Yesterday's Keyword Answer
Stuck on today's keyword? You're in the right place. Take the hints one rung at a time, or drop straight to the keyword. Nothing spoils until you tap.
Hints, one at a time
Welcome back, puzzler. Yesterday's Keyword puzzle for Tuesday, September 1, 2026 is live: 6 words, each missing one letter, and those missing letters, read in order, spell the hidden keyword.
Here's how this page works: the words below already show their blanks, that's the same board you see in the game, so it's not a spoiler. The hints go from gentle to generous, so reveal them one at a time and stop the moment something clicks. The keyword itself sits in the green box further down, locked behind a tap. Nothing beyond the board reveals itself on its own, not a missing letter and not the keyword.
Board first, then the letters that fill it. Stop when the keyword surfaces.
Word 2: _ISE (8 choices)
Word 3: TERM_NAL (1 choice)
Word 4: POE_ (2 choices)
Word 5: T_A (2 choices)
Word 6: _EST (17 choices)
Drumroll, please…
Keyword Answer for September 1
Spoiler below · tap to revealTap a word to reveal it, then flip the keyword tiles below.
About yesterday's keyword PRIMER
In order: P, R, I, M, E, R, spelling PRIMER.
The keyword is worth 10 points in Scrabble before any bonus squares.
Published Tuesday, September 1, 2026, across 6 words plus the keyword.
Keyword strategy that actually helps
Proven habits from top solvers, useful today and every day.
Each word lists how many letters could fill its blank. The ones with only one or two choices are your best foothold.
Every word already shows most of itself. Sound out what's missing before you guess a letter.
Once a few letters lock in, think of common words that match the pattern you're building.
Confirm each word still spells something real with the keyword letter you've chosen for it.
Keyword rewards efficiency, so spend a reveal only when you're truly stuck.
Once you crack one word's letter, check whether it also fits the keyword pattern you're forming.
How to play Keyword
The rules in full, for anyone arriving without them.
Keyword is a daily puzzle from The Washington Post. You are shown a set of words with one letter missing from each, and the missing letters, read in order, spell out the hidden keyword.
- 1 Read each word with its blank
Every word shows all of itself except one letter, and each blank lists which letters could legally fill it.
- 2 Start with the fewest choices
A blank with only one or two candidates is a free letter. Lock those in before touching the ambiguous ones.
- 3 Read the missing letters in order
The letters you have placed, taken top to bottom, spell the keyword. A partial pattern is often enough to guess the whole thing.
- 4 Guess the keyword with as few reveals as possible
Your score is based on how little help you needed, so a reveal spent is a point lost.
The Washington Post
Six words, each missing one letter, plus one keyword
No limit, but reveals cost you points
Midnight in your local timezone
The keyword and the six words check each other. Once you have a plausible keyword, run its letters back through the blanks and confirm every word still spells something real, which catches a wrong guess before it costs you a reveal.
Keyword, answered
Quick answers to the questions we get every day.
What time does the new Keyword puzzle come out?
Keyword resets at midnight in your local timezone, wherever you are. If the blanked words below match the board in front of you, this is the right day.
How does Keyword scoring work?
You score points based on how few letters you reveal before correctly guessing the keyword. The fewer reveals you use, the higher your score for that puzzle.
Can I play past Keyword puzzles?
The Washington Post doesn't offer an in-app archive for Keyword. Our past answers table below goes back through the keywords we have covered.
Can the keyword repeat a letter?
Yes. Each of the six words contributes exactly one missing letter, and nothing stops two of them contributing the same one, so a keyword with a doubled letter is perfectly possible. Do not rule out a candidate just because it repeats.
What's the best way to start?
Look for the word with the fewest letter choices first. Locking that letter in often narrows down the words around it too. See our strategy tips above.
Today's hints for every game
Same spoiler-safe format, for each daily puzzle we cover.
