This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, November 15, 2025 (53 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
P _ _ _
First and last letters
P _ _ E
Show the answer
About the answer
POKE as a word: To prod or jab with an object such as a finger or a stick; To stir up a fire to remove ash or promote burning.
POKE has been an answer 4 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since November 15, 2025.
Other clues with the same answer
More clues from this puzzle
- Flip (47 Down)
- Like a baby's fingers, perhaps (48 Down)
- Plant that thrives in dry climates (51 Down)
- Hangs out, with "around" (52 Down)
- "That hurts!" (55 Down)
- Condition of Freud's "Rat Man," in brief (57 Down)
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