This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, February 21, 2026 (63 Across). 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
M _ _ _
First and last letters
M _ _ A
Show the answer
About the answer
MESA as a word: Flat area of land or plateau higher than other land, with one or more clifflike edges; (electronics) a structure with components rising above the insulating substrate that surrounds it.
MESA has been an answer 2 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since January 2, 2026.
Other clues with the same answer
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