Free of contaminants Crossword Clue
Looking for the answer to “Free of contaminants” from the Washington Post Sunday crossword of February 15, 2026? It has 7 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, FEBRUARY 15, 2026
Tap a tile to see one letter, or show the whole answer.
STERILE is the answer to “Free of contaminants”. It means incapable of producing offspring.
Hints
Three clues to the answer, gentle first. Open one at a time.
Hint 1 Meaning
Incapable of producing offspring.
Hint 2 Anagram
Its letters, scrambled: TISREEL.
Hint 3 Another clue
It has also been clued as “Completely clean”.
More clues from the Washington Post Sunday (February 15, 2026)
Across
- 1. Show curiosity3 letters, starts with AASK
- 4. Fix, as a feline4 letters, starts with SSPAY
- 8. Cause of a mythological figure's doom3 letters, starts with SSUN
- 11. Dine Brands subsidiary4 letters, starts with IIHOP
- 15. Open ___ night3 letters, starts with MMIC
- 18. Grassy expanse3 letters, starts with LLEA
- 19. Ye ___ Shoppe4 letters, starts with OOLDE
- 20. Brian with the album "Aurum"3 letters, starts with EENO
- 21. Result of making contact with a Rocket, maybe4 letters, starts with FFOUL
- 22. Airport sched. letters3 letters, starts with EETA
- 23. Nickname of one of the "California Dreamin'" singers8 letters, starts with MMAMACASS
- 25. Univ. that hosts the annual Mystery Hunt3 letters, starts with MMIT
- 26. Treated with heat8 letters, starts with AANNEALED
- 28. Aleve alternative6 letters, starts with AANACIN
- 29. A as in ABC, e.g.7 letters, starts with IINITIAL
- 32. PC inserts that may hold 1990s software6 letters, starts with CCDROMS
- 33. Reputation7 letters, starts with SSTATURE
- 35. Fizzy cocktail liqueur7 letters, starts with SSLOEGIN
- 37. ___ Dhabi3 letters, starts with AABU
- 39. "Lovable" ones who are always down on their luck6 letters, starts with LLOSERS
- 41. Relaxed, as privates6 letters, starts with AATEASE
- 42. Offering to a bookie3 letters, starts with BBET
- 45. "Understood"5 letters, starts with NNOTED
- 47. Salacious stuff4 letters, starts with SSMUT
- 48. Vast majority4 letters, starts with BBULK
- 49. Late actress honored in a 2026 Westminster dog show tribute with a montage featuring clips of her "Best in Show" performance5 letters, starts with OOHARA
- 51. 1971 NL MVP Joe5 letters, starts with TTORRE
- 52. "Actually, I had it right the first time" computer command4 letters, starts with RREDO
- 53. ___-bitsy4 letters, starts with IITSY
- 54. ___ acid (B vitamin)5 letters, starts with FFOLIC
- 55. Like Antarctica's population6 letters, starts with SSPARSE
- 57. Impair3 letters, starts with MMAR
- 58. Martial arts legend Bruce3 letters, starts with LLEE
- 59. Medication form6 letters, starts with CCAPLET
- 60. Half of 45?5 letters, starts with SSIDEB
- 62. High or low card3 letters, starts with AACE
- 64. "You nitwits!"5 letters, starts with FFOOLS
- 66. Designate3 letters, starts with TTAP
- 69. Mystical symbol4 letters, starts with RRUNE
- 70. Jump the ___ (do something too soon)3 letters, starts with GGUN
- 71. Risking mil. discipline4 letters, starts with AAWOL
- 72. Spirited Irish dance3 letters, starts with JJIG
- 75. HI hi5 letters, starts with AALOHA
- 77. Got a meal with Uber Eats, say9 letters, starts with OORDEREDIN
- 80. "Crying in the Bathroom" memoirist Sánchez5 letters, starts with EERIKA
- 82. Chicago Bears quarterback Williams5 letters, starts with CCALEB
- 83. Knighted man's title3 letters, starts with SSIR
- 84. See 124 Across3 letters, starts with EELS
- 85. Controller controller5 letters, starts with GGAMER
- 86. Book of the Dead god6 letters, starts with OOSIRIS
- 88. Garfield and others7 letters, starts with TTABBIES
- 92. Frustration6 letters, starts with DDISMAY
- 93. Soda fountain choices5 letters, starts with CCOLAS
- 95. Large leaf from a palm5 letters, starts with FFROND
- 96. Like sudsy bathwater5 letters, starts with SSOAPY
- 97. "Insecure" star Issa3 letters, starts with RRAE
- 99. Addams Family cousin3 letters, starts with IITT
- 100. Has an inclination5 letters, starts with TTILTS
- 101. Ink-filled tool3 letters, starts with PPEN
- 102. TV regulator3 letters, starts with FFCC
- 105. One may bray for hay3 letters, starts with AASS
- 106. Be crawling (with)4 letters, starts with TTEEM
- 108. Drink famously refused at a Boston "party"3 letters, starts with TTEA
- 109. The D of 32 Across4 letters, starts with DDISC
- 110. "Now I get it!"3 letters, starts with AAHA
- 111. Like some distracting objects5 letters, starts with SSHINY
- 113. Drink with Scotch and Drambuie9 letters, starts with RRUSTYNAIL
- 116. Polymath Leonhard5 letters, starts with EEULER
- 118. Site of nuclear fission4 letters, starts with CCORE
- 119. Trajectory of this puzzle's circled subject ... or, the four-letter words either spelled upward in the starred entries or downward in the double-starred entries11 letters, starts with RRISEANDFALL
- 121. ___ on the wrist (light punishment)4 letters, starts with SSLAP
- 122. ___ of expertise4 letters, starts with AAREA
