WSJ Crossword October 29, 2026 Answers and Explanations
The Wall Street Journal crossword for October 29, 2026, “Keeping in Shape,” is a Thursday puzzle by Matt Gaffney with 74 clues on a 15×15 grid. Thursday puzzles lean harder on misdirection, and the theme often has a twist that only becomes clear once a few of the long entries are in place. The longest entry is REESESPIECES at 12 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 CANDY, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 1. It begins with C and ends with Y, with 1 vowel among its 5 letters.
6 Across is CANE, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 7. It begins with C and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters. This is a cross-reference clue, so solve the referenced entry first.
10 Across is SLED, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 1, column 12. It begins with S and ends with D, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
14 Across is ISEEA, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 1. It begins with I and ends with A, with 4 vowels among its 5 letters.
15 Across is ALDA, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 7. It begins with A and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
16 Across is LAIR, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 2, column 12. It begins with L and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
17 Across is RETAG, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 1. It begins with R and ends with G, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
18 Across is BOAR, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 7. It begins with B and ends with R, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
19 Across is ENDO, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 3, column 12. It begins with E and ends with O, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
20 Across is REESESPIECES, a 12-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 4, column 4. It begins with R and ends with S, with 6 vowels among its 12 letters.
23 Across is SOOTY, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 5, column 2. It begins with S and ends with Y, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
25 Across is RVERS, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 5, column 11. It begins with R and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 5 letters.
26 Across is TENNIEL, a 7-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 6, column 1. It begins with T and ends with L, with 3 vowels among its 7 letters.
28 Across is AMIE, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 6, column 9. It begins with A and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 4 letters.
30 Across is SWEETHEARTS, a 11-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 7, column 1. It begins with S and ends with S, with 4 vowels among its 11 letters.
32 Across is DAD, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 7, column 13. It begins with D and ends with D, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
35 Across is POIS, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 1. It begins with P and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
36 Across is OGRES, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 6. It begins with O 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.
37 Across is PISA, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 8, column 12. It begins with P and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
38 Across is SNL, a 3-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 9, column 1. It begins with S and ends with L, with 0 vowels among its 3 letters.
39 Across is TOOTSIEROLL, a 11-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 9, column 5. It begins with T and ends with L, with 5 vowels among its 11 letters.
41 Across is YAKS, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 10, column 4. It begins with Y 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.
42 Across is ONEADAY, a 7-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 10, column 9. It begins with O and ends with Y, with 4 vowels among its 7 letters.
43 Across is AZTEC, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 11, column 1. It begins with A and ends with C, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
46 Across is ALIEN, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 11, column 10. It begins with A and ends with N, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
47 Across is HERSHEYSKISS, a 12-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 12, column 1. It begins with H and ends with S, with 3 vowels among its 12 letters.
52 Across is OLAY, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 1. It begins with O and ends with Y, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
53 Across is AEON, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 6. It begins with A and ends with N, with 3 vowels among its 4 letters.
54 Across is KENYA, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 13, column 11. It begins with K and ends with A, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
58 Across is RICE, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 1. It begins with R and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
59 Across is SOLE, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 6. It begins with S and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
60 Across is IBSEN, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 14, column 11. It begins with I and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
61 Across is AGES, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 1. It begins with A and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
62 Across is TWIX, a 4-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 6. It begins with T and ends with X, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
63 Across is NEATO, a 5-letter entry that runs left to right starting in row 15, column 11. It begins with N and ends with O, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
Down
1 Down is CIR, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 1. It begins with C and ends with R, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
2 Down is ASE, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 2. It begins with A and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
3 Down is NET, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 3. It begins with N and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
4 Down is DEARONES, a 8-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 4. It begins with D and ends with S, with 4 vowels among its 8 letters.
5 Down is YAGETIT, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 5. It begins with Y and ends with T, with 3 vowels among its 7 letters.
6 Down is CABS, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 7. It begins with C and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
7 Down is ALOE, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 8. It begins with A and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 4 letters.
8 Down is NDAS, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 9. It begins with N and ends with S, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters. The shortening cue in the clue tells you to expect an abbreviation or initials.
9 Down is EARP, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 10. It begins with E and ends with P, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
10 Down is SLEEVE, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 12. It begins with S and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 6 letters.
11 Down is LANCE, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 13. It begins with L and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
12 Down is EIDER, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 14. It begins with E and ends with R, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters. The question mark signals wordplay, so read the clue as a pun rather than literally.
13 Down is DROSS, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 1, column 15. It begins with D 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.
21 Down is EYEHOOK, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 4, column 6. It begins with E and ends with K, with 4 vowels among its 7 letters.
22 Down is IRIS, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 4, column 11. It begins with I and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
23 Down is SEWON, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 5, column 2. It begins with S and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
24 Down is ONEIL, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 5, column 3. It begins with O and ends with L, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
26 Down is TSPS, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 1. It begins with T and ends with S, with 0 vowels among its 4 letters.
27 Down is LEGOS, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 7. It begins with L and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
28 Down is ARESO, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 9. It begins with A and ends with O, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
29 Down is MTSINAI, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 6, column 10. It begins with M and ends with I, with 3 vowels among its 7 letters.
31 Down is ART, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 7, column 8. It begins with A and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
32 Down is DIODE, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 7, column 13. It begins with D and ends with E, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
33 Down is ASLAN, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 7, column 14. It begins with A and ends with N, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
34 Down is DALY, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 7, column 15. It begins with D and ends with Y, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
37 Down is PRAISEBE, a 8-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 8, column 12. It begins with P and ends with E, with 4 vowels among its 8 letters.
39 Down is TACH, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 9, column 5. It begins with T and ends with H, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
40 Down is EELSKIN, a 7-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 9, column 11. It begins with E and ends with N, with 3 vowels among its 7 letters.
41 Down is YESYES, a 6-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 10, column 4. It begins with Y and ends with S, with 2 vowels among its 6 letters.
43 Down is AHORA, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 11, column 1. It begins with A and ends with A, with 3 vowels among its 5 letters.
44 Down is ZELIG, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 11, column 2. It begins with Z and ends with G, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
45 Down is TRACE, a 5-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 11, column 3. It begins with T and ends with E, with 2 vowels among its 5 letters.
48 Down is EAST, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 6. It begins with E and ends with T, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
49 Down is YEOW, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 7. It begins with Y and ends with W, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
50 Down is SOLI, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 8. It begins with S and ends with I, with 2 vowels among its 4 letters.
51 Down is KNEX, a 4-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 12, column 9. It begins with K and ends with X, with 1 vowel among its 4 letters.
55 Down is NSA, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 13. It begins with N and ends with A, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
56 Down is YET, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 14. It begins with Y and ends with T, with 1 vowel among its 3 letters.
57 Down is ANO, a 3-letter entry that runs top to bottom starting in row 13, column 15. It begins with A and ends with O, with 2 vowels among its 3 letters.
About this puzzle
This Thursday grid contains 35 Across and 39 Down entries, with 40 black squares. Thursday puzzles lean harder on misdirection, and the theme often has a twist that only becomes clear once a few of the long entries are in place.
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.