Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau

Latest answer — September 18, 2026

24 Across

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Clue explained

NSA stands for the National Security Agency, the U.S. government organization whose earlier history includes the Cipher Bureau. “Org.” abbreviates “organization,” while the clue supplies a historical identifying detail.

Clue type:
Abbreviation
The National Security Agency headquarters complex at Fort Meade

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 18, 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. 1Magician's stage item, e.g.
  2. 5Pleads
  3. 9BMW rival
  4. 10Dark purple berry
  5. 11Orange-yellow cracker topper
  6. 13"When Breath Becomes ___" (2016 best-selling memoir)
  7. 14Solo
  8. 15Classic movie theater candy with white sprinkles
  9. 18Treats that sound like something Santa would enjoy
  10. 19Pulled up a chair
  11. 22Informative TV spot, for short
  12. 24Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau
  13. 25Colorful cereal with a toucan mascot
  14. 29Nickname for Louise
  15. 30Green ogre
  16. 31Throw forcefully, in Gen Z slang
  17. 32Signs of things to come

Down

  1. 1Al of "The Godfather"
  2. 2Worried exclamation from Scooby-Doo
  3. 3Praiseful poem
  4. 4Dessert with a lattice crust, perhaps
  5. 5Cries one's eyes out
  6. 6Reverberation
  7. 7"No pain, no ___" (gym rat's motto)
  8. 8L, XL or XXL
  9. 12Sound in a sci-fi comic
  10. 13___ Wednesday
  11. 16Unsatisfying excuse
  12. 17Helper: Abbr.
  13. 19Make :ZZZ: sounds
  14. 20Ski town near Buttermilk Mountain
  15. 21Workplace assignments
  16. 23Additionally
  17. 25Travel by plane
  18. 26Regret
  19. 27Nashville's Grand ___ Opry
  20. 28Unit of electrical resistance

The answer to “Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau” in the New York Times Midi crossword is NSA — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 18, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 24-Across. 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.

“Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau” answer

NSA (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 NSA.

When else has “Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau” 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.

September 18, 2026 (most recent) → NSA. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau”?

The answer is NSA, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 18, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau”?

3 letters: NSA.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 18, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 24-Across.

Can “Government org. with a forerunner known as the Cipher Bureau” 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 September 18, 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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