Real or ideal suffix

Archive answer — August 31, 2026

48 Down

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Clue explained

“IST” is the published 3-letter fill for 48 Down. Use the crossing letters in the grid below to verify how it fits.

Clue type:
Crossword fill

Washington Post Crossword

This clue’s Monday, August 31, 2026 appearance

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Crossword solution grid

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

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Across

38 clues
  1. 1Confess (to)
  2. 6__ at the moon
  3. 1023-Down fig.
  4. 13Extract, as minerals from soil
  5. 14Gobi Desert continent
  6. 15Egg cells
  7. 16Avian scavengers with red heads
  8. 19Tread the boards
  9. 20Feathery neckwear
  10. 21Smitten Kitchen blogger Perelman
  11. 22Some QB protectors
  12. 24Neatens up text boxes, say
  13. 27Hangry plea
  14. 29Demo release
  15. 31Secretly included on an email
  16. 34Pop singer Carly __ Jepsen
  17. 35"The Incredibles" supersuit designer Mode
  18. 36Portuguese phone greeting
  19. 37Health retreat
  20. 40Recipe amt.
  21. 42Addams cousin
  22. 43Gambling town near Tahoe
  23. 45One of eight on an octopus
  24. 47Supple
  25. 49Paperwork for leisure travelers
  26. 53Nonprofit journalism agcy.
  27. 54Most civil
  28. 58Rotten
  29. 5920-vol. lexicon
  30. 61Karate rank
  31. 62Dallas City Hall architect I.M. __
  32. 63Part of speech that requires a direct object
  33. 67Enter a race
  34. 68Benefit
  35. 69Baking tool with holes
  36. 70Actress Adams of "The Muppets"
  37. 71Fairy tale opening
  38. 72Screen found in many a living room, or what 16-, 29-, 49-, and 63-Across can be called

Down

38 clues
  1. 1"I do" location
  2. 2Card with two pips
  3. 3"Knives Out" protagonist
  4. 4"Grody!"
  5. 5Hitchcock film with nonhuman villains
  6. 6Capital of Cuba
  7. 7Columbus sch.
  8. 8Untamed
  9. 9Penalties for missing due dates
  10. 10__ favor: "please," in Spanish
  11. 11Indulged too much
  12. 12May, in June
  13. 17Bear who steals "pic-a-nic" baskets
  14. 18__ Eats: DoorDash rival
  15. 23Upper house of Congress
  16. 25Cell service initials
  17. 26High-end camera, for short
  18. 28Language ending
  19. 30Large cask
  20. 31Running tally of drinks at a pub
  21. 32Pharaoh played by Elizabeth Taylor
  22. 33Puzzle
  23. 38Collects $200 in Monopoly
  24. 39Class with easels
  25. 41Least fancy
  26. 44Valuable excavation find
  27. 46Team VIP
  28. 48Real or ideal suffixIST
  29. 50Cry of victory
  30. 51Antiseptic fluid
  31. 52Czech or Pole
  32. 55Olympic swords
  33. 56Start a tennis rally
  34. 57Neighbor of Nepal
  35. 60Gorilla researcher Fossey
  36. 64Indefinite amount
  37. 65Nervous twitch
  38. 66"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" aunt, familiarly

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. Confess (to)

    Answer: ADMIT

  2. 6. __ at the moon

    Answer: HOWL

  3. 10. 23-Down fig.

    Answer: POL

  4. 13. Extract, as minerals from soil

    Answer: LEACH

  5. 14. Gobi Desert continent

    Answer: ASIA

  6. 15. Egg cells

    Answer: OVA

  7. 16. Avian scavengers with red heads

    Answer: TURKEYVULTURES

  8. 19. Tread the boards

    Answer: ACT

  9. 20. Feathery neckwear

    Answer: BOA

  10. 21. Smitten Kitchen blogger Perelman

    Answer: DEB

  11. 22. Some QB protectors

    Answer: RTS

  12. 24. Neatens up text boxes, say

    Answer: REALIGNS

  13. 27. Hangry plea

    Answer: FEEDME

  14. 29. Demo release

    Answer: TRIALVERSION

  15. 31. Secretly included on an email

    Answer: BCCED

  16. 34. Pop singer Carly __ Jepsen

    Answer: RAE

  17. 35. "The Incredibles" supersuit designer Mode

    Answer: EDNA

  18. 36. Portuguese phone greeting

    Answer: ALO

  19. 37. Health retreat

    Answer: SPA

  20. 40. Recipe amt.

