Making subtle references WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / March 21, 2026

Add as a preferred source on Google

Crossword Answer

1 ? A

2 ? L

3 ? L

4 ? U

5 ? S

6 ? I

7 ? V

8 ? E

Hint

Interactive Solver for Making subtle references Crossword Clue

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

Your Answer 8 Letter

Current guess: —

Letter Pool

Need a helpful nudge?

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

Hint 1

hint

Reveal Hint

Think of a whisper that hints at something more.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

???????? means characterized by indirect references or hints.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The word '????????' describes a manner of speaking or writing that makes indirect references, often to other works of art or literature. The clue 'making subtle references' suggests this indirectness and subtlety, which aligns with the meaning of '????????.'

WSJ Crossword March 21 2026 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

1 ? W
2 ? I
3 ? G
4 ? S
5 ? H
6 ? O
7 ? P
8 ? C
9 ? U
10 ? S
11 ? H
12 ? A
13 ? F
14 ? L
15 ? O
16 ? A
17 ? T
18 ? F
? I
? N
? E
? T
? U
? N
? E
19 ? A
? N
? N
? A
20 ? M
? A
? I
? N
? L
? O
21 ? T
22 ? I
? N
? F
? O
? R
? M
? E
? R
23 ? S
? I
? L
? I
24 ? C
? O
? N
? V
? A
? L
? U
? E
25 ? F
? O
? L
? S
? O
? M
26 ? D
27 ? E
? A
? F
28 ? T
? A
? N
? G
29 ? T
? U
? R
? N
30 ? A
? S
? A
31 ? B
? E
32 ? A
? U
? T
? B
? O
33 ? X
? I
? N
? G
34 ? S
? I
? S
35 ? T
36 ? C
? E
? L
? L
37 ? C
? A
? R
? O
38 ? I
? T
? R
? I
39 ? E
40 ? D
41 ? B
42 ? S
? E
? R
43 ? S
? U
44 ? P
45 ? M
? U
46 ? T
47 ? E
48 ? C
? L
? E
? A
? V
? E
? R
49 ? A
? U
? D
? I
50 ? T
51 ? M
? O
52 ? O
53 ? T
54 ? T
? O
? T
? A
? L
55 ? D
? E
? K
? E
56 ? D
? R
? Y
? E
? R
57 ? S
58 ? O
? C
? H
59 ? O
60 ? R
? E
? V
? I
61 ? S
? E
62 ? F
? E
? U
? D
? I
? N
63 ? G
? F
? R
? E
? N
64 ? Z
? Y
65 ? I
? N
? C
66 ? P
67 ? A
68 ? W
69 ? A
? I
? G
70 ? B
? O
? O
? S
71 ? C
? G
? I
72 ? S
? L
? O
? E
73 ? U
? P
? I
74 ? T
? S
? O
75 ? E
? B
? B
76 ? T
? W
? O
? P
77 ? E
? W
? S
? I
? N
78 ? A
? P
? O
? D
79 ? J
? S
? B
? A
80 ? C
? H
81 ? D
? I
? V
? E
82 ? S
? I
? M
? I
? L
? E
83 ? A
84 ? L
85 ? S
? O
86 ? I
? C
? H
? A
87 ? T
88 ? T
? E
? E
89 ? N
90 ? C
? U
? L
? L
? S
91 ? W
? A
? T
? E
92 ? R
? S
? K
? E
? W
? E
93 ? R
94 ? P
? O
95 ? W
96 ? S
? P
? O
? T
97 ? L
? O
? O
? F
? A
? H
98 ? M
? O
99 ? O
100 ? D
101 ? B
? A
102 ? B
? E
? L
103 ? P
? L
? Y
104 ? B
105 ? O
106 ? N
? U
? S
? F
? U
107 ? T
? U
? R
? E
108 ? E
109 ? L
110 ? F
111 ? L
112 ? E
? D
? A
113 ? B
? O
? R
? O
114 ? A
? F
? A
? R
115 ? H
? A
116 ? W
? A
? I
? I
117 ? E
? L
? E
? C
118 ? T
? R
? I
? C
? Y
119 ? U
? L
? E
120 ? A
121 ? P
? E
? M
? A
? S
? K
? S
122 ? G
? L
? A
? C
? I
? A
? L
123 ? E
? R
? I
? N
124 ? P
? A
? R
? A
? K
? E
? E
? T
125 ? A
? D
? O
? P
? T
? S
126 ? S
? L
? E
? D
127 ? S
? T
? O
? N
? E
? R
? S

