Firing up the Washington Post’s daily crossword is a classic ritual, but it can be a real brain-bender. Whether you’re a seasoned solver or just getting started, some days the clues (and that tricky theme!) just don’t click. Since the WaPo daily can be tough sometimes, solving it can be quite a challenge. If you’ve found yourself stuck on a few answers, you’ve come to the right guide. Here are hints and answers for today’s Washington Post (LA Times) Daily crossword puzzle.

Washington Post/LA Times Daily Crossword Answers Today – January 1, 2026 - 1

Note: The Washington Post and the LA Times share the same Daily Crossword every day, so you can play either.

Today’s Washington Post/LA Times Crossword Answers for December 23, 2025

  • 1 Across : Root beer brand owned by Coca-Cola – BARQS

  • 6 Across : Tightly closed – SHUT

  • 10 Across : Smile joyously – BEAM

  • 14 Across : Indigenous Alaskan – ALEUT

  • 15 Across : Work hard for – EARN

  • 16 Across : Feminine Spanish pronoun – ELLA

  • 17 Across : Roman robes – TOGAS

  • 18 Across : Rather often – QUITEALOT

  • 20 Across : Jackie on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – CHAN

  • 21 Across : Mardi Gras, for one: Abbr. – TUE

  • 22 Across : Selling point – ASSET

  • 23 Across : In large quantities – HANDOVERFIST

  • 27 Across : Name on a former lake in Central Asia – ARAL

  • 28 Across : “Guys and Dolls” composer Frank- LOESSER

  • 32 Across : “Been __, done that” – THERE

  • 35 Across : Chapel bench – PEW

  • 36 Across : Med. plan option – HMO

  • 37 Across : Taunting remark – EATYOURHEARTOUT

  • 42 Across : Chicken __ king – ALA

  • 43 Across : Hundred Acre Wood joey – ROO

  • 44 Across : Cropped up – AROSE

  • 45 Across : Antarctic body of water with penguin rookeries – ROSSSEA

  • 48 Across : “Othello” frenemy – IAGO

  • 50 Across : NHL legend known as “The Great One” – WAYNEGRETZKY

  • 55 Across : Poker buy-ins – ANTES

  • 58 Across : Final tally – SUM

  • 59 Across : Prefix with -gram – SONO

  • 60 Across : Handmade backyard nest box, and an apt description of 18-, 23-, 37-, and 50-Across – BIRDHOUSE

  • 63 Across : Hollowed out – CORED

  • 64 Across : Crossword hint – CLUE

  • 65 Across : Finds a purpose for – USES

  • 66 Across: Blender setting for pumpkin pie filling – PUREE

  • 67 Across: “As __ on TV” – SEEN

  • 68 Across: “Devil Inside” band – INXS

  • 69 Across: Ring-shaped island – ATOLL

  • 1 Down : Baker’s sheetful – BATCH

  • 2 Down : “Welcome to Maui!” – ALOHA

  • 3 Down : Middle daughter of King Lear- REGAN

  • 4 Down : Difficult situation – QUANDARY

  • 5 Down : MA, ME, MI, and MO, but not MU – STS

  • 6 Down : Follow-up film – SEQUEL

  • 7 Down : Rutger of “Blade Runner” – HAUER

  • 8 Down : Ocean State sch. – URI

  • 9 Down : Blasting letters – TNT

  • 10 Down : __ of burden: plow-pulling animals – BEASTS

  • 11 Down : Letter-shaped pipe joints – ELLS

  • 12 Down : __ vera gel – ALOE

  • 13 Down : “The Simpsons” creator Groening – MATT

  • 19 Down : “At __, soldier!” – EASE

  • 21 Down : FDR energy project – TVA

  • 24 Down : Dirt pie cookie – OREO

  • 25 Down : Escape in a hurry – FLEE

  • 26 Down : Ames locale – IOWA

  • 29 Down : “Go on, git!” – SHOO

  • 30 Down : Big birds of Australia – EMUS

  • 31 Down : Learning by repetition – ROTE

  • 32 Down : Salty drop – TEAR

  • 33 Down : Saintly glow – HALO

  • 34 Down : Airport pickup figs. – ETAS

  • 35 Down : Vietnamese soup – PHO

  • 38 Down : Manhattan Project scientist Harold – UREY

  • 39 Down : Multicolored horse – ROAN

  • 40 Down : All the __: very popular – RAGE

  • 41 Down : Brings forward for display – TROTSOUT

  • 46 Down : Country between Finland and Norway – SWEDEN

  • 47 Down : Merit badge holder – SASH

  • 48 Down : “Well, maybe” – IGUESS

  • 49 Down : Sleeve – ARM

  • 51 Down : English county south of Suffolk – ESSEX

  • 52 Down : Masked vigilante whose name is Spanish for “fox” – ZORRO

  • 53 Down : Genuflect – KNEEL

  • 54 Down : Alpine song – YODEL

  • 55 Down : School basics – ABCS

  • 56 Down : Aswan’s river – NILE

  • 57 Down : Factual – TRUE

  • 61 Down : French yes – OUI

  • 62 Across: Top Gun org. – USN

  • 63 Across: Audit firm pro – CPA

Washington Post/LA Times Daily Crossword Answers Today – December 23, 2025 - 2

This Washington Post/LA Times crossword for December 23, 2025, offers a delightful mix of challenges that should appeal to solvers of various skill levels. The fill quality is generally solid, with a good balance between common vocabulary and more interesting entries. There are some lovely longer answers that flow naturally, though a few of the shorter fills rely on the usual crossword standbys we’ve all seen before. The pop culture references span different eras nicely, from classic literature to modern entertainment, so different generations of solvers will find something familiar.

You can also checkout today’s answers for other Crossword puzzles below:

  • NYT Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
  • LA Times Mini Crossword
  • USA Today Crossword Hints and Answers

How to Play Washington Post/LA Times Crossword Puzzle

You can play the daily crossword for free on the Washington Post’s website under their “Games” section.

  1. Choose a Clue: Click on any clue in the “Across” or “Down” lists.
  2. Enter Your Answer: The corresponding squares in the grid will be highlighted. Type your answer. The cursor will automatically move to the next square.
  3. Switch Directions: You can press the spacebar or click a square a second time to toggle between “Across” and “Down.”
  4. Check Your Work: You can press the “Check” or “Reveal” feature if you get truly stuck.

That’s it, folks, come back again tomorrow for a fresh set of answers.