    Answer: TSP

  21. 42. Addams cousin

    Answer: ITT

  22. 43. Gambling town near Tahoe

    Answer: RENO

  23. 45. One of eight on an octopus

    Answer: ARM

  24. 47. Supple

    Answer: LITHE

  25. 49. Paperwork for leisure travelers

    Answer: TOURISTVISAS

  26. 53. Nonprofit journalism agcy.

    Answer: APNEWS

  27. 54. Most civil

    Answer: POLITEST

  28. 58. Rotten

    Answer: BAD

  29. 59. 20-vol. lexicon

    Answer: OED

  30. 61. Karate rank

    Answer: DAN

  31. 62. Dallas City Hall architect I.M. __

    Answer: PEI

  32. 63. Part of speech that requires a direct object

    Answer: TRANSITIVEVERB

  33. 67. Enter a race

    Answer: RUN

  34. 68. Benefit

    Answer: GAIN

  35. 69. Baking tool with holes

    Answer: SIEVE

  36. 70. Actress Adams of "The Muppets"

    Answer: AMY

  37. 71. Fairy tale opening

    Answer: ONCE

  38. 72. Screen found in many a living room, or what 16-, 29-, 49-, and 63-Across can be called

    Answer: TVSET

Down

  1. 1. "I do" location

    Answer: ALTAR

  2. 2. Card with two pips

    Answer: DEUCE

  3. 3. "Knives Out" protagonist

    Answer: MARTA

  4. 4. "Grody!"

    Answer: ICK

  5. 5. Hitchcock film with nonhuman villains

    Answer: THEBIRDS

  6. 6. Capital of Cuba

    Answer: HAVANA

  7. 7. Columbus sch.

    Answer: OSU

  8. 8. Untamed

    Answer: WILD

  9. 9. Penalties for missing due dates

    Answer: LATEFEES

  10. 10. __ favor: "please," in Spanish

    Answer: POR

  11. 11. Indulged too much

    Answer: OVERDIDIT

  12. 12. May, in June

    Answer: LASTMONTH

  13. 17. Bear who steals "pic-a-nic" baskets

    Answer: YOGI

  14. 18. __ Eats: DoorDash rival

    Answer: UBER

  15. 23. Upper house of Congress

    Answer: SENATE

  16. 25. Cell service initials

    Answer: LTE

  17. 26. High-end camera, for short

    Answer: SLR

  18. 28. Language ending

    Answer: ESE

  19. 30. Large cask

    Answer: VAT

  20. 31. Running tally of drinks at a pub

    Answer: BARTAB

  21. 32. Pharaoh played by Elizabeth Taylor

    Answer: CLEOPATRA

  22. 33. Puzzle

    Answer: CONUNDRUM

  23. 38. Collects $200 in Monopoly

    Answer: PASSESGO

  24. 39. Class with easels

    Answer: ART

  25. 41. Least fancy

    Answer: PLAINEST

  26. 44. Valuable excavation find

    Answer: ORE

  27. 46. Team VIP

    Answer: MVP

  28. 48. Real or ideal suffix

    Answer: IST

  29. 50. Cry of victory

    Answer: IWON

  30. 51. Antiseptic fluid

    Answer: IODINE

  31. 52. Czech or Pole

    Answer: SLAV

  32. 55. Olympic swords

    Answer: EPEES

  33. 56. Start a tennis rally

    Answer: SERVE

  34. 57. Neighbor of Nepal

    Answer: TIBET

  35. 60. Gorilla researcher Fossey

    Answer: DIAN

  36. 64. Indefinite amount

    Answer: ANY

  37. 65. Nervous twitch

    Answer: TIC

  38. 66. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" aunt, familiarly

    Answer: VIV

The answer to “Real or ideal suffix” in the Washington Post Crossword is IST — a 3-letter word. It appears in our available data for August 31, 2026 at 48-Down. Below you can reveal the fill one letter at a time, check the full puzzle, and open every related clue page.

“Real or ideal suffix” answer

IST(3 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 IST fit?

IST is the published 3-letter answer at 48-Down. The highlighted path in the puzzle shows exactly where the entry sits.

When else has “Real or ideal suffix” 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 “Real or ideal suffix”?

The answer is IST.

How many letters are in the answer?

3 letters: IST.

When did this clue appear?

It appears in the Washington Post Crossword for August 31, 2026 at 48-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 August 31, 2026 for the full grid and every clue.

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