Across

Business that can change your locks Crossword Clue

Extremely untaxing, briefly Crossword Clue

12A

Bobbing on the waves Crossword Clue

18A

Tweak Crossword Clue

19A

Wintour of Condé Nast Crossword Clue

20A

Closest parking, perhaps Crossword Clue

22A

Rat Crossword Clue

23A

What element #14 is worth? Crossword Clue

25A

Prison that Johnny Cash sang about Crossword Clue

26A

Like most Gallaudet University students Crossword Clue

28A

Zesty flavor Crossword Clue

29A

Right, e.g. Crossword Clue

30A

Butterfield of “Hugo” Crossword Clue

31A

Hottie trading punches? Crossword Clue

34A

Family nickname Crossword Clue

35A

Immune system agent Crossword Clue

37A

Dear, to Donatello Crossword Clue

38A

“Gave it my best shot” Crossword Clue

41A

Serial fabulist Crossword Clue

43A

“How’s it goin’?” Crossword Clue

45A

Beaver unable to speak? Crossword Clue

49A

Corruption catcher Crossword Clue

51A

Meaningless Crossword Clue

54A

Summer’s result Crossword Clue

55A

Evasive move on the ice Crossword Clue

56A

Load-bearing machines Crossword Clue

60A

Edit, say Crossword Clue

62A

Turmoil between the Hatfields and McCoys? Crossword Clue

65A

Bus. ender Crossword Clue

66A

Pointer’s pointer Crossword Clue

69A

Co. bailed out in 2008 Crossword Clue

70A

Reacts to a missed call Crossword Clue

71A

It might make you see some unbelievable things Crossword Clue

72A

Gin-flavoring fruit Crossword Clue

73A

News agcy. since 1958 Crossword Clue

74A

General who’s part of many orders Crossword Clue

76A

Church seating for a couple of whales? Crossword Clue

79A

“The Art of Fugue” composer Crossword Clue

81A

Place to get cheap drinks Crossword Clue

82A

Rhetorical comparison Crossword Clue

83A

“And another thing…” Crossword Clue

86A

Predecessor of Messages, on Macs Crossword Clue

88A

Slinger of youthspeak, typically Crossword Clue

90A

Selects carefully Crossword Clue

91A

Harpoon? Crossword Clue

94A

Punch sound Crossword Clue

96A

Sticky situation Crossword Clue

97A

Shower cleaner Crossword Clue

98A

Grammarian’s concern Crossword Clue

101A

Tower setting Crossword Clue

103A

Thickness Crossword Clue

104A

Alternative timeline that hasn’t happened yet? Crossword Clue

108A

Polar toiler Crossword Clue

111A

Mother of Castor and Pollux Crossword Clue

113A

Staten Island, e.g., informally Crossword Clue

114A

Miles away Crossword Clue

115A

Senator Mazie Hirono’s state Crossword Clue

117A

Celebration for a homeowner whose house is glowing? Crossword Clue

120A

Parts of some gorilla costumes Crossword Clue

122A

Extremely slow Crossword Clue

123A

County Wicklow land Crossword Clue

124A

Budgerigar, e.g. Crossword Clue

125A

Takes on Crossword Clue

126A

Skeleton need Crossword Clue

127A

High-minded folks? Crossword Clue

Down

Boozehounds Crossword Clue

Small imported car of the ’80s, made much bigger? Crossword Clue

Bygone GM compacts Crossword Clue

Disco gizmo Crossword Clue

Collectible German figurines Crossword Clue

What I stood for in ancient times Crossword Clue

Pain ___ (French toast, to the French) Crossword Clue

Sweet melon Crossword Clue

Military outfit Crossword Clue

10D

Most Emmy-winning show of all time Crossword Clue

11D

Hispaniola half Crossword Clue

12D

Included in Crossword Clue

13D

Big canine Crossword Clue

14D

Tyler of “Ad Astra” Crossword Clue

15D

Spouting off Crossword Clue

16D

Making subtle references Crossword Clue

17D

Play around? Crossword Clue

18D

World Cup org. Crossword Clue

21D

Bill depicting the U.S. Treasury Crossword Clue

24D

Give the boot to Crossword Clue

27D

“Need I continue?” letters Crossword Clue

32D

Target of donation requests Crossword Clue

33D

Strike Crossword Clue

34D

Honorific for Jeanne d’Arc Crossword Clue

36D

Got all misty Crossword Clue

38D

Senator Tammy Duckworth’s state Crossword Clue

39D

Spider sighter’s squeal Crossword Clue

40D

N.W.A co-founder, casually Crossword Clue

41D

Butter or lard, to a dieter Crossword Clue

42D

“No kidding!” Crossword Clue

44D

