Less polite

Archive answer — July 23, 2026

53 Down

Scroll down for the rest of the crossword answers

Clue explained

“RUDER” is the published 5-letter fill for 53 Down. Use the crossing letters in the grid below to verify how it fits.

Clue type:
Crossword fill

Washington Post Crossword

This clue’s Thursday, July 23, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal or hide a letter.

Crossword solution grid

Select a square to hide or reveal its letter in the 15 by 15 crossword grid.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

39 clues
  1. 1Like a specialized committee
  2. 6Qualified
  3. 10Sheer delight
  4. 14Ready to drop
  5. 15Squander
  6. 16Wet and squirmy
  7. 17Springsteen portrayer Jeremy __ White
  8. 18__ carotene
  9. 19Athletic brand
  10. 20Cinematographer's assignment?
  11. 23Short greetings
  12. 24Straight, for short
  13. 25Make an alliance
  14. 28Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"
  15. 29Opposite of sans
  16. 31Many a Chiwere language student
  17. 32Screenwriter's assignment?
  18. 36Toys with tails
  19. 38Nutrient in spinach
  20. 39"Srsly!?"
  21. 41iPhone helper
  22. 42"Ghostbusters" actor Harold
  23. 44Costume designer's assignment?
  24. 46Question in reply to "omw," maybe
  25. 47"Anyone __?"
  26. 49Detroit labor org.
  27. 50Town in Ontario County, New York
  28. 52The works
  29. 53Aves. and blvds.
  30. 56Director's assignment?
  31. 60Low on dough
  32. 62Zither kin
  33. 63Sound that comes from on high
  34. 64Volkswagen Group subsidiary
  35. 65Like supervillains
  36. 66Hall of Famer Shaquille
  37. 67Get out of bed
  38. 68French jeweler and glassmaker Lalique
  39. 69Bookish sorts

Down

39 clues
  1. 1Teeming (with)
  2. 2Metropolis in north-central India
  3. 3The MLB's Angels, to fans
  4. 4Cookie with a limited-edition BTS collaboration
  5. 5"Harriet" and "Wicked" Oscar nominee Erivo
  6. 6Monastery leader
  7. 7Veal cordon __
  8. 8Tolkien saga, briefly
  9. 9Old mice and such
  10. 10Italian salami city
  11. 11Recurring melodic phrase
  12. 12Big grazer
  13. 13Cornea locale
  14. 21Mello __ soda
  15. 22"Dang!"
  16. 26Gestation sites
  17. 27Put forth
  18. 28High-end hotel chain
  19. 29"Concrete Rose" novelist Thomas
  20. 30Dryer outlet
  21. 32S'mores cookers
  22. 33Speak from a rostrum
  23. 34Namesakes of most planets
  24. 35Little devils
  25. 37"That didn't escape my notice"
  26. 40Windows shaped like 13-Downs
  27. 43Product of a schism
  28. 45Golden, as bygone days
  29. 48Foam
  30. 51Otherworldly
  31. 52Waldorf salad fruit
  32. 53Less politeRUDER
  33. 54Trepidation
  34. 55Exchanges for money
  35. 57Order at a restaurant
  36. 58CNN anchor Burnett
  37. 59__ poem: free-form orchestral work
  38. 60Target score in disc golf
  39. 61"Bien sûr"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Every clue links to a dedicated answer page. Use the list below to scan the complete fill without opening the interactive board.

Across

  1. 1. Like a specialized committee

    Answer: ADHOC

  2. 6. Qualified

    Answer: ABLE

  3. 10. Sheer delight

    Answer: GLEE

  4. 14. Ready to drop

    Answer: WEARY

  5. 15. Squander

    Answer: BLOW

  6. 16. Wet and squirmy

    Answer: EELY

  7. 17. Springsteen portrayer Jeremy __ White

    Answer: ALLEN

  8. 18. __ carotene

    Answer: BETA

  9. 19. Athletic brand

    Answer: NIKE

  10. 20. Cinematographer's assignment?

    Answer: SHOOTYOURSHOT

  11. 23. Short greetings

    Answer: HIS

  12. 24. Straight, for short

    Answer: HET

  13. 25. Make an alliance

    Answer: TEAMUP

  14. 28. Novel that inspired "There Will Be Blood"

    Answer: OIL

  15. 29. Opposite of sans

    Answer: AVEC

  16. 31. Many a Chiwere language student

    Answer: OTO

  17. 32. Screenwriter's assignment?

    Answer: FORMALINE

  18. 36. Toys with tails

    Answer: KITES

  19. 38. Nutrient in spinach

    Answer: IRON

  20. 39. "Srsly!?"

    Answer: OMGNO

  21. 41. iPhone helper

    Answer: SIRI

  22. 42. "Ghostbusters" actor Harold

    Answer: RAMIS

  23. 44. Costume designer's assignment?

