Prior to now

Editorially verified for the Aug 14, 2026

24 Down

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Timeline showing an earlier point in the past relative to the present

Clue explained

AGO means “before now,” as in “three years ago.” It is an adverb that places an event in the past relative to the present.

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 14, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"Naughty, naughty"
  2. 4Actress Milano of "Who's the Boss?"
  3. 10Game with Wild Draw Four cards
  4. 11Deadly
  5. 12Cutie pie who grills sausages and steaks in 21-Across?
  6. 14Off over yonder
  7. 15A.C.C. school in Charlottesville
  8. 16Washing machine setting at a college in 21-Across?
  9. 20Knight's horse
  10. 21Country known for shortening everyday words ... as hinted at in 12- and 16-Across?
  11. 25"You know the ___!"
  12. 26Protein-rich ramen topper
  13. 27Building add-on
  14. 28Ghost sound

Down

  1. 1Low-pitched brass instrument
  2. 2Big mix-up
  3. 3Muslim's holy book, in one spelling
  4. 4Actress Wong
  5. 5Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Sunisa ___
  6. 6Since Jan. 1, on pay stubs
  7. 7"Want me to leave?"
  8. 8Rash soother
  9. 9Penne ___ vodka
  10. 13Prickly part of a brush
  11. 17PC command for "cut"
  12. 18Vote in favor
  13. 19One photographed on the red carpet, informally
  14. 21Best-selling children's book "___ Twist, Scientist"
  15. 22Still-life vessel
  16. 23Pride, greed or envy
  17. 24Prior to now

The answer to “Prior to now” in the New York Times Midi crossword is AGO — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 14, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 24-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.

“Prior to now” answer

AGO (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 AGO.

What does AGO mean?

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

(adverb)

  • before the present; earlier (used with a measurement of time)

When else has “Prior to now” 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 14, 2026 (most recent) → AGO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Prior to now”?

The answer is AGO, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 14, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Prior to now”?

3 letters: AGO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 14, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 24-Down.

Can “Prior to now” 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 14, 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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