Phony WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / February 18, 2026

Crossword Answer

1 ? E

2 ? R

3 ? S

4 ? A

5 ? T

6 ? Z

Hint

Show Other Answer

(6 letters)

Interactive Solver for Phony Crossword Clue

Drag letters from the pool into “Your Answer”, then reorder them to match the solution.

Your Answer 6 Letter

Current guess: —

Letter Pool

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Unlock the puzzle's secrets with Daze's progressive hints!

Hint 1

hint

Reveal Hint

Think of something that pretends to be the real deal but falls short in authenticity.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

?????? means being an artificial and usually inferior substitute or imitation.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The word '??????' is used to describe something that is a substitute or imitation, often implying it's of inferior quality. 'Phony' suggests something that is not genuine, aligning with the idea of an imitation or substitute.

Hint 4

another clue

Reveal Hint

Faux, Bogus, Not genuine

WSJ Crossword February 18 2026 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

1 ? C
2 ? A
3 ? R
4 ? O
5 ? B
6 ? A
7 ? R
8 ? F
9 ? S
10 ? O
11 ? S
12 ? H
13 ? A
14 ? A
? S
? A
? D
? A
15 ? T
? E
? R
? I
16 ? M
? O
? A
? N
17 ? L
? A
? T
? E
? R
18 ? G
? A
? T
? O
? R
19 ? A
? L
? I
? T
20 ? T
? O
? D
? A
? Y
21 ? S
? H
? A
? K
? O
22 ? A
23 ? P
24 ? P
25 ? E
? A
? R
26 ? G
? O
27 ? T
? T
? A
? R
? U
? N
28 ? G
? O
? O
? D
? B
? Y
29 ? E
30 ? H
? A
? N
31 ? A
? L
? L
? Y
32 ? N
33 ? I
34 ? G
? E
? R
35 ? Q
36 ? U
37 ? O
38 ? I
? L
? L
? S
39 ? E
40 ? E
? Y
? O
? U
? A
? R
41 ? O
? U
? N
? D
42 ? N
? O
? S
43 ? A
? S
? A
? N
? A
44 ? N
? I
? T
? E
45 ? A
? S
? S
46 ? C
47 ? H
48 ? E
? E
? R
? I
? O
49 ? P
50 ? E
51 ? A
? C
? E
? O
52 ? U
53 ? T
54 ? A
? R
? L
? E
? E
? N
55 ? E
? X
? C
? E
? L
56 ? D
? A
57 ? R
? T
? S
58 ? D
? I
? E
? T
59 ? A
? D
? I
? O
? S
? A
60 ? M
61 ? I
62 ? G
63 ? O
64 ? I
? S
? L
? E
65 ? L
? E
? N
? S
66 ? T
? O
? N
? E
? D
67 ? S
? T
? A
? N
68 ? A
? R
? T
? Y
69 ? Z
? O
? N
? E
? D

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Clue Analysis

The clue “Phony” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated February 18 2026, the definitive 6-letter answer is: ERSATZ.

Expert Tip: When you’re stuck, try to analyze the structure of the clue itself. Is it a direct definition, a pun, a fill-in-the-blank, or a pop culture reference? Identifying the type of clue you’re dealing with is a key skill for improving your solving speed.

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Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

At Daze Puzzle, we understand that every clue is a puzzle within a larger puzzle. Our team of dedicated human experts and puzzle lovers solves these challenges daily to help you succeed. Below, we answer common questions about this specific clue.

A: The most common and recent 6-letter answer for "Phony" is ERSATZ.

A: The word 'ersatz' is used to describe something that is a substitute or imitation, often implying it's of inferior quality. 'Phony' suggests something that is not genuine, aligning with the idea of an imitation or substitute.

A: Ersatz means being an artificial and usually inferior substitute or imitation.

A: Faux, Bogus, Not genuine

A: WSJ Crossword - November 29, 2025 - WSJ Crossword - February 18, 2026

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