Kick off crossword clue
51 Down · WSJ Crossword, July 27, 2026 · 5 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Kick off” is START. It appears as 51 Down in the Wall Street Journal crossword of July 27, 2026, a Monday puzzle titled “Brief Exchange” by Mat Holmes, and it fills 5 squares running top to bottom from row 11, column 8 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 S and ends with T, and contains 1 vowel and 4 consonants. If you are working from the crossings, two or three confirmed letters from the Across 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
START 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.