muscle 💪
- 25. Day worker — Answer: TEMP. Hint: A short-term helper on the clock, not the permanent kind ⏱️
- 26. Statuette for Streep — Answer: OSCAR. Hint: Meryl Streep’s trophy shelf has one of these little golden prizes 🎬
- 27. Believer in a god — Answer: THEIST. Hint: Someone who believes a deity exists, not just a possibility 🤔
- 28. Beer, slangily — Answer: SUDS. Hint: A frothy, casual word for beer in a glass 🍺
- 30. Belittle — Answer: DEMEAN. Hint: To belittle someone is to talk to them as if they’re beneath you 😏
- 33. Green prefix — Answer: ECO. Hint: Think about a term often associated with sustainability and the environment! 🌍
- 34. Musical exercise piece — Answer: ETUDE. Hint: A practice piece that musicians use to sharpen their technique 🎹
- 36. Got friendly — Answer: COZIEDUP. Hint: Became warm and snug with someone, like settling in closer than usual 🤝
- 37. Rice-shaped 4-Across — Answer: ORZO. Hint: Tiny pasta that looks like little grains of rice 🍚
- 38. Good bargain — Answer: DEAL. Hint: A sweet agreement that leaves both sides feeling like they won something 🤝
- 39. Parodist — Answer: SPOOFER. Hint: A playful imitator who copies others for laughs 🎭
- 40. Products sold by Yankee peddlers — Answer: TINWARE. Hint: Old-time traveling sellers often hauled these shiny kitchen goods around 🥧
- 43. Org. that aids mom-and-pop companies — Answer: SBA. Hint: Small-business help from a federal source 😄
- 45. Abbr. for a letter recipient — Answer: ATTN. Hint: A mailroom cue that tells correspondence who it’s meant for 📬
- 46. Chased away — Answer: SHOOED. Hint: Gently told to go, like a pesky bird from the porch 🐦
- 47. Salary recipient — Answer: EARNER. Hint: Someone who gets paid for their work is this kind of person 💼
- 48. Opportune — Answer: TIMELY. Hint: Right on schedule, not a moment too soon ⏰
- 50. Felt sore — Answer: ACHED. Hint: Past-tense discomfort, like muscles after a long day 🥴
- 51. Fielding need — Answer: GLOVE. Hint: What a catcher wears to make the play easier 🧤
- 55. Doesn’t play — Answer: SITS. Hint: Stays on the sidelines instead of joining in 😊
- 57. Water-monitoring org. — Answer: EPA. Hint: U.S. agency that keeps an eye on rivers, air, and other environmental worries 🌊
- 58. Place for pigs — Answer: STY. Hint: A cozy little pen where pigs hang out 🐷
- 60. Bruce of martial arts movies — Answer: LEE. Hint: A famous karate-flick star with lightning moves and a legendary name 😎
- 61. Finish — Answer: END. Hint: It's what happens when something comes to a close! 🛑
Looking for today's WSJ Crossword answers? The full solution to today's Wall Street Journal puzzle — dated July 26, 2026 — is at the top of this page, updated the moment the new grid goes live. The WSJ crossword is a free daily 15×15 edited by Mike Shenk, known for polished, fair cluing with a business and finance streak, plus a Friday contest puzzle with a hidden meta answer. 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 WSJ 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
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | In support of | FOR |
| 4 | Farfalle or fusilli, for example | PASTA |
| 9 | Taunting remarks | JEERS |
| 14 | Anger | IRE |
| 15 | Polite way to eat udon, in Japan | SLURP |
| 16 | Oil platform? | EASEL |
| 17 | Aquatic rescue ring | LIFESAVER |
| 19 | Committed to paper | WROTE |
| 20 | A bit wet | MOIST |
| 21 | Big shot, for short | VIP |
| 23 | Capote, to his pals | TRU |
| 24 | Scat legend Fitzgerald | ELLA |
| 25 | Subject of some down-vs.-up arguments | TOILETSEAT |
| 29 | Misleads | DELUDES |
| 31 | Spot for a sermon | CHURCH |
| 32 | Roast host | EMCEE |
| 35 | Splices a movie together, say | EDITS |
| 36 | Cassette successor | COMPACTDISC |
| 39 | Part of a chain, perhaps | STORE |
| 41 | Rakish fellows | ROUES |
| 42 | Pies served hot | PIZZAS |
| 44 | Target of statistical analysis | DATASET |
| 49 | Aromatic breakfast item | ONIONBAGEL |
| 52 | Bangkok language | THAI |
| 53 | Be behind | OWE |
| 54 | Knee part often injured in sports, for short | ACL |
| 55 | Lightning producer | STORM |
| 56 | Grows dimmer | FADES |
| 59 | Golfer’s dream shot, and what 17-, 25-, 36- and 49-Across each have | HOLEINONE |
| 62 | Break out, as fighting | ERUPT |
| 63 | Marking on a calendar | EVENT |
| 64 | Unagi roll ingredient | EEL |
| 65 | Settle, as a debt | REPAY |
| 66 | Monopoly stack | DEEDS |
| 67 | Not wet | DRY |
Down
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Made movies | FILMED |
| 2 | Baltimore baseballer | ORIOLE |
| 3 | Coffee request at a diner | REFILL |
| 4 | Audible alternative to a tap on the shoulder | PSST |
| 5 | Chicken ___ king | ALA |
| 6 | Minivan’s kin, for short | SUV |
| 7 | Famed Roman fountain | TREVI |
| 8 | Tax-filing month | APRIL |
