Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?

Latest answer — August 23, 2026

5 Down

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Clue explained

BREAKS DOWN means “analyzes” or separates something into its component parts. It also describes the circled bones in the first and eighth columns as broken down into separated pieces; the grid writes the two-word phrase without a space.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
An educational illustration of a bone separated into broken pieces

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Sunday, August 23, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Bitter-tasting
  2. 6CBS forensic show with many spinoffs
  3. 9___ Act, statute passed in 1764 to deter molasses smuggling
  4. 10Bumbling sort
  5. 11"Go ahead, ask away!"
  6. 12___ the record
  7. 13Psychic's so-called "skill," for short
  8. 14Back street
  9. 16Movie shoot do-over
  10. 18Jump to conclusions
  11. 22Wanderer
  12. 25What might be caked on a dog after a rainy hike
  13. 26The Cavaliers of the N.C.A.A.
  14. 27Busy airport in the Midwest
  15. 29Disfigure
  16. 30"Dangerous ___" (2016 Ariana Grande hit)
  17. 31Sandwich whose initials stand for its ingredients
  18. 32Singer Diamond

Down

  1. 1Flower that blooms in fall
  2. 2Put a hex on
  3. 3Home of the Great Pyramid of Giza
  4. 4Animal with a hard head
  5. 5Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?
  6. 6"Sweet!"
  7. 7Umpire's call with arms stretched out horizontally
  8. 8Far from certain
  9. 15"Allez ___ Bleus!" (French sports rallying cry)
  10. 17Battery for a wireless mouse, perhaps
  11. 19Savory taste
  12. 20Certain public artwork
  13. 21Garden of Adam and Eve
  14. 22Like an arm that's asleep
  15. 23Shape of a rugby ball
  16. 24Spot to shop
  17. 28Weed removal tool

The answer to “Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?” in the New York Times Midi crossword is BREAKSDOWN — a 10-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 23, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 5-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.

“Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?” answer

BREAKSDOWN (10 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 BREAKSDOWN.

When else has “Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?” appeared?

New York Times Midi 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 23, 2026 (most recent) → BREAKSDOWN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?”?

The answer is BREAKSDOWN, a 10-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 23, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?”?

10 letters: BREAKSDOWN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 23, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 5-Down.

Can “Analyzes ... or how to describe the circled bones in the 1st and 8th columns of this puzzle?” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times Midi 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 NYT Midi answers?

The full grid for August 23, 2026 is on the NYT Midi answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

New York Times Midi Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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