The best and the brightest Crossword Clue

We have the 5-letter answer for The best and the brightest crossword clue, last seen in the Universal Crossword February 23, 2026 puzzle. Let us help you solve the crossword clue that has you stumped so you can finish the puzzle.

The best and the brightest Crossword Answer

→19.

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Helpful Hints

(adjective)
1. selected as the best
(noun)
1. a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status

Hint 2: Clue Definition

BEST (noun)
1. Canadian physiologist (born in the United States) who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin (1899-1978)
2. the person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others
BEST (adjective)
1. (comparative and superlative of `well’) wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable
2. (superlative of `good’) having the most positive qualities
BEST (adverb)
1. from a position of superiority or authority
BEST (verb)
1. get the better of

More Universal Crossword (2/23/2026) Answers

Across

1. Large primate

4. Hawaiian greeting or farewell

9. Design detail briefly

13. ___ Jones

14. Lesser-played part of a 45

15. One may lay a bathroom floor

17. Sports bet based on total points

20. Put into play

21. Guys at a think tank

23. Me too

26. Taking heat

28. "Buckle Up, Dummies" ad, e.g.

29. Give, as duties

31. Scot's "not"

32. Heat source good for drying out a boot

34. Sinbad's setting

36. Sinbad, for one

37. Greek letters after etas

40. ___ up (energize)

41. Cowboy's boot?

44. "I can't believe this," online

46. Crafty

47. Laudatory poem

48. Get going, as a motorcycle

51. In a past life

52. How a fool acts

53. Supporter

55. Painting such as "The Last Supper"

56. Go back to the beginning, as with this puzzle's theme answers?

62. Comic Martin

63. Tea leaves' alternative

64. Disco ___ (the '70s, in music history)

65. Takes a gander at

66. Alpha’s counterpart

67. Go for it!

All Answers

Down

1. Fuss

2. Personal take, for short

3. Farm mama

4. Laptop brand from Taiwan

5. Pickup ___

6. Like all primes except two

7. Giggling syllable

8. Shorten

9. Animal rounded up in a roundup

10. Middle Eastern rice dish

11. What a loss in a tournament often leads to

12. The "c" in etc.

16. Zellweger of "Judy"

18. Bitterly regret

22. Cub's place

23. 15, 30 and 50 are common ones, in brief

24. It's west of the Pacific

25. Singer who is "defrosted" every November 1

26. LA's country

27. Actor Cage familiarly

29. Each

30. Camera option, for short

33. Shady tree

34. “Where the Sidewalk Ends” author Silverstein

35. A mouse!

37. The Horned Frogs of the NCAA

38. Highway to Hell band

39. ___-ball (arcade game)

41. Seeks divine guidance from

42. Common pg. size

43. Back, on a boat

44. Reads rapidly

45. Part of an hour

46. Ga. city

49. Scoundrel

50. Monica who won nine tennis majors

51. Peace activist Yoko

53. Tadpole, eventually

54. Lead-in to boy or girl

57. Cap that may be plaid

58. "Rules ___ rules!"

59. Hound doc

60. Misjudge, say

61. Bit of sunshine

All Answers