Close Contests – Thursday, 19 February 2026 • By By Jonathan Raksin & Jeff Chen/Edited by Mike Shenk
Navigating the witty twists and turns of the Wall Street Journal Crossword is no small feat. Today’s puzzle, titled “Close Contests – Thursday, 19 February 2026”, brings a fresh set of challenges crafted by By Jonathan Raksin & Jeff Chen/Edited by Mike Shenk. If you find yourself stuck on a particular clue or trying to crack the theme without breaking your streak, you are in the right place.
At WordFinder Tips, we analyze the puzzle daily to bring you not just the answers, but the logic behind them. Below, you will find our Interactive Solver which allows you to check specific answers for ‘Across’ and ‘Down’ clues separately.
🧩 Theme Analysis: Close Contests – Thursday, 19 February 2026
In WSJ puzzles, the title is your compass. “Close Contests – Thursday, 19 February 2026” likely hints at a wordplay mechanic involving synonyms, added letters, or perhaps a visual pun hidden in the grid. Look closely at the longest Across answers—they usually hold the key to unlocking the puzzle’s core concept.
Interactive Solver
Use the tabs below to switch between Across and Down clues. The grid will update to focus on your selected direction.
Close Contests – Thursday, 19 February 2026
1U
2M
3P
4H
5E
W
F
8I
9S
10C
11A
12L
13A
P
R
14I
O
R
I
E
N
C
O
R
E
16E
G
O
T
R
I
P
17S
A
C
O
S
T
A
C
O
N
C
E
N
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
21G
22W
E
N
O
L
A
F
24N
I
T
25A
W
E
26I
C
U
28B
A
29B
30I
E
S
31M
I
D
32H
A
T
33S
C
A
R
34E
I
S
35N
E
R
T
W
A
37N
38G
39S
40W
A
D
41S
P
O
L
43O
O
H
44C
45O
A
R
S
E
Y
R
S
47B
R
O
48B
L
T
H
E
50R
R
51V
I
E
W
L
E
T
S
M
A
K
E
A
D
E
A
L
57A
V
A
T
A
R
58X
M
A
S
L
I
59S
60T
61N
E
W
A
R
K
I
M
P
E
T
U
S
63C
R
A
N
E
S
D
E
N
65Y
E
A
1One of four at an MLB park
UMP
4Do some hacking
HEW
7Tax-related
???
13Based on theoretical deduction
APRIORI
15Added number, of a sort
???
16Journeys with excess baggage?
EGOTRIPS
18Former CNN anchor Jim
???
19It may be measured in parts per million
???
21Singer Stefani
GWEN
23Snowman who sings “In Summer”
???
24Something to pick
NIT
25Leave astonished
AWE
26Post-ER place
ICU
28They’re frequently changed
BABIES
31Start for life or wife
MID
32The Panama one originated in Ecuador
HAT
33Lasting effect
SCAR
34Former Disney CEO Michael
EISNER
36Pedal steel guitar sounds
???
40Rolls of bills
WADS
42AOC, e.g.
???
43“How exciting!”
OOH
44Lacking refinement
COARSE
46Jr. and sr.
???
47Slacker address
BRO
48Club kin
BLT
49Mannheim Mister
???
51Opinion
VIEW
52Negotiator’s line
???
57Franchise with two of the three highest-grossing films of all time
AVATAR
58December compilation
XMASLIST
61Home of Prudential and Audible
NEWARK
62Driving force
???
63Origami birds
CRANES
64Room with a recliner
???
65Word of support
YEA
1Nation with the world’s tallest bldg.
UAE
2Fuel-efficiency stat
MPG
3Gate receipts
PROCEEDS
4Western saddle feature
HORN
5Zohran’s mayoral predecessor
ERIC
61963 #2 hit for the Surfaris
???
7It reduces risk-taking behavior
???
8Emperor Atahualpa, for one
INCA
9Fife fellow
SCOT
10Secant’s reciprocal
COSINE
11Stella ___ (Belgian beer)
ARTOIS
12Tilted, in Tottenham
LEANT
14Lay ___ thick
ITON
17It’s broadcast from 30 Rock
SNL
20Things opened in browsers and bars
???
21With 39-Down, network since 1994, and a hint to the circled answers
GAME
22V-J Day ended it
WWII
26“Rumor has it…”
IHEAR
27Dangerous opponents at the table
???
29Noisily breaks down
BAWLS
30401(k) alternative
IRA
35Hip-hop group “outta Compton”
NWA
37Second estate
NOBILITY
38“Earth in the Balance” author
GORE
39See 21-Down
SHOW
41Go after
SEEK
42Giza attraction
???
44Cunning
CLEVER
45Senators’ city
OTTAWA
48“Knives Out” sleuth Benoit
BLANC
50King, to Cato
REX
51Low area
VALE
53Sebastian of Marvel movies
???
54Stable parent?
???
55Judi Dench, e.g.
???
56WNBA draft airer
???
59Be litigious
SUE
60Seizer of liquid assets, for short
TSA
How to Play the WSJ Crossword
The Wall Street Journal crossword is widely considered one of the best in the country, right up there with the New York Times. It is edited by Mike Shenk, a legend in the puzzle community.
Weekly Difficulty Curve
Monday & Tuesday: Gentle and welcoming. Perfect for newer solvers. The themes are usually straightforward.
Wednesday & Thursday: The difficulty ramps up. You will see more wordplay and fewer direct definition clues.
Friday: The toughest daily puzzle. Expect tricky themes and obscure vocabulary.
Saturday (The Contest): This is unique to the WSJ. The puzzle includes a ‘meta-challenge’ where you must find a hidden answer (usually a single word or phrase) that is not in the grid but is derived from the answers.
Tips for Solving Faster
Fill the Blanks First: Scan the clues for Fill-in-the-blank style clues (e.g., ‘Salt and ___’). These are usually the easiest to get and provide anchor letters for the surrounding harder words.
Another key strategy is to check the 3 and 4-letter words. Words like ‘ERA’, ‘ORE’, ‘ARIA’, and ‘ETE’ appear frequently in crosswords (known as ‘crosswordese’) because of their helpful vowel structures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the WSJ Crossword free?
Yes, the Wall Street Journal offers its daily puzzle for free on its website, unlike many other major publications.
What time is the puzzle released?
The puzzle is usually available online at midnight ET.
Who is the editor?
The puzzle is edited by Mike Shenk, who has been steering the WSJ puzzle section since its inception.
