Gladden, literally crossword clue
44 Across · WSJ Crossword, September 23, 2026 · 11 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Gladden, literally” is ELEVATETHEM. It appears as 44 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of September 23, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle titled “Heightened Awareness” by Joseph Gangi, and it fills 11 squares running left to right from row 10, column 4 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 E and ends with M, and contains 5 vowels and 6 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
ELEVATETHEM 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.