Leading in the polls, say

Editorially verified for the Oct 2, 2026

26 Across

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A campaign poll chart compares support for candidates.

Clue explained

Someone leading in the polls is ahead of the other candidates in the measured support. “Say” signals that polling is one example of being ahead.

Clue type:
Example

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Friday, October 02, 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. 1"Now!"
  2. 5Letters after "https://" in a URL
  3. 8Transition
  4. 10Gaming platform with a remote
  5. 11"Don't stop!"
  6. 13"___ rich for my blood!"
  7. 14Spot offering gear adjustments and flat tire repairs
  8. 19Element in steel
  9. 20Sheep's bleat
  10. 22Celebrate mightily
  11. 25When a rideshare is scheduled to show up, for short
  12. 26Leading in the polls, say
  13. 27TV room
  14. 28[Hey, you!]

Down

  1. 1Pose an interrogative
  2. 2Witness
  3. 3Coming-of-___ story
  4. 4Simple camping shelter
  5. 5Backdrop for Jay Gatsby's military service in "The Great Gatsby," for short
  6. 6Come out on top
  7. 7Faux locks
  8. 9Impediments to team cohesion
  9. 12"Impressive!"
  10. 14Two-footed creature
  11. 15Far beyond peeved
  12. 16Muslim holy book, in one spelling
  13. 17Nasal-sounding woodwinds
  14. 18Bat around, as a cat might
  15. 21"Your point being?"
  16. 23Talk and talk and talk
  17. 24Batting-only baseball players, for short

The answer to “Leading in the polls, say” in the New York Times Midi crossword is AHEAD — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 2, 2026 at 26-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.

“Leading in the polls, say” answer

AHEAD (5 letters)

Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's AHEAD.

What does AHEAD mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of AHEAD is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(adverb)

  • further forward in space; in the line of one's forward motion
  • in the lead
  • higher in number, amount, or value than previously

When else has “Leading in the polls, say” 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.

October 2, 2026 (most recent) → AHEAD. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Leading in the polls, say”?

The answer is AHEAD, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 2, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Leading in the polls, say”?

5 letters: AHEAD.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 2, 2026, at 26-Across.

Can “Leading in the polls, say” 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 today's NYT Midi answers?

Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the NYT Midi answers page.

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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