Idiomatic sticking points crossword clue
13 Across · WSJ Crossword, October 16, 2026 · 5 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Idiomatic sticking points” is CRAWS. It appears as 13 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of October 16, 2026, a Friday puzzle titled “On the Wrong Track” by Brad Wiegmann, and it fills 5 squares running left to right from row 1, column 17 of the 21×21 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. 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
CRAWS 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.