This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, December 25, 2025 (58 Down). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Thursday puzzles often have a trick, such as a rebus (several letters in one square) or answers that bend the rules.
Answer length: 3 squares
First letter
R _ _
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About the answer
REF as a word: (informal, ambitransitive) To referee; to act as a referee in a sport or game; A surname.
REF has been an answer 7 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since November 16, 2025.
Other clues with the same answer
More clues from this puzzle
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