This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, November 13, 2025 (7 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: 7 squares
First letter
S _ _ _ _ _ _
First and last letters
S _ _ _ _ _ S
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About the answer
SPONGES as a word: (countable) Any of various marine invertebrates of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica; (countable) A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).
SPONGES has been an answer once in the NYT Crossword and Mini puzzles we have on file, which go back to October 23, 2025.
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