Formal ceremonies Crossword Clue
Looking for the answer to “Formal ceremonies” from the Washington Post Sunday crossword of August 17, 2025? It has 5 letters. Flip the tiles one at a time, try a hint first, or look through the rest of that puzzle.
Crossword answer
WASHINGTON POST SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2025
Tap a tile to see one letter, or show the whole answer.
RITES is the answer to “Formal ceremonies”. It means a ceremonial act or procedure.
Hints
Three clues to the answer, gentle first. Open one at a time.
Hint 1 Meaning
A ceremonial act or procedure.
Hint 2 Anagram
Its letters, scrambled: ISTRE.
Hint 3 Another clue
It has also been clued as “Quinceañeras, e.g.”.
More clues from the Washington Post Sunday (August 17, 2025)
Across
- 1. "Wednesday" actress Myers4 letters, starts with EEMMA
- 5. World Equestrian Center site in Florida5 letters, starts with OOCALA
- 10. Formal ceremonies5 letters, starts with RRITES
- 15. Six-pack muscles3 letters, starts with AABS
- 18. 12, half of the time4 letters, starts with NNOON
- 19. Tops (out)5 letters, starts with MMAXES
- 20. "A Night at the ___" ("The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" episode where the Banks family is interviewed by the "Queen of All Media")5 letters, starts with OOPRAH
- 21. Bounding gait4 letters, starts with LLOPE
- 23. *Part of a camera that hangs loosely?10 letters, starts with DDANGLELENS
- 25. *Barks out commands?10 letters, starts with BBAYSORDERS
- 27. Hot, like some cars6 letters, starts with SSTOLEN
- 28. Greenish-blue color4 letters, starts with TTEAL
- 30. Down-under rodent?8 letters, starts with SSEWERRAT
- 31. Beer holder3 letters, starts with KKEG
- 32. *Price tags that have been crafted with yarn?9 letters, starts with KKNITCOSTS
- 35. Panoramic view5 letters, starts with VVISTA
- 36. "Later," in Lyon5 letters, starts with AADIEU
- 38. Have the flu, say3 letters, starts with AAIL
- 39. "My ___ cents ..."3 letters, starts with TTWO
- 40. Dorm room fixture3 letters, starts with BBED
- 41. Tony winner Leibman3 letters, starts with RRON
- 42. Be sulky4 letters, starts with MMOPE
- 44. 1999 Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Knievel4 letters, starts with EEVEL
- 45. Mythical stoner?6 letters, starts with GGORGON
- 48. *Soft footwear worn by a sly fox?10 letters, starts with GGUILESOCKS
- 51. *Brief way of introducing actor Diesel to director Spielberg?9 letters, starts with VVINSTEVEN
- 54. Approximately4 letters, starts with OORSO
- 55. Cheat day indulgences6 letters, starts with SSWEETS
- 57. Son of Seth4 letters, starts with EENOS
- 58. "___ got the power" (lyric from Snap!)3 letters, starts with IIVE
- 59. "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" musician Yoko3 letters, starts with OONO
- 61. Vintage autos4 letters, starts with RREOS
- 63. Pictures8 letters, starts with IIMAGINES
- 66. Island nation where the soprano Miriam Gauci was born5 letters, starts with MMALTA
- 69. *Place known for its burning heap?9 letters, starts with PPYRESTATE
- 72. Totally lethargic5 letters, starts with IINERT
- 73. Body of water viewed from Ardgillan Castle8 letters, starts with IIRISHSEA
- 75. Word after check or book4 letters, starts with MMARK
- 76. Subject of the Human Genome Project3 letters, starts with DDNA
- 77. One of four for a quadruped3 letters, starts with LLEG
- 78. Pummel, as with snowballs4 letters, starts with PPELT
- 80. Draw while bored, often6 letters, starts with DDOODLE
- 83. Game played with horses4 letters, starts with PPOLO
- 87. *Body of water named after actress Madeline?9 letters, starts with KKAHNRIVER
- 90. *Jazz musician whose instrument is a joint?10 letters, starts with KKNEEBOPPER
- 92. Smith's apt surname6 letters, starts with SSTEELE
- 93. Up to the job4 letters, starts with AABLE
- 96. Tangles of hair4 letters, starts with MMATS
- 97. Underwater source of electricity, perhaps3 letters, starts with EEEL
- 98. Screech ___ (bird)3 letters, starts with OOWL
- 99. Mary Barra of GM or Christine A. Leahy of CDW, e.g.3 letters, starts with CCEO
- 100. Well and good for an astronaut3 letters, starts with AAOK
- 101. Uncertain, as a future5 letters, starts with MMURKY
- 103. Yoga position5 letters, starts with AASANA
- 106. *Terse instruction to a rabbit to mix things up in the kitchen?9 letters, starts with SSTIRBUNNY
- 109. George's lyricist brother3 letters, starts with IIRA
- 110. Guy with attachment issues, derisively8 letters, starts with MMAMASBOY
- 112. Drained of color4 letters, starts with AASHY
- 113. Physical combat6 letters, starts with TTUSSLE
- 116. *Notion about a bowling target?10 letters, starts with PPINTHOUGHT
- 118. Comment about the silence on Zoom ... and what's spelled out by the sounds that have been removed from the starts of 10 phrases in this puzzle10 letters, starts with YYOUREMUTED
- 121. With 64 Down, fizz ingredient4 letters, starts with SSLOE
- 122. Bill Withers song on the album "Still Bill"5 letters, starts with UUSEME