Past Keyword answers
Recent Keyword answers, organized by month. Use it to check a day you missed, settle an argument, or study which keywords the editors favor. Today's keyword stays blurred until you tap it.
| Date | Puzzle | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 02Today | #1 | STICKY |
| Sep 01 | #2 | PRIMER |
| Aug 31 | #3 | HECTIC |
| Aug 30 | #4 | BYPASS |
| Aug 29 | #5 | AFIELD |
| Aug 28 | #6 | CAVITY |
| Aug 27 | #7 | EXEMPT |
| Aug 26 | #8 | REWARD |
| Aug 25 | #9 | SAFETY |
| Aug 24 | #10 | CORPSE |
| Aug 23 | #11 | ATTEST |
| Aug 22 | #12 | BRONZE |
| Aug 21 | #13 | ASPECT |
| Aug 20 | #14 | UNFAIR |
| Aug 19 | #15 | STROKE |
| Aug 18 | #16 | ACCESS |
| Aug 17 | #17 | DELUXE |
| Aug 16 | #18 | NOODLE |
| Aug 15 | #19 | FALLEN |
| Aug 14 | #20 | GENIAL |
| Aug 13 | #21 | SCHISM |
| Aug 12 | #22 | OPAQUE |
| Aug 11 | #23 | ANNUAL |
| Aug 10 | #24 | VOLUME |
| Aug 09 | #25 | THWART |
| Aug 08 | #26 | SLIDER |
| Aug 07 | #27 | TRAGIC |
| Aug 06 | #28 | ADVISE |
| Aug 05 | #29 | PIERCE |
| Aug 04 | #30 | LONELY |
| Aug 03 | #31 | REFORM |
| Aug 02 | #32 | SCENIC |
| Aug 01 | #33 | SORROW |
| Jul 31 | #34 | CARBON |
| Jul 30 | #35 | ACCEPT |
| Jul 29 | #36 | EXOTIC |
| Jul 28 | #37 | VENEER |
| Jul 27 | #38 | INDOOR |
| Jul 26 | #39 | TICKET |
| Jul 25 | #40 | BRUNCH |
| Jul 24 | #41 | DERAIL |
| Jul 23 | #42 | SKATER |
| Jul 22 | #43 | EFFECT |
| Jul 21 | #44 | FELONY |
| Jul 20 | #45 | REJOIN |
| Jul 19 | #46 | BISTRO |
| Jul 18 | #47 | DEPICT |
| Jul 17 | #48 | SHADOW |
| Jul 14 | #49 | DREARY |
| Jul 13 | #50 | CLOUDY |
| Jul 07 | #51 | GARISH |
| Jul 06 | #52 | TRIPLE |
| Jul 05 | #53 | GOALIE |
| Jul 04 | #54 | VOYAGE |
| Jul 03 | #55 | INNATE |
| Jul 02 | #56 | TACKLE |
| Jul 01 | #57 | JOYFUL |
| Jun 30 | #58 | PILLOW |
| Jun 29 | #59 | TRENDY |
| Jun 28 | #60 | PHRASE |
| Jun 27 | #61 | TARIFF |
| Jun 26 | #62 | BUSTLE |
| Jun 25 | #63 | TOILET |
| Jun 24 | #64 | DURESS |
| Jun 23 | #65 | APPEAR |
| Jun 22 | #66 | PEPPER |
| Jun 21 | #67 | MEMBER |
| Jun 20 | #68 | EMERGE |
| Jun 19 | #69 | PUNISH |
| Jun 18 | #70 | EMBLEM |
| Jun 17 | #71 | FLUENT |
| Jun 16 | #72 | THEORY |
| Jun 15 | #73 | STREAK |
| Jun 14 | #74 | IMPACT |
| Jun 13 | #75 | MUSEUM |
| Jun 12 | #76 | PALTRY |
| Jun 11 | #77 | FLUFFY |
| Jun 10 | #78 | EATERS |
| Jun 09 | #79 | GUARDS |
| Jun 08 | #80 | DOUBTS |
| Jun 07 | #81 | EXPECT |
| Jun 06 | #82 | PURPLE |
| Jun 05 | #83 | UNLOCK |
| Jun 04 | #84 | CIRCUS |
| Jun 03 | #85 | DETECT |
| Jun 02 | #86 | STITCH |
| Jun 01 | #87 | SPIRIT |
| May 31 | #88 | REMIND |
| May 30 | #89 | INVEST |
| May 29 | #90 | LITTLE |
| May 28 | #91 | SHREWD |
| May 27 | #92 | MENTOR |
| May 26 | #93 | REFLEX |
| May 25 | #94 | APATHY |
| May 24 | #95 | HUBRIS |
| May 23 | #96 | REPAIR |
| May 22 | #97 | ASPIRE |
| May 21 | #98 | POLICY |
| May 20 | #99 | RESORT |
| May 19 | #100 | ASSERT |