This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, November 14, 2026 (18 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
"E.g." means the clue gives an example, and the answer names the group it belongs to.
Answer length: 5 squares
First letter
I _ _ _ _
First and last letters
I _ _ _ M
Show the answer
About the answer
IDIOM as a word: A manner of speaking, a mode of expression peculiar to a language, language family, or group of people; An established phrasal expression whose meaning may not be deducible from the literal meanings of its component words.
IDIOM has been an answer 3 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since February 3, 2026.
Other clues with the same answer
More clues from this puzzle
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- It follows that (16 Across)
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- Saps (20 Across)
- Very long span (21 Across)
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