Former NBA star Ming

Latest answer — August 07, 2026

53 Down

This towering former NBA center was a basketball icon from China. 🏀

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LA Times Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 07, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Sheer
  2. 6Walrus kin
  3. 10Waffle over in the freezer aisle
  4. 14Bête __
  5. 15Shoestring
  6. 16Infuriate
  7. 17"Our previous recommendation stands"?
  8. 19Explore Mars, perhaps
  9. 20Ninth letter of the Hebrew alphabet
  10. 21Reaction to lions and tigers and bears
  11. 22Vein of ore
  12. 23Genesis locale
  13. 25"My peacock's tail is the best!," e.g.?
  14. 29Genesis locale
  15. 31Accessory often tipped or used for tips
  16. 32"Dee-lish!"
  17. 33French bean
  18. 37"We are not alone" subj.
  19. 38Features of some detours, or what four answers in this puzzle need in order to match their clues?
  20. 40"Shoo!"
  21. 42"Call Me" band
  22. 43Bud
  23. 44Refuse to settle, perhaps
  24. 45Sticker
  25. 49Record of one's attempts to enter a hedge maze?
  26. 54Mountain lion
  27. 55"Yer killin' me!"
  28. 56Utah city near two national parks
  29. 58Fishing pole
  30. 59Drops from above
  31. 60Promise made by a serial dater who aspires to commit?
  32. 63Early Bond foe
  33. 64Actor Auberjonois
  34. 65:-(
  35. 66Fortuneteller
  36. 67Spanish kiss
  37. 68Touchscreen tappers

Down

  1. 1Marries
  2. 2Home of the El Greco Museum
  3. 3Pitching
  4. 4Pitching stat
  5. 5Make over
  6. 6Substance celebrated by the Sloomoo Institute
  7. 7Smooth course
  8. 8Best club in Vegas?
  9. 9Was up
  10. 10Bad move
  11. 11Peace offerings?
  12. 12Buckle
  13. 13The Grand __ Opry
  14. 18TV broadcast band
  15. 22Allow
  16. 24Like a 2024 Blake Snell game
  17. 26Sticker
  18. 27Despised
  19. 28French friend
  20. 30Steamed
  21. 34Symbolic puzzle that dates to the Middle Ages
  22. 35Key
  23. 36Cybersecurity exec
  24. 37Very much inclined
  25. 38Source of some pink seasoning
  26. 39Ramadan-ending holiday, informally
  27. 40Cocoa scrub venue
  28. 41Auto maintenance
  29. 44Transgression
  30. 46Respectful dip
  31. 47Virtually indifferent?
  32. 48"The People's Princess"
  33. 50Show respect for
  34. 51Signs
  35. 52Shakespeare lover
  36. 53Former NBA star Ming
  37. 57Jewish rite
  38. 59Hwys.
  39. 60Sphere consulted by a 66-Across
  40. 61Born abroad
  41. 62CPR expert

The answer to “Former NBA star Ming” in the LA Times crossword is YAO — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 7, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 53-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Former NBA star Ming” answer

YAO (3 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is YAO.

Why the answer is YAO

This towering former NBA center was a basketball icon from China. 🏀

When else has “Former NBA star Ming” appeared?

LA Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 7, 2026 (most recent) → YAO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Former NBA star Ming”?

The answer is YAO, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Former NBA star Ming”?

3 letters: YAO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the LA Times crossword on August 7, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 53-Down.

Can “Former NBA star Ming” have a different answer?

Yes — LA Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's LA Times answers?

The full grid for August 7, 2026 is on the LA Times answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

LA Times Crossword is published by Los Angeles Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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