Magnet for controversy crossword clue
20 Across · WSJ Crossword, September 16, 2026 · 12 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Magnet for controversy” is LIGHTNINGROD. It appears as 20 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of September 16, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle titled “Things Are Looking Up” by Jackson Musker, and it fills 12 squares running left to right from row 4, column 1 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 L and ends with D, and contains 3 vowels and 9 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
LIGHTNINGROD 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.