Alternative to “<3” crossword clue
56 Across · WSJ Crossword, October 7, 2026 · 4 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Alternative to “<3”” is XOXO. It appears as 56 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of October 7, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle titled “Going Strong” by Ella Dershowitz, and it fills 4 squares running left to right from row 13, column 1 of the 15×15 grid.
The clue is a straightforward definition, so the answer is a direct synonym or a factual match for the words as written. The entry begins with X and ends with O, 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. Wednesday puzzles sit mid-week on the difficulty curve, so expect the rest of this grid to be pitched at the same level.
Past appearances
XOXO 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.