Refrains from eating

Latest answer — October 07, 2026

17 Down

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A meal left untouched as a visual representation of refraining from eating.

Clue explained

To fast is to refrain from eating, often for a set period; fasts means someone regularly or currently does so. Fasting may be part of a religious observance or happen for other personal reasons.

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, October 07, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Up to, informally
  2. 4Surfaces on which tabletop games are often played
  3. 10"That's gonna be ___ from me, dawg" (much-memed Randy Jackson catchphrase from "American Idol")
  4. 11Not hip in the slightest
  5. 12Engine failure or low tire pressure
  6. 14Broadcasting live
  7. 15Angry, with "off"
  8. 16Topic for many Cosmo or Maxim stories
  9. 18Letter that comes between (and rhymes with) zeta and theta
  10. 19Drenched
  11. 22"Please accept my apology!"
  12. 26DVD player predecessor
  13. 27365 days in a row solving Wordle, e.g.
  14. 28"Absolutely!"
  15. 29Taste or touch

Down

  1. 1Mexican food in hard shells
  2. 2Nonsensical
  3. 3"I speak for the trees" Dr. Seuss character
  4. 4Mexican food in soft shells
  5. 5Peace activist Yoko
  6. 6Less than 90°
  7. 7Judge's garment
  8. 8Big name in pineapples
  9. 9Iditarod vehicle
  10. 13Mahjong pieces
  11. 17Refrains from eating
  12. 19Little brown songbird
  13. 20The ___ Tour (Taylor Swift concert series)
  14. 21Little one that rides (and rhymes with) a trike
  15. 22Dartmouth or Brown
  16. 23Versatile blackjack card
  17. 24"The Marvelous ___ Maisel"
  18. 25Resource in Minecraft

The answer to “Refrains from eating” in the New York Times Midi crossword is FASTS — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 7, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 17-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.

“Refrains from eating” answer

FASTS (5 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 FASTS.

What does FASTS mean?

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

(verb)

  • abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance

When else has “Refrains from eating” 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 7, 2026 (most recent) → FASTS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Refrains from eating”?

The answer is FASTS, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Refrains from eating”?

5 letters: FASTS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 7, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 17-Down.

Can “Refrains from eating” 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 October 7, 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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