If you’re looking to flex your vocabulary muscles beyond the standard crossword, The Missing Letter crossword puzzle by Merriam-Webster is a daily brain teaser! This puzzle is not just filling in a grid, but an alphabetical hunt. With the clues, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet, the real challenge is figuring out which single letter has been left out. Here are the answers and the crucial missing letter for today’s puzzle, February 7, 2026.

The Missing Letter Answers - 1

The Missing Letter Answers Today: February 7, 2026

The Missing Letter is: A

By solving the clues provided, the letter A is the only one not utilised as a starting letter for an answer.

  • 1 Across: NOUN: “a modern Gael, Highland Scot, Irishman, Welshman, Cornishman, or Breton” – CELT

  • 5 Across: Gets a few laps in, maybe – JOGS

  • 9 Across: NOUN: “the pigmented middle layer of the eye” – UVEA

  • 10 Across: Food with its name stamped on it – OREO

  • 11 Across: NOUN: “a highly admired person or thing” – BEESKNEES

  • 13 Across: 5-5 in the fifth, say – TIE

  • 14 Across: VERB: “to engage in varied operations” – DIVERSIFY

  • 20 Across: NOUN: “a memorable or important date or event…especially one that begins a new period in the history of a person or thing” – ERA

  • 21 Across: Greek T – TAU

  • 22 Across: NOUN: “something composed of miscellaneous or incongruous parts” – PATCHWORK

  • 26 Across: Mauna ___ (it’s near Mauna Kea) – LOA

  • 27 Across: NOUN: “a percussion instrument consisting of a series of wooden bars” – XYLOPHONE

  • 33 Across: Placed (down) – LAIN

  • 34 Across: NOUN: “a musical composition or set of compositions” – OPUS

  • 35 Across: ___-Ball (arcade rolling) – SKEE

  • 36 Across: “The Simpsons” character usually depicted wearing a Walkman – OTTO

  • 1 Down: Chicago catcher – CUB

  • 2 Down: Plumb of “The Brady Bunch” – EVE

  • 3 Down: NOUN: “the side (as of a ship) or area that is sheltered from the wind” – LEE

  • 4 Down: VERB: “to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth” – TASTE

  • 5 Down: BIOGRAPHICAL NAME: “Quincy 1933–2024 American composer, bandleader, and producer” – JONES

  • 6 Down: Iron ___ (the steel industry uses it) – ORE

  • 7 Down: INTERJECTION: “used as an introductory expletive or to express surprise or enthusiasm” – GEE

  • 8 Down: NOUN: “a call or request for help or rescue” – SOS

  • 12 Down: NOUN: “a drink made of dry white wine and crème de cassis” – KIR

  • 14 Down: Putting money in the bank (abbr.) – DEP

  • 15 Down: NOUN: “[fund] in which income taxes on certain deposits and on all gains are deferred” – IRA

  • 16 Down: NOUN: “a large vessel (such as a cistern, tub, or barrel) especially for holding liquors in an immature state or preparations for dyeing or tanning” – VAT

  • 17 Down: “Who am ___ judge?” – ITO

  • 18 Down: ADVERB: “at or to a considerable distance in space” – FAR

  • 19 Down: NOUN: “laugh” – YUK

  • 23 Down: Identical twin, e.g. – CLONE

  • 24 Down: VERB: “to move by a quick springy leap or in a series of leaps” – HOP

  • 25 Down: INTERJECTION: “used to express exuberance or enthusiasm” – WAHOO

  • 27 Down: Big shirt sizes – XLS

  • 28 Down: Himalayan animal – YAK

  • 29 Down: “My dog ate my homework,” say – LIE

  • 30 Down: Choose – OPT

  • 31 Down: NOUN: “a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel” – NUT

  • 32 Down: That thing, in Spanish – ESO

The Missing Letter Crossword Answer Image - 2

This puzzle has a really pleasant, classic feel, with a strong mix of cultural references, clean definitions, and a few longer entries that give the grid some satisfying weight. The clues flow smoothly, and the balance between straightforward fill and more colorful vocabulary keeps the solve engaging without feeling taxing. The observation about the single unused starting letter is a neat final check that adds polish to the overall experience. All in all, it’s a solid and enjoyable solve, 4 out of 5 .

How to Play ‘The Missing Letter’

If you’re new to this Merriam-Webster classic, here’s how the “alphabetical twist” works:

  • The Goal: Fill the grid using 25 words that each begin with a unique letter of the alphabet.
  • Identify the Gap: Once the grid is complete, determine which of the 26 letters was not used as a starting letter.
  • Weekly Reward: Keep track of each daily missing letter; at the end of the week, you can unscramble them to solve the Weekly Mystery Word .