- 123. Bring into coordination5 letters, starts with AALIGN
- 124. With 84 Across, 2011 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee5 letters, starts with EERNIE
- 125. Electee in a conclave4 letters, starts with PPOPE
- 126. Gave for the time being4 letters, starts with LLENT
- 127. Radioactive process5 letters, starts with DDECAY
- 128. Watery trenches, often5 letters, starts with MMOATS
- 129. Bratty kid4 letters, starts with SSNOT
Down
- 1. ___ mater4 letters, starts with AALMA
- 2. Connery of "The Rock"4 letters, starts with SSEAN
- 3. Text about one's love life?9 letters, starts with KKAMASUTRA
- 4. *Quality that's subject to bias in surveys, where respondents answer questions in a way that they believe will be viewed favorably by others18 letters, starts with SSOCIALDESIRABILITY
- 5. Probably will6 letters, starts with PPLANTO
- 6. Business postings on Facebook, say3 letters, starts with AADS
- 7. *"Sure, haven't forgotten about that"14 letters, starts with YYESIREMEMBERIT
- 8. Tractor-trailer4 letters, starts with SSEMI
- 9. Curriculum section4 letters, starts with UUNIT
- 10. Phrase of denial4 letters, starts with NNOTI
- 11. **"When every other option has been exhausted ..."14 letters, starts with IIFALLELSEFAILS
- 12. Sweetie3 letters, starts with HHON
- 13. Oz represents them6 letters, starts with OOUNCES
- 14. **Lines on a flag?18 letters, starts with PPLEDGEOFALLEGIANCE
- 15. Cantaloupe sphere9 letters, starts with MMELONBALL
- 16. "What's the next ___ on the agenda?"4 letters, starts with IITEM
- 17. Despicable dudes4 letters, starts with CCADS
- 24. Segment of a theatrical work3 letters, starts with AACT
- 27. MS NOW host Melber3 letters, starts with AARI
- 30. "Chant to Bolivar" poet6 letters, starts with NNERUDA
- 31. Sharp, so to speak6 letters, starts with AASTUTE
- 34. Where the KGB was based4 letters, starts with UUSSR
- 36. Like some barrel-aged wines4 letters, starts with OOAKY
- 37. Six-legged colonists4 letters, starts with AANTS
- 38. Betty of the 1934 animated short "Betty in Blunderland"4 letters, starts with BBOOP
- 40. Repository function7 letters, starts with SSTORAGE
- 41. Texas home of McMurry University7 letters, starts with AABILENE
- 43. Buffalo's Great Lake4 letters, starts with EERIE
- 44. Care with one's words4 letters, starts with TTACT
- 46. Misses the mark4 letters, starts with EERRS
- 50. Moves like a frog4 letters, starts with HHOPS
- 56. End of a Brown address3 letters, starts with EEDU
- 59. Pigeon's remark3 letters, starts with CCOO
- 61. Son of Seth, in Genesis4 letters, starts with EENOS
- 63. Unfriendly dog3 letters, starts with CCUR
- 65. Has possession of4 letters, starts with OOWNS
- 66. Filled food truck fare4 letters, starts with TTACO
- 67. "Hate to say it, but ..."4 letters, starts with AALAS
- 68. *Sound effect heard in the Thin Lizzy song "Jailbreak"11 letters, starts with PPOLICESIREN
- 72. **Comedian who joked on his talk show, "Thank you, peer pressure, for being totally not cool. Unless my friends think it's cool, then it's pretty cool, I guess."11 letters, starts with JJIMMYFALLON
- 73. Furniture giant founded in Sweden4 letters, starts with IIKEA
- 74. Basketball Hall of Famer Payton4 letters, starts with GGARY
- 76. Valorous figure4 letters, starts with HHERO
- 78. Opportunity to pick an athlete5 letters, starts with DDRAFT
- 79. Real estate documents5 letters, starts with DDEEDS
- 81. Scratchy voice4 letters, starts with RRASP
- 87. Fill to the brim4 letters, starts with SSATE
- 89. "Clueless" actress Murphy8 letters, starts with BBRITTANY
- 90. Anne who sings "Don't Lose Ur Head" in "Six"6 letters, starts with BBOLEYN
- 91. Working together8 letters, starts with IINTANDEM
- 92. Female deer4 letters, starts with DDOES
- 94. Free of contaminants7 letters, starts with SSTERILE
- 96. "Details. Now!"7 letters, starts with SSPILLIT
- 97. Playful devil6 letters, starts with RRASCAL
- 98. Back from a sea trip6 letters, starts with AASHORE
- 103. Low in price and quality6 letters, starts with CCHEAPO
- 104. "Magic" flying surface6 letters, starts with CCARPET
- 107. Pop art?5 letters, starts with MMUSIC
- 109. "I'm Coming Out" singer Ross5 letters, starts with DDIANA
- 112. No ice4 letters, starts with NNEAT
- 114. "Sonic the Hedgehog" publisher4 letters, starts with SSEGA
- 115. World ___ Day (Sept. 15 celebration of a natural hairstyle)4 letters, starts with AAFRO
- 117. Letter carriers' org.4 letters, starts with UUSPS
- 119. Totally awesome3 letters, starts with RRAD
- 120. Bay City Rollers singer McKeown3 letters, starts with LLES
Seen before
This clue also appeared in the Washington Post Sunday on January 18, 2026.
Fresh clues from recent puzzles
Questions
What is the answer to “Free of contaminants”?
STERILE, 7 letters: incapable of producing offspring.
When was “Free of contaminants” last seen in a crossword?
In the Washington Post Sunday crossword of February 15, 2026, and 1 more time before that.
How many letters does the answer have?
7 letters, starting with S.