Predicaments crossword clue
48 Down · WSJ Crossword, July 20, 2026 · 6 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Predicaments” is MESSES. It appears as 48 Down in the Wall Street Journal crossword of July 20, 2026, a Monday puzzle titled “Hold On!” by Daniel Hrynick, and it fills 6 squares running top to bottom from row 10, column 15 of the 15×15 grid.
A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S. The entry begins with M and ends with S, and contains 2 vowels 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
MESSES 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.