- 123. Happen as a result5 letters, starts with EENSUE
- 124. No man's ___4 letters, starts with LLAND
- 125. Some GPS routes3 letters, starts with SSTS
- 126. Glossary listings5 letters, starts with TTERMS
- 127. Stitched lines5 letters, starts with SSEAMS
- 128. Culturally pretentious4 letters, starts with AARTY
Down
- 1. Concludes4 letters, starts with EENDS
- 2. Defensive ditch4 letters, starts with MMOAT
- 3. One-piece bathing suits with a portmanteau name9 letters, starts with MMONOKINIS
- 4. "Life of Pi" director6 letters, starts with AANGLEE
- 5. Glowing eyes in a dark forest, e.g.4 letters, starts with OOMEN
- 6. Silent ___ (president Coolidge's nickname)3 letters, starts with CCAL
- 7. Chopper in the woods3 letters, starts with AAXE
- 8. Dal makhani ingredient6 letters, starts with LLENTIL
- 9. Strong point5 letters, starts with AASSET
- 10. Chris Traeger's portrayer on "Parks and Recreation"7 letters, starts with RROBLOWE
- 11. Hoppy beer's initials3 letters, starts with IIPA
- 12. Affair chance?5 letters, starts with TTRYST
- 13. Alleviates5 letters, starts with EEASES
- 14. Hulu offering4 letters, starts with SSHOW
- 15. Drummer Tommy8 letters, starts with AALDRIDGE
- 16. Afrikaners' ancestors5 letters, starts with BBOERS
- 17. Jack who ate no fat5 letters, starts with SSPRAT
- 22. "___ bien" ("It's fine")4 letters, starts with EESTA
- 24. 8 Down, e.g.6 letters, starts with LLEGUME
- 26. Go back (to one's old ways)6 letters, starts with RREVERT
- 29. Time for the closing monologue of a Shakespeare play4 letters, starts with AACTV
- 32. Melee onomatopoeia5 letters, starts with KKAPOW
- 33. Daughter of a sibling5 letters, starts with NNIECE
- 34. Keep doing what you're doing5 letters, starts with SSOLVE
- 36. Ship consecrated to Poseidon4 letters, starts with AARGO
- 37. Gloomy in appearance4 letters, starts with DDOUR
- 40. ___ nova5 letters, starts with BBOSSA
- 43. ___ buco4 letters, starts with OOSSO
- 44. Value greatly6 letters, starts with EESTEEM
- 45. Bearded garden statue5 letters, starts with GGNOME
- 46. Just like ewe5 letters, starts with OOVINE
- 47. How many times a one-point safety has occurred in the NFL5 letters, starts with NNEVER
- 49. Recovers treasure dropped by slain enemies in role-playing games5 letters, starts with LLOOTS
- 50. Actress Deborah known as the "English Rose"4 letters, starts with KKERR
- 52. Still competitive4 letters, starts with IINIT
- 53. Magpie's home4 letters, starts with NNEST
- 56. "What a pity!"5 letters, starts with SSOSAD
- 60. "Don't worry 'bout it"3 letters, starts with NNAH
- 62. Golf or rowing action6 letters, starts with SSTROKE
- 64. See 121 Across3 letters, starts with GGIN
- 65. Like some purchases on one's phone5 letters, starts with IINAPP
- 66. Toddler's drink, often4 letters, starts with MMILK
- 67. Spheres of interest5 letters, starts with AAREAS
- 68. "I've seen the ___!"5 letters, starts with LLIGHT
- 69. "Pet" issue5 letters, starts with PPEEVE
- 70. ES Harkness Hall's campus4 letters, starts with YYALE
- 71. "Lonely" and "Beautiful" singer4 letters, starts with AAKON
- 74. Cause of a stain, maybe5 letters, starts with SSPILL
- 76. Financial obligation4 letters, starts with DDEBT
- 79. "Excision" actress Lords5 letters, starts with TTRACI
- 81. Spirit of a horror film5 letters, starts with DDEMON
- 82. Like defective pipes5 letters, starts with LLEAKY
- 84. VIP of a certain company9 letters, starts with OOPERASTAR
- 85. Vichyssoise veggie4 letters, starts with LLEEK
- 86. Paris ___ Airport4 letters, starts with OORLY
- 88. Infants8 letters, starts with NNEONATES
- 89. Clean a second time6 letters, starts with RREWASH
- 91. Highly dense element6 letters, starts with OOSMIUM
- 94. Rakes over the coals7 letters, starts with BBERATES
- 95. Alley-oop passes4 letters, starts with LLOBS
- 100. "Somebody wanna take a guess?"6 letters, starts with AANYONE
- 102. "The Left Hand of Darkness" author ___ K. Le Guin6 letters, starts with UURSULA
- 103. Boxes in an arena, say4 letters, starts with AAMPS
- 104. Travels by schooner5 letters, starts with SSAILS
- 105. "Nuh-uh!"5 letters, starts with AAMNOT
- 106. Immerse in liquid5 letters, starts with SSOUSE
- 107. Oddly spelled big cat that's "burning bright" in a Blake poem5 letters, starts with TTYGER
- 108. "I mean, obviously!"5 letters, starts with UUHYES
- 111. Title contender's event4 letters, starts with BBOUT
- 113. Rock concert merch4 letters, starts with TTEES
- 114. Gave temporarily4 letters, starts with LLENT
- 115. Circular current4 letters, starts with EEDDY
- 117. "I'm not so sure ..."3 letters, starts with HHMM
- 119. Tenn.'s place3 letters, starts with UUSA
- 120. Blue Hawaii liquor3 letters, starts with RRUM
Fresh clues from recent puzzles
Questions
What is the answer to “Formal ceremonies”?
RITES, 5 letters: a ceremonial act or procedure.
When was “Formal ceremonies” last seen in a crossword?
In the Washington Post Sunday crossword of August 17, 2025.
How many letters does the answer have?
5 letters, starting with R.