Unrefined oil

Editorially verified for the Oct 6, 2026

14 Down

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Crude petroleum before it is processed at a refinery

Clue explainedFact checked

Crude oil is petroleum in its natural, unrefined state, before processing separates it into useful products such as gasoline and diesel. “Unrefined” points to crude as a stage of processing, not a judgment about the oil’s quality.

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, October 06, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Comedian/actress Wong
  2. 4Big galoot
  3. 7Johnny of 2026's "Ebenezer"
  4. 9Bamboozle
  5. 10French fashion designer Christian
  6. 11Ready for picking
  7. 12Palindromic cry similar to "Aha!"
  8. 14Snacks it's impolite to 18-Across
  9. 16Barbecue cook
  10. 18Snacking faux pas ... or hint to this puzzle's circled letters
  11. 20"Sexy ___ Know It" (2012 #1 hit by LMFAO)
  12. 21Food that be may be full of barbacoa
  13. 22Apt rhyme for "greet"
  14. 23Sky fall?

Down

  1. 1Do some arithmetic
  2. 2Hawaiian floral necklace
  3. 3Stock market event, for short
  4. 4Jokey response to "Do you only know one French word?"
  5. 5TikTok, e.g.
  6. 6Service charge
  7. 8Ban
  8. 9Sky fall?
  9. 13Where Beltway insiders might work, with "the"
  10. 14Unrefined oil
  11. 15Many a four-door vehicle
  12. 16Nowhere to be found
  13. 17Puerto ___
  14. 18Reservoir creator
  15. 19[Wham!]

The answer to “Unrefined oil” in the New York Times Midi crossword is CRUDE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 6, 2026 at 14-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.

“Unrefined oil” answer

CRUDE (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 CRUDE.

What does CRUDE mean?

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

(adjective)

  • constructed in a rudimentary or makeshift way
  • offensively coarse or explicit, especially in relation to sexual matters
  • in a natural or raw state; not yet processed or refined

When else has “Unrefined oil” 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 6, 2026 (most recent) → CRUDE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Unrefined oil”?

The answer is CRUDE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 6, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Unrefined oil”?

5 letters: CRUDE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 6, 2026, at 14-Down.

Can “Unrefined oil” 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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