Returns recipient, for short crossword clue
57 Down · WSJ Crossword, November 5, 2026 · 3 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Returns recipient, for short” is IRS. It appears as 57 Down in the Wall Street Journal crossword of November 5, 2026, a Thursday puzzle titled “Color Me Gone” by Mike Shenk, and it fills 3 squares running top to bottom from row 13, column 9 of the 15×15 grid.
The shortening cue in the clue tells you to expect an abbreviation or initials rather than a full word. The entry begins with I and ends with S, and contains 1 vowel and 2 consonants. If you are working from the crossings, two or three confirmed letters from the Across entries should be enough to lock it in. Thursday puzzles lean harder on misdirection, so expect the rest of this grid to be pitched at the same level.
Past appearances
Clues in other WSJ puzzles with the answer IRS:
- Org. with schedulesOct 13, 2026
- Agcy. with many returnsJul 1, 2026
- Fiscal org.May 28, 2026