WSJ Crossword July 22, 2026 Answers and Explanations
The Wall Street Journal crossword for July 22, 2026, “Sitting Around,” is a Wednesday puzzle by Mike Shenk with 78 clues on a 15×15 grid. Wednesday grids sit in the middle of the week’s difficulty curve: the fill is mostly familiar, but the theme asks for a little lateral thinking. The longest entry is BENCHAPLIN at 10 letters.
Every answer is listed below in grid order, Across first and then Down, with a short explanation of how the entry sits in the grid. Use the Definition link under any entry to pull the dictionary meaning of the answer word, or click the clue to open its own page with past appearances and neighboring clues.
Across
1 Across is FLAB, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 1. It begins with F and ends with B, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
5 Across is GAS, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 6. It begins with G and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
8 Across is CHEWED, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 10. It begins with C and ends with D, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
14 Across is COCACOLA, a 8-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 1. It begins with C and ends with A, with 4 vowels among its 8 letters.
16 Across is OAXACA, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 10. It begins with O and ends with A, with 4 vowels among its 6 letters.
17 Across is CATCHAIR, a 8-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 1. It begins with C and ends with R, with 3 vowels among its 8 letters.
18 Across is MICRON, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 10. It begins with M and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
19 Across is KAT, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 4, column 4. It begins with K and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
20 Across is DEE, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 4, column 8. It begins with D and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
22 Across is EDNA, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 4, column 12. It begins with E and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
23 Across is PREP, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 5, column 2. It begins with P and ends with P, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
25 Across is PINTER, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 5, column 7. It begins with P and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
27 Across is MOOR, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 6, column 1. It begins with M and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
28 Across is BENCHAPLIN, a 10-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 6, column 6. It begins with B and ends with N, with 3 vowels among its 10 letters.
32 Across is AIDS, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 7, column 1. It begins with A and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
33 Across is BRER, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 7, column 6. It begins with B and ends with R, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
34 Across is STONE, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 7, column 11. It begins with S and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
35 Across is ORE, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 1. It begins with O and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
36 Across is ASI, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 5. It begins with A and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
37 Across is OAT, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 9. It begins with O and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
39 Across is CAW, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 13. It begins with C and ends with W, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters. The question mark signals wordplay, so read the clue as a pun rather than literally.
40 Across is ROOST, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 9, column 1. It begins with R and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
42 Across is CHUB, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 9, column 7. It begins with C and ends with B, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
44 Across is CAPT, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 9, column 12. It begins with C and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
45 Across is ITSTOOLATE, a 10-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 10, column 1. It begins with I and ends with E, with 5 vowels among its 10 letters.
47 Across is UTES, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 10, column 12. It begins with U and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
48 Across is IMPEDE, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 11, column 4. It begins with I and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
49 Across is ABET, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 11, column 11. It begins with A and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters. A clue phrased this way asks for the category that the example belongs to.
50 Across is SWIG, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 12, column 1. It begins with S and ends with G, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
53 Across is ISA, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 12, column 6. It begins with I and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
54 Across is AMI, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 12, column 10. It begins with A and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
55 Across is TINMAN, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 1. It begins with T and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
57 Across is JUMPSEAT, a 8-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 8. It begins with J and ends with T, with 3 vowels among its 8 letters.
62 Across is ARCANE, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 1. It begins with A and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
63 Across is ONESTAGE, a 8-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 8. It begins with O and ends with E, with 4 vowels among its 8 letters.
64 Across is BEASTS, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 1. It begins with B and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
65 Across is BOX, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 8. It begins with B and ends with X, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
66 Across is SUET, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 12. It begins with S and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
Down
1 Down is FCC, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 1. It begins with F and ends with C, with 0 vowels among its 3 letters. The shortening cue in the clue tells you to expect an abbreviation or initials.
2 Down is LOA, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 2. It begins with L and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
3 Down is ACT, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 3. It begins with A and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
4 Down is BACKERS, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 4. It begins with B and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 7 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
5 Down is GOAT, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 6. It begins with G and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
6 Down is ALI, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 7. It begins with A and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
7 Down is SARDINE, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 8. It begins with S and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 7 letters.
8 Down is COMETH, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 10. It begins with C and ends with H, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
9 Down is HAI, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 11. It begins with H and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
10 Down is EXCERPT, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 12. It begins with E and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 7 letters.
11 Down is WARD, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 13. It begins with W and ends with D, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
12 Down is ECON, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 14. It begins with E and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
13 Down is DANA, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 15. It begins with D and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
15 Down is CHAP, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 2, column 5. It begins with C and ends with P, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
21 Down is ENCROUTE, a 8-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 4, column 9. It begins with E and ends with E, with 4 vowels among its 8 letters.
23 Down is POIROT, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 5, column 2. It begins with P and ends with T, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
24 Down is RODEOS, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 5, column 3. It begins with R and ends with S, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
25 Down is PERICLES, a 8-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 5, column 7. It begins with P and ends with S, with 3 vowels among its 8 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
26 Down is EAST, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 5, column 11. It begins with E and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
27 Down is MAORI, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 1. It begins with M and ends with I, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
28 Down is BBS, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 6. It begins with B and ends with S, with 0 vowels among its 3 letters.
29 Down is LOCATE, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 13. It begins with L and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
30 Down is INAPET, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 14. It begins with I and ends with T, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
31 Down is NEWTS, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 15. It begins with N and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 5 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
36 Down is ATOM, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 8, column 5. It begins with A and ends with M, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
38 Down is ABE, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 8, column 10. It begins with A and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
41 Down is STIGMAS, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 9, column 4. It begins with S and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 7 letters.
43 Down is HADAJOB, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 9, column 8. It begins with H and ends with B, with 3 vowels among its 7 letters.
44 Down is CUBISTS, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 9, column 12. It begins with C and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 7 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
46 Down is OPINES, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 10, column 6. It begins with O and ends with S, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
49 Down is AMPS, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 11, column 11. It begins with A and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
50 Down is STAB, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 1. It begins with S and ends with B, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
51 Down is WIRE, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 2. It begins with W and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
52 Down is INCA, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 3. It begins with I and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
54 Down is AMEX, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 10. It begins with A and ends with X, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
56 Down is ANT, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 5. It begins with A and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
58 Down is UNO, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 9. It begins with U and ends with O, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
59 Down is EAU, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 13. It begins with E and ends with U, with 3 vowels among its 3 letters.
60 Down is AGE, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 14. It begins with A and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
61 Down is TET, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 15. It begins with T and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
About this puzzle
This Wednesday grid contains 38 Across and 40 Down entries, with 37 black squares. Wednesday grids sit in the middle of the week’s difficulty curve: the fill is mostly familiar, but the theme asks for a little lateral thinking.
Prefer to solve it yourself first? The homepage lists every clue for the latest puzzle without answers, and the archive covers every WSJ crossword in our index by date. The official puzzle is published on the WSJ Puzzles page.