What is the answer to the WSJ Crossword clue "Windows antecedent" from July 16, 2026?

Crossword clue

“Windows antecedent”

This clue appeared as 17-Down in the WSJ Crossword on Thursday, July 16, 2026. The answer has 5 letters.

Answer · 5 lettersFirst appearance

MSDOS

Letters5

Starts withM

Ends withS

Vowels1

Where this clue has appeared

WSJ Crossword
Jul 16, 20265 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Windows antecedent” ran in the WSJ Crossword on July 16, 2026 as 17-Down. Its answer is a 5-letter word that starts with M and ends with S, with only 1 vowel, so think abbreviations or consonant clusters.

See every answer from the puzzle on the WSJ Crossword page for July 16, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

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FAQ

What is the answer to the “Windows antecedent” clue?+

The answer is MSDOS (5 letters), from the WSJ Crossword of July 16, 2026.

Where has this clue appeared?+

We have seen it 1 time in the WSJ Crossword.

How do I find other WSJ Crossword answers?+

Open the full list of answers for July 16, 2026, or browse every date on the WSJ Crossword hub.