Game with captures and checks crossword clue
32 Across · WSJ Crossword, September 21, 2026 · 5 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Game with captures and checks” is CHESS. It appears as 32 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of September 21, 2026, a Monday puzzle titled “Variety Pack” by Zhouqin Burnikel, and it fills 5 squares running left to right from row 7, column 1 of the 15×15 grid.
A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S. The entry begins with C and ends with S, and contains 1 vowel and 4 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
CHESS 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.