Calls the shots crossword clue
44 Down · WSJ Crossword, August 26, 2026 · 7 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Calls the shots” is DIRECTS. It appears as 44 Down in the Wall Street Journal crossword of August 26, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle titled “Whew!” by Alan Olschwang, and it fills 7 squares running top to bottom from row 9, column 8 of the 15×15 grid.
A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S. The entry begins with D and ends with S, and contains 2 vowels and 5 consonants. If you are working from the crossings, two or three confirmed letters from the Across 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
DIRECTS 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.