Difficult beginning, and a trait shared by 17-, 23-, 29-, 40- and 46-Across WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / May 27, 2026

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Crossword Answer

1 ? R

2 ? O

3 ? C

4 ? K

5 ? Y

6 ? S

7 ? T

8 ? A

9 ? R

10 ? T

Hint

Interactive Solver for Difficult beginning, and a trait shared by 17-, 23-, 29-, 40- and 46-Across Crossword Clue

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

Your Answer 10 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 an unstable foundation that might make things tough at first.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

A '??????????' refers to a challenging or problematic beginning to an endeavor or situation.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The clue suggests a phrase that describes a challenging or problematic beginning. The term '??????????' captures this idea, as 'rocky' implies difficulty or instability. Additionally, the clue indicates that this phrase is a trait shared by other entries, likely because they all begin with the word 'rock,' creating a thematic link.

WSJ Crossword May 27 2026 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

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

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Clue Analysis

The clue “Difficult beginning, and a trait shared by 17-, 23-, 29-, 40- and 46-Across” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated May 27 2026, the definitive 10-letter answer is: ROCKYSTART.

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 10-letter answer for "Difficult beginning, and a trait shared by 17-, 23-, 29-, 40- and 46-Across" is ROCKYSTART.

A: The clue suggests a phrase that describes a challenging or problematic beginning. The term 'Rocky Start' captures this idea, as 'rocky' implies difficulty or instability. Additionally, the clue indicates that this phrase is a trait shared by other entries, likely because they all begin with the word 'rock,' creating a thematic link.

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on May 27, 2026.

A: A 'rocky start' refers to a challenging or problematic beginning to an endeavor or situation.

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Difficult beginning, and a trait shared by 17-, 23-, 29-, 40- and 46-Across WSJ Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

Interactive Solver for Difficult beginning, and a trait shared by 17-, 23-, 29-, 40- and 46-Across Crossword Clue