A matter of degrees? crossword clue
63 Across · WSJ Crossword, August 31, 2026 · 4 letters
Explanation
The answer to “A matter of degrees?” is HEAT. It appears as 63 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of August 31, 2026, a Monday puzzle titled “Here’s The Deal” by Zachary David Levy, and it fills 4 squares running left to right from row 14, column 5 of the 15×15 grid.
The question mark at the end of the clue signals wordplay: the surface reading is a misdirection, and the answer fits a punning or figurative sense of the words. The entry begins with H and ends with T, and contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants. If you are working from the crossings, two or three confirmed letters from the Down entries should be enough to lock it in. Monday puzzles are the most approachable of the week, so expect the rest of this grid to be pitched at the same level.
Past appearances
HEAT has not appeared as an answer in any other WSJ puzzle in our index, which runs from May 2026 onward. It will be listed here the next time it turns up.