Used a situation to one’s advantage crossword clue
53 Across · WSJ Crossword, July 9, 2026 · 7 letters
Explanation
The answer to “Used a situation to one’s advantage” is MADEHAY. It appears as 53 Across in the Wall Street Journal crossword of July 9, 2026, a Thursday puzzle titled “Dress Code” by Sam Koperwas & Jeff Chen, and it fills 7 squares running left to right from row 13, 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 M and ends with Y, and contains 3 vowels and 4 consonants. If you are working from the crossings, two or three confirmed letters from the Down 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
MADEHAY 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.