This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, January 15, 2026 (40 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: 3 squares
First letter
E _ _
Show the answer
About the answer
ETS as a word: Initialism of Educational Testing Service: the world's largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization, founded in 1947; (economics) Initialism of emissions trading scheme.
ETS has been an answer 14 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since October 29, 2025.
Other clues with the same answer
- Figures in some rumored landings, for short
- U.F.O. occupants, in brief
- Quite a few characters in 2025's "Elio," for short
- Many sci-fi villains, informally
- Saucer contents, informally
- Arrivals in the 2016 thriller "Arrival," in brief
- Trisolarans in "The Three-Body Problem," e.g., informally
- Saucer crew, in brief
- Sci-fi space travelers
- They're often depicted with green skin, for short
- Some unidentified visitors, for short
- Creatures on U.F.O.s, for short
More clues from this puzzle
- About a third of an N.F.L. broadcast (34 Down)
- Highway behemoth (37 Down)
- Fortune competitor (38 Down)
- 5.5 yards (39 Down)
- Star quality (41 Down)
- Seattle N.H.L. team (42 Down)
- April fool, e.g. (44 Down)
- Sixth word of the Gettysburg Address (45 Down)
Play today's NYT Crossword at The New York Times
All crossword clues · Today's NYT Crossword answers · Today's Mini answers