WSJ Crossword November 4, 2026 Answers and Explanations
The Wall Street Journal crossword for November 4, 2026, “Zzz Top,” is a Wednesday puzzle by Shmuel Schmell 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 SNAPPINGTURTLE at 14 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 CROC, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 1. It begins with C and ends with C, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
5 Across is EBBS, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 7. It begins with E and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
9 Across is JAWS, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 12. It begins with J and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
13 Across is LUCRE, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 1. It begins with L and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
15 Across is PORT, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 7. It begins with P and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
16 Across is EXIT, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 12. It begins with E and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
17 Across is ANTES, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 1. It begins with A and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
18 Across is ORAL, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 7. It begins with O and ends with L, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
19 Across is TERP, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 12. It begins with T and ends with P, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
20 Across is SNAPPINGTURTLE, a 14-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 4, column 1. It begins with S and ends with E, with 4 vowels among its 14 letters.
23 Across is SEVENTY, a 7-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 5, column 1. It begins with S and ends with Y, with 2 vowels among its 7 letters.
24 Across is CAY, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 5, column 10. It begins with C and ends with Y, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
25 Across is ARE, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 6, column 1. It begins with A and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
26 Across is OMANIS, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 6, 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.
29 Across is TAN, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 6, column 13. It begins with T and ends with N, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
32 Across is DUO, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 7, column 4. It begins with D and ends with O, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
34 Across is SEACREST, a 8-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 7, column 8. It begins with S and ends with T, with 3 vowels among its 8 letters.
36 Across is DOZEN, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 1. It begins with D and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
39 Across is FIT, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 7. It begins with F and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
40 Across is ABASH, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 11. It begins with A and ends with H, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
41 Across is PROMISED, a 8-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 9, column 1. It begins with P and ends with D, with 3 vowels among its 8 letters.
43 Across is ALI, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 9, column 10. It begins with A and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
44 Across is TEE, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 10, column 1. It begins with T and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
45 Across is QUEENS, a 6-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 10, column 5. It begins with Q 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.
47 Across is UPI, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 10, column 13. It begins with U and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
50 Across is PUB, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 11, column 4. It begins with P and ends with B, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
51 Across is EMMYNOD, a 7-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 11, column 9. It begins with E and ends with D, with 2 vowels among its 7 letters.
54 Across is SLEEPOVERPARTY, a 14-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 12, column 2. It begins with S and ends with Y, with 5 vowels among its 14 letters.
58 Across is ODOR, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 1. It begins with O and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
59 Across is APED, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 6. It begins with A and ends with D, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
60 Across is ARIEL, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 11. It begins with A and ends with L, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
61 Across is LAIR, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 1. It begins with L and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
62 Across is RENT, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 6. It begins with R and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters. The question mark signals wordplay, so read the clue as a pun rather than literally.
63 Across is ANGEL, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 11. It begins with A and ends with L, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
64 Across is DKNY, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 1. It begins with D and ends with Y, with 0 vowels among its 4 letters.
65 Across is TRIO, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 6. It begins with T and ends with O, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
66 Across is SSNS, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 12. It begins with S and ends with S, with 0 vowels among its 4 letters.
Down
1 Down is CLASSA, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 1. It begins with C and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
2 Down is RUNNER, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 2. It begins with R and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
3 Down is OCTAVE, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 3. It begins with O and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
4 Down is CREPE, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 4. It begins with C and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
5 Down is EPONYM, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 7. It begins with E and ends with M, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters. A clue phrased this way asks for the category that the example belongs to.
6 Down is BORG, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 8. It begins with B and ends with G, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
7 Down is BRAT, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 9. It begins with B and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
8 Down is STLUCIA, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 10. It begins with S and ends with A, with 3 vowels among its 7 letters.
9 Down is JETTY, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 12. It begins with J and ends with Y, with 1 vowel among its 5 letters.
10 Down is AXEL, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 13. It begins with A and ends with L, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
11 Down is WIRE, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 14. It begins with W and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
12 Down is STP, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 15. It begins with S and ends with P, with 0 vowels among its 3 letters.
14 Down is ESPN, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 2, column 5. It begins with E and ends with N, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
21 Down is ITOO, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 4, column 6. It begins with I and ends with O, with 3 vowels among its 4 letters.
22 Down is RASCAL, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 4, column 11. It begins with R and ends with L, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
27 Down is ASIDE, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 8. It begins with A and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
28 Down is NET, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 9. It begins with N and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
29 Down is TEA, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 13. It begins with T and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
30 Down is ASS, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 14. It begins with A and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
31 Down is NTH, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 15. It begins with N and ends with H, with 0 vowels among its 3 letters.
32 Down is DEM, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 7, column 4. It begins with D and ends with M, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
33 Down is UNIQUE, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 7, column 5. It begins with U and ends with E, with 4 vowels among its 6 letters.
35 Down is RBI, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 7, column 12. It begins with R and ends with I, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
36 Down is DPT, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 8, column 1. It begins with D and ends with T, with 0 vowels among its 3 letters.
37 Down is ORE, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 8, column 2. It begins with O and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
38 Down is ZOE, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 8, column 3. It begins with Z and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
39 Down is FEE, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 8, column 7. It begins with F and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
42 Down is SUBPART, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 9, column 6. It begins with S and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 7 letters.
43 Down is ASMR, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 9, column 10. It begins with A and ends with R, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
46 Down is NEEDTO, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 10, column 9. It begins with N and ends with O, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
47 Down is UNRIGS, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 10, column 13. It begins with U and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
48 Down is POTEEN, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 10, column 14. It begins with P and ends with N, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
49 Down is IDYLLS, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 10, column 15. It begins with I and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 6 letters. A plural clue takes a plural answer, which is why the entry ends in S.
50 Down is PERRY, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 11, column 4. It begins with P and ends with Y, with 1 vowel among its 5 letters.
52 Down is MPAA, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 11, column 11. It begins with M and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
53 Down is YARNS, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 11, column 12. It begins with Y 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.
54 Down is SDAK, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 2. It begins with S and ends with K, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
55 Down is LOIN, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 3. It begins with L and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
56 Down is OPER, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 7. It begins with O and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters. The shortening cue in the clue tells you to expect an abbreviation or initials.
57 Down is VENI, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 8. It begins with V and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
58 Down is OLD, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 1. It begins with O and ends with D, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
About this puzzle
This Wednesday grid contains 37 Across and 41 Down entries, with 42 black squares and 39 circled squares that carry the theme. 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.