This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, November 14, 2026 (13 Down). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Saturday puzzles are the hardest of the week and themeless, so clues are often deliberately misleading.
How to read this clue
The question mark warns of wordplay. Expect a pun or a second meaning rather than a straight definition.
Answer length: 4 squares
First letter
H _ _ _
First and last letters
H _ _ S
Show the answer
About the answer
HEMS as a word: Dated form of Homs: a city in Syria. [A city, the capital of the governorate of Homs, in western Syria.]; Initialism of helicopter emergency medical service.
HEMS has been an answer 2 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since June 26, 2026.
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