| 9 | Synagogue attendee | JEW |
| 10 | Knack for music | EAR |
| 11 | Difficult to understand | ESOTERIC |
| 12 | Take back, as an accusation | RETRACT |
| 13 | Gumshoes | SLEUTHS |
| 18 | Jacob’s twin | ESAU |
| 22 | Chest muscle, informally | PEC |
| 25 | Day worker | TEMP |
| 26 | Statuette for Streep | OSCAR |
| 27 | Believer in a god | THEIST |
| 28 | Beer, slangily | SUDS |
| 30 | Belittle | DEMEAN |
| 33 | Green prefix | ECO |
| 34 | Musical exercise piece | ETUDE |
| 36 | Got friendly | COZIEDUP |
| 37 | Rice-shaped 4-Across | ORZO |
| 38 | Good bargain | DEAL |
| 39 | Parodist | SPOOFER |
| 40 | Products sold by Yankee peddlers | TINWARE |
| 43 | Org. that aids mom-and-pop companies | SBA |
| 45 | Abbr. for a letter recipient | ATTN |
| 46 | Chased away | SHOOED |
| 47 | Salary recipient | EARNER |
| 48 | Opportune | TIMELY |
| 50 | Felt sore | ACHED |
| 51 | Fielding need | GLOVE |
| 55 | Doesn’t play | SITS |
| 57 | Water-monitoring org. | EPA |
| 58 | Place for pigs | STY |
| 60 | Bruce of martial arts movies | LEE |
| 61 | Finish | END |
Today's WSJ 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 WSJ Crossword?
The Wall Street Journal Crossword is the paper's daily puzzle, free to play at wsj.com/games/crosswords with no subscription needed. Edited by Mike Shenk, it runs a classic American 15×15 through the week and a larger themed grid at the end of it. The house style is polished and fair rather than punishing — plenty of wordplay, a recognisable business and finance streak in the cluing, and themes that reward spotting the trick early. That combination has made it one of the most-solved daily crosswords in the country, and the reason solvers so often want just one answer confirmed without seeing the rest of the grid.
The Friday contest crossword
The WSJ's best-known quirk is its Friday contest puzzle, or “meta.” Solving the grid is only step one: the finished puzzle hides a further answer — a word or phrase you have to extract from it — which you then submit as your contest entry. Because entries stay open until Sunday night, the Journal doesn't publish the solution until the contest closes, so a freshly-released contest grid genuinely has no answers available anywhere yet. We publish the full grid on this page as soon as the WSJ releases it, which means contest days fill in a few days after the puzzle first appears.
How the WSJ Crossword compares to other dailies
It shares the same 15×15 shape as the other big American dailies, with its own voice and cadence:
| WSJ | NYT (main) | Washington Post | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grid size | 15×15 (larger end of week) | 15×15 (21×21 Sunday) | 15×15 (larger Sunday) |
| Difficulty | Fair, polished | Ramps to a hard Saturday | Accessible, fair |
| Cost | Free online | Games subscription | Free online |
| Signature | Friday contest meta | Thursday rebus tricks | Conversational themes |
Tips for solving the WSJ Crossword
- Read the title. WSJ puzzles are titled, and the title is a genuine hint at the theme — often the fastest way into the long answers.
- Expect the business angle. Market, company and finance references show up more here than at other papers, so lean into them when a clue feels ambiguous.
- Start with the fill-in-the-blanks. They're the quickest points and flood the grid with crossing letters.
- On contest Fridays, watch the theme entries. The meta answer is usually extracted from them, so they repay a second look once the grid is full.
- 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 WSJ Crossword answers
Every previous WSJ 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 WSJ Crossword answers?
The full Across and Down solution for today's puzzle (July 26, 2026) is listed at the top of this page, updated as soon as the Wall Street Journal releases it.
Is the WSJ Crossword free?
Yes — the Journal's daily crossword is free to play at wsj.com/games/crosswords without a subscription, and our answers and clues are free too.
What is the WSJ Friday contest crossword?
Every Friday the WSJ runs a contest (meta) puzzle: you solve the grid, then extract a hidden word or phrase from it and submit that as your entry. The contest stays open until Sunday night, so the Journal withholds the solution until it closes — we publish the full grid here as soon as it does.
How hard is the WSJ Crossword?
It's a fair, polished 15×15 midweek with a larger themed grid at the end of the week. Editor Mike Shenk keeps the cluing clean rather than brutal, so it's generally friendlier than a late-week NYT while still leaning on business and finance references.
Where can I find past WSJ Crossword answers?
Every previous puzzle is in the archive on this page, listed by date with full solutions, updated automatically each day.