Decrease? crossword clue
59 Across · WSJ Crossword, August 3, 2026 · 4 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Decrease?” is IRON. It appears as 59 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of August 3, 2026, a Monday puzzle titled “Spreading a Whopper” by Alan Siegel, and it fills 4 squares running left to right from row 14, column 1 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 I and ends with N, 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
Clues in other WSJ puzzles with the answer IRON:
- PressAug 19, 2026
- Flatten, in a wayJul 24, 2026