This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Sunday, August 2, 2026 (12 Down) and the NYT Crossword on Friday, April 3, 2026 (48 Down). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Sunday puzzles are large (21 by 21) and themed, about as hard as a Wednesday or Thursday.
NYT Crossword, August 2, 2026, 12 Down
Answer length: 6 squares
First letter
C _ _ _ _ _
First and last letters
C _ _ _ _ S
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About the answer
CARESS as a word: (transitive) To touch or kiss lovingly; to fondle; An act of endearment; any act or expression of affection; an embracing, or touching, with tenderness.
CARESS has been an answer 3 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since January 26, 2026.
NYT Crossword, April 3, 2026, 48 Down
Answer length: 4 squares
First letter
C _ _ _
First and last letters
C _ _ A
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About the answer
CHIA as a word: A Mexican sage grown for its edible seeds, Salvia hispanica; Salvia columbariae, a sage with similar seeds, native to the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.
CHIA has been an answer 2 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since April 3, 2026.
Other clues with the same answer
More clues from this puzzle
- Ninnies (8 Down)
- What someone flat-footed lacks (9 Down)
- Like an honorable knight (10 Down)
- They might be on one's radar (11 Down)
- Porters, for example (13 Down)
- Race prior to a race? (14 Down)
- Fifth-year student leader at Hogwarts (15 Down)
- Barely runs? (16 Down)
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