Ascetics of ancient Palestine crossword clue
5 Down · WSJ Crossword, October 9, 2026 · 7 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Ascetics of ancient Palestine” is ESSENES. It appears as 5 Down in the Wall Street Journal crossword of October 9, 2026, a Friday puzzle titled “Under the Weather” by Alan Olschwang, and it fills 7 squares running top to bottom from row 1, column 5 of the 21×21 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 E and ends with S, and contains 3 vowels and 4 consonants. If you are working from the crossings, two or three confirmed letters from the Across entries should be enough to lock it in. Friday puzzles are the Journal’s contest crosswords with a hidden meta answer, so expect the rest of this grid to be pitched at the same level.
Past appearances
Clues in other WSJ puzzles with the answer ESSENES:
- Ancient Jewish asceticsJul 24, 2026