Speech of praise crossword clue
8 Down · WSJ Crossword, October 5, 2026 · 8 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Speech of praise” is ENCOMIUM. It appears as 8 Down in the Wall Street Journal crossword of October 5, 2026, a Monday puzzle titled “Things Acquired” by Gary Cee, and it fills 8 squares running top to bottom from row 1, column 9 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 E and ends with M, and contains 4 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
ENCOMIUM 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.