Infectious bug crossword clue
10 Across · WSJ Crossword, August 21, 2026 · 4 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Infectious bug” is GERM. It appears as 10 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of August 21, 2026, a Friday puzzle titled “Nope!” by Zhouqin Burnikel, and it fills 4 squares running left to right from row 1, column 13 of the 21×21 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 G and ends with M, and contains 1 vowel and 3 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
GERM 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.