This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, July 2, 2026 (61 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.
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 _ _ K
Show the answer
About the answer
MONK as a word: A male member of a monastic order who has devoted his life for religious service; In earlier usage, an eremite or hermit devoted to solitude, as opposed to a cenobite, who lived communally.
MONK has been an answer 2 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since May 21, 2026.
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