    Answer: PITCHAFIT

  24. 46. Question in reply to "omw," maybe

    Answer: ETA

  25. 47. "Anyone __?"

    Answer: ELSE

  26. 49. Detroit labor org.

    Answer: UAW

  27. 50. Town in Ontario County, New York

    Answer: SENECA

  28. 52. The works

    Answer: ALL

  29. 53. Aves. and blvds.

    Answer: RDS

  30. 56. Director's assignment?

    Answer: GETTHEPICTURE

  31. 60. Low on dough

    Answer: POOR

  32. 62. Zither kin

    Answer: HARP

  33. 63. Sound that comes from on high

    Answer: YODEL

  34. 64. Volkswagen Group subsidiary

    Answer: AUDI

  35. 65. Like supervillains

    Answer: EVIL

  36. 66. Hall of Famer Shaquille

    Answer: ONEAL

  37. 67. Get out of bed

    Answer: RISE

  38. 68. French jeweler and glassmaker Lalique

    Answer: RENE

  39. 69. Bookish sorts

    Answer: NERDS

Down

  1. 1. Teeming (with)

    Answer: AWASH

  2. 2. Metropolis in north-central India

    Answer: DELHI

  3. 3. The MLB's Angels, to fans

    Answer: HALOS

  4. 4. Cookie with a limited-edition BTS collaboration

    Answer: OREO

  5. 5. "Harriet" and "Wicked" Oscar nominee Erivo

    Answer: CYNTHIA

  6. 6. Monastery leader

    Answer: ABBOT

  7. 7. Veal cordon __

    Answer: BLEU

  8. 8. Tolkien saga, briefly

    Answer: LOTR

  9. 9. Old mice and such

    Answer: EWASTE

  10. 10. Italian salami city

    Answer: GENOA

  11. 11. Recurring melodic phrase

    Answer: LEITMOTIF

  12. 12. Big grazer

    Answer: ELK

  13. 13. Cornea locale

    Answer: EYE

  14. 21. Mello __ soda

    Answer: YELLO

  15. 22. "Dang!"

    Answer: HECK

  16. 26. Gestation sites

    Answer: UTERI

  17. 27. Put forth

    Answer: POSIT

  18. 28. High-end hotel chain

    Answer: OMNI

  19. 29. "Concrete Rose" novelist Thomas

    Answer: ANGIE

  20. 30. Dryer outlet

    Answer: VENT

  21. 32. S'mores cookers

    Answer: FIRES

  22. 33. Speak from a rostrum

    Answer: ORATE

  23. 34. Namesakes of most planets

    Answer: ROMANGODS

  24. 35. Little devils

    Answer: IMPS

  25. 37. "That didn't escape my notice"

    Answer: ISAW

  26. 40. Windows shaped like 13-Downs

    Answer: OCULI

  27. 43. Product of a schism

    Answer: SECT

  28. 45. Golden, as bygone days

    Answer: HALCYON

  29. 48. Foam

    Answer: LATHER

  30. 51. Otherworldly

    Answer: EERIE

  31. 52. Waldorf salad fruit

    Answer: APPLE

  32. 53. Less polite

    Answer: RUDER

  33. 54. Trepidation

    Answer: DREAD

  34. 55. Exchanges for money

    Answer: SELLS

  35. 57. Order at a restaurant

    Answer: HAVE

  36. 58. CNN anchor Burnett

    Answer: ERIN

  37. 59. __ poem: free-form orchestral work

    Answer: TONE

  38. 60. Target score in disc golf

    Answer: PAR

  39. 61. "Bien sûr"

    Answer: OUI

The answer to “Less polite” in the Washington Post Crossword is RUDER — a 5-letter word. It appears in our available data for July 23, 2026 at 53-Down. Below you can reveal the fill one letter at a time, check the full puzzle, and open every related clue page.

“Less polite” answer

RUDER(5 letters)

Prefer a nudge first? Use the letter tiles above to hide and reveal individual characters, or use the focused grid to confirm the crossing letters.

Why does RUDER fit?

RUDER is the published 5-letter answer at 53-Down. The highlighted path in the puzzle shows exactly where the entry sits.

When else has “Less polite” appeared?

The same clue can return on another date, sometimes with a different fill. These are the matching appearances in the recent published records available through the Answers API.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Less polite”?

The answer is RUDER.

How many letters are in the answer?

5 letters: RUDER.

When did this clue appear?

It appears in the Washington Post Crossword for July 23, 2026 at 53-Down.

Can this clue have a different answer?

Yes. Crossword clues may be reused with a different fill depending on the grid. Recent matching appearances are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day’s answers?

Open the Washington Post answers page for July 23, 2026 for the full grid and every clue.

Skip to main content