This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, February 7, 2026 (4 Down). 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.
Answer length: 4 squares
First letter
F _ _ _
First and last letters
F _ _ Y
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About the answer
FRAY as a word: (transitive) (also figuratively) To rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to un...; (intransitive) To become unravelled or worn; to unravel.
FRAY has been an answer 2 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since February 7, 2026.
Other clues with the same answer
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