Magic show sound effects Crossword Clue

46D

Rishi Sunak, e.g. Crossword Clue

47D

Season in Soissons Crossword Clue

48D

Makes petty objections Crossword Clue

50D

Apache and Arapaho Crossword Clue

52D

Text-scanning tech, for short Crossword Clue

53D

“Gossip Girl” airer Crossword Clue

57D

High-and-mighty Crossword Clue

59D

“Cross my heart,” in modern slang Crossword Clue

61D

Perfect for postcards, say Crossword Clue

63D

Head home Crossword Clue

64D

“Shush!” Crossword Clue

66D

Teacher who makes the class happy? Crossword Clue

67D

Famed Harlem theater Crossword Clue

68D

Like Houston’s Katy Freeway, of all U.S. roads Crossword Clue

72D

Take all the games in a series Crossword Clue

76D

Lose one’s cool, perhaps? Crossword Clue

77D

Leading woman? Crossword Clue

78D

Coax a laugh from Crossword Clue

79D

MVP quarterback in 2013’s Super Bowl Crossword Clue

80D

Michael of 10-Down Crossword Clue

83D

Saddler’s tool Crossword Clue

84D

Luang Prabang language Crossword Clue

85D

Come to a complete halt Crossword Clue

87D

Chinese rival of Amazon Crossword Clue

89D

Chef Matsuhisa with a namesake restaurant chain Crossword Clue

92D

Starfish arm Crossword Clue

93D

Cole Porter song Crossword Clue

95D

Bronze Star honoree Crossword Clue

99D

Ruffle Crossword Clue

100D

Singer Lipa Crossword Clue

102D

Macho admonition Crossword Clue

104D

Is plenty angry Crossword Clue

105D

Middle-earth meanie Crossword Clue

106D

Poet Alfred Crossword Clue

107D

Critter catchers Crossword Clue

109D

Is fond of Crossword Clue

110D

Thing to bump or pump Crossword Clue

111D

Race segment Crossword Clue

113D

Rotten tot Crossword Clue

116D

Come to Crossword Clue

118D

Pro’s advice Crossword Clue

119D

Link that might be broken Crossword Clue

121D

Butter bit Crossword Clue

Clue Analysis

The clue “Making subtle references” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated March 21 2026, the definitive 8-letter answer is: ALLUSIVE.

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.

Finished the WSJ Puzzle? Check out this link for future puzzles:

WSJ Crossword Answers

Play the Official Game

Play Online in Wall Street Journal

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 8-letter answer for "Making subtle references" is ALLUSIVE.

A: The word 'allusive' describes a manner of speaking or writing that makes indirect references, often to other works of art or literature. The clue 'making subtle references' suggests this indirectness and subtlety, which aligns with the meaning of 'allusive.'

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on March 21, 2026.

A: Allusive means characterized by indirect references or hints.

Today's Crossword Answers

Want more help on other popular crossword puzzles? Try it now!

Making subtle references WSJ Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

Interactive Solver for Making subtle references Crossword Clue

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

Hint 1

Hint 2

Hint 3

Across

Down

Clue Analysis

Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

Q1: What is the most likely answer for the crossword clue "Making subtle references"?

Q2: Why is "ALLUSIVE" the answer to the clue "Making subtle references"?

Q3: In which puzzle was the clue "Making subtle references" last seen?

Q4: What does the word "ALLUSIVE" mean in this context?

Today's Crossword Answers

Making subtle references WSJ Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

Interactive Solver for Making subtle references Crossword Clue

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

Hint 1

Hint 2

Hint 3

WSJ Crossword March 21 2026 Answers

Across

Down

Clue Analysis

Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

Q1: What is the most likely answer for the crossword clue "Making subtle references"?

Q2: Why is "ALLUSIVE" the answer to the clue "Making subtle references"?

Q3: In which puzzle was the clue "Making subtle references" last seen?

Q4: What does the word "ALLUSIVE" mean in this context?

Today's Crossword Answers

Crossword Clue Solver