Areas of influence

Latest answer — June 21, 2026

55 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, June 21, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Letters accompanying applications, for short
  2. 5Includes without others knowing, in a way
  3. 9"I haven't a clue"
  4. 16Plant with an edible inner gel
  5. 17Up to snuff
  6. 18All over the place
  7. 19Drove in an A.T.V., say, informally
  8. 21Fighting technique used by [circled letters] (as explained at 76-Across)
  9. 22Unreal?
  10. 23Verify, as an editor might
  11. 25Launch points in disc golf
  12. 28"Everything good?," as a cook might ask
  13. 29Laptop mode
  14. 30Tap products
  15. 32ID used for far more than its name suggests
  16. 33Do wrong
  17. 34They're just one problem after another
  18. 37Spanish direction
  19. 41Whatchamacallit
  20. 43"One ___ Soldier" (1969 antiwar song)
  21. 44Belgrade resident
  22. 47Word on either side of "to"
  23. 48Physician specializing in reproductive health, informally
  24. 49Like some flights: Abbr.
  25. 51Restrict
  26. 53Long, hooded cloak that's also an author's name
  27. 55Areas of influence
  28. 56Part of many a mailing address, in brief
  29. 59White dwarf phenomenon
  30. 61___ so often
  31. 62Traps during a storm, perhaps
  32. 64Vermont summer hrs.
  33. 66Certain natural hairstyle
  34. 67"Boy, you're asking too much" ... or what you might say after following the instructions at 76-Across?
  35. 71Popular browser for accessing the dark web
  36. 72"Is it OK for us to leave?"
  37. 73It's one for the history books
  38. 76Annual June 21 celebration of the animal depicted in this puzzle by connecting the circled letters from A to T and back to A
  39. 81Japanese audio brand
  40. 82Secondary account, in social media slang
  41. 83Boundaries
  42. 84Be part of, as a film
  43. 85"Surprised to see you here!"
  44. 88Limber
  45. 89Hindu god with an elephant head
  46. 92Satchel with a gendered name
  47. 94Defeats without difficulty
  48. 95"I ___ you!"
  49. 96Indian royal
  50. 100Certain sib
  51. 101M.L.B. team whose stadium is less than 10 miles from another M.L.B. team's
  52. 103"Go on, beat it!"
  53. 104Pizazz
  54. 105"Qué ___ contigo?" ("What's wrong with you?")
  55. 107Cancels out
  56. 110Common holder of pens
  57. 111Mathematical constant equal to two times pi
  58. 114Honoré de Balzac's "___ Goriot"
  59. 115Give a buzz
  60. 117Farm play area
  61. 119Clergyman known for his verbal gaffes
  62. 121Takes little effort
  63. 123Minimally
  64. 124Habitat for [circled letters]
  65. 125Starchy plant part in Asian cooking
  66. 129Something running at a bar
  67. 130Fateful day
  68. 131Digital know-it-all
  69. 132Debuted to stockholders, in Wall St. lingo
  70. 133Art museum that awards the annual Turner Prize
  71. 134Reindeer cousins

Down

  1. 1Big name in the pasta aisle
  2. 2One often pictured wearing pointy shoes
  3. 3Task for an office gofer, maybe
  4. 4Colorful wrap
  5. 5Spoke sheepishly?
  6. 6Compound found in marijuana, for short
  7. 7What sets the tone
  8. 8Calms
  9. 9Natural predispositions
  10. 10Builds
  11. 11National park in Utah
  12. 12"Here, try a sample"
  13. 13Driver's alternative to automatic
  14. 14Semiaquatic carnivore
  15. 15Med. diagnostic
  16. 20Closest living relative of the [circled letters]
  17. 24Show groups
  18. 25Golfer Yani
  19. 26"The Jetsons" son
  20. 27Attended, as a lecture
  21. 31Temporarily gave
  22. 35This goes in one ear
  23. 36{1, 2, 3} and {4, 5, 6}
  24. 38Offering in lieu of a cash refund, perhaps
  25. 39Term for groups of [circled letters]
  26. 40Teeny-tiny
  27. 42Free
  28. 45Sometimes-intentional jeans feature
  29. 46Looked upon
  30. 50"I want you to be honest ..."
  31. 52R&B; group Bell Biv ___
  32. 54Follower of "x" or "y"
  33. 56Pennsylvania school, for short
  34. 57Diez minus dos
  35. 58Testify
  36. 60Chicago's ___ Planetarium
  37. 63Salt's formula
  38. 65Threads around a forum?
  39. 68"Look at this!"
  40. 69Part of WASP
  41. 70"HAHAHAHA!"
  42. 74Vow
  43. 75Where Ferrari is "RACE," in brief
  44. 77Tot's injuries
  45. 78Price for a return, perhaps
  46. 79Sneaker brand
  47. 80Political exile
  48. 81Tree whose leaves are eaten by [circled letters]
  49. 84Audibly shocked
  50. 86Big garage, essentially
  51. 87They're sent after save-the-date cards
  52. 90Tone
  53. 91Memo abbr.
  54. 93Eight bits
  55. 97Nutty extract
  56. 98French for "yellow"
  57. 99Tick off
  58. 102Filter option
  59. 106Small superhero whose catchphrase starts "Up and at 'em"
  60. 108Becomes wild, as a party
  61. 109Fur pattern on a [circled letters]
  62. 112Self-reflective question
  63. 113Start to take off, as a onesie
  64. 116Practically speechless?
  65. 117Spelling bee?
  66. 118Late singer Bryson
  67. 120YouTube button with two lines
  68. 121Bit of superhero wear
  69. 122"Star Wars" character whose species is never named
  70. 124"You reap what you ___"
  71. 126Holiday whose name means "festival"
  72. 127Mork's home planet
  73. 128"Indeed"

The answer to “Areas of influence” in the New York Times crossword is SPHERES — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on June 21, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 55-Across, and it has also run on 1 earlier date with the same answer. 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.

“Areas of influence” answer

SPHERES (7 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 SPHERES.

Why the answer is SPHERES

SPHERES is the 7-letter solution that fits "Areas of influence" in the NYT Crossword crossword on June 21, 2026 (55-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does SPHERES mean?

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

(noun)

  • a round solid figure, or its surface, with every point on its surface equidistant from its centre
  • an area of activity, interest, or expertise; a section of society or an aspect of life distinguished and unified by a particular characteristic

When else has “Areas of influence” appeared?

New York Times 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Areas of influence”?

The answer is SPHERES, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on June 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Areas of influence”?

7 letters: SPHERES.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on June 21, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 55-Across. Earlier appearances: December 21, 2025 → SPHERES.

Can “Areas of influence” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times 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 Crossword answers?

The full grid for June 21, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

New York Times 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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