Parentheses, essentially crossword clue
9 Down · WSJ Crossword, September 18, 2026 · 4 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Parentheses, essentially” is ARCS. It appears as 9 Down in the Wall Street Journal crossword of September 18, 2026, a Friday puzzle titled “Guest Workers” by Mike Shenk, and it fills 4 squares running top to bottom from row 1, column 10 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 A and ends with S, and contains 1 vowel and 3 consonants. If you are working from the crossings, two or three confirmed letters from the Across 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
Clues in other WSJ puzzles with the answer ARCS:
- Curving pathsJun 29, 2026