Say it ain't so!

Latest answer — August 29, 2026

20 Down

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Clue explained

To DENY something is to say that it is not true, which fits the plea “Say it ain't so!” The answer is an imperative verb: a command to deny the upsetting claim.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A person emphatically indicating denial by shaking their head

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 29, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Gently throw
  2. 5Some graduate student workers, for short
  3. 8"Let's do it!"
  4. 9___ full circle
  5. 10Baby's early word, maybe
  6. 11Among
  7. 12Chain that offers "flights" of pancakes
  8. 13Actress Headey of "Game of Thrones"
  9. 14Bloom that doesn't actually roar
  10. 16"Awkward Black Girl" creator Issa
  11. 17Got on, as a plane
  12. 21Bloom that doesn't actually fit on an animal's paw
  13. 22Cookie with a limited edition "Firecracker Pop" variety
  14. 23Shark feature
  15. 24N.Y.C. train station beneath M.S.G.
  16. 25Travel by plane

Down

  1. 1Far from bold
  2. 2Big city in the Cornhusker State
  3. 3He "says" a lot of things, in a children's game
  4. 4Bloom that doesn't actually have a mouth full of fangs
  5. 5Marisa of "My Cousin Vinny"
  6. 6___ acid (protein building block)
  7. 7Sentra or Sonata
  8. 9Canceled, as plans
  9. 15___ Grey tea
  10. 17Total snoozefest
  11. 18Wagon pullers
  12. 19Wicked
  13. 20Say it ain't so!
  14. 21Overly fancy fella

The answer to “Say it ain't so!” in the New York Times Midi crossword is DENY — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 29, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 20-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.

“Say it ain't so!” answer

DENY (4 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 DENY.

What does DENY mean?

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

(verb)

  • state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of
  • refuse to give (something requested or desired) to (someone)

When else has “Say it ain't so!” 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 29, 2026 (most recent) → DENY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Say it ain't so!”?

The answer is DENY, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 29, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Say it ain't so!”?

4 letters: DENY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 29, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 20-Down.

Can “Say it ain't so!” 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 29, 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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