WSJ (Contest) Grid: untimed; Meta: an hour or so rate it
Mike Shenk’s Wall Street Journal contest crossword, “Shades of Difference” — Conrad’s writeup
This week we’re looking for a nine-letter word. The long center entry unlocked the puzzle for me: REDWHITEANDBLUE, clued as Independence Day set. I noticed 9a (BLUT, one letter off from BLUE) and I had the signal. There were nine grid entries that differed from RED. WHITE, or BLUE by one letter. Here they are in changed letter grid order:
WSJ Contest – 07.05.2026
- BLU(T) -> BLUE
- W(R)ITE -> WHITE
- R(I)D -> RED
- (C)LUE -> BLUE
- RE(O) -> RED
- WHI(L)E -> WHITE
- R(O)D -> RED
- BLU(R) -> BLUE
- WHIT(S) -> WHITE
The changed letters spell our contest solution TRICOLORS. Solvers: please share your thoughts.