Ay, there's the rub!

Latest answer — August 01, 2025

41 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 01, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Stringy parts of oranges
  2. 6Regarding
  3. 10Longtime airer of the docuseries "American Greed"
  4. 14Offerings from a truck or cart
  5. 16Carrier lead-in to méxico
  6. 17Phish-monger?
  7. 18[Love ya!]
  8. 19"The devil take ___ soul!": Laertes
  9. 20Possible response to "Who's ready?"
  10. 21Start of a rally
  11. 22Direction in a grilling recipe
  12. 23Substack alternative
  13. 25Was out for a bit
  14. 28"Come on, stop dreaming"
  15. 29Insect that can reproduce with or without mating
  16. 30Oatmeal, e.g.
  17. 33Nano devices
  18. 34Hour, in Italy
  19. 35"See ya later!"
  20. 36Beginning of Taurus season
  21. 38Zapped, in a way
  22. 39Sale sign words
  23. 40Meals at which Elijah's cup is poured
  24. 41Ay, there's the rub!
  25. 43Bordering on inappropriate, in a way
  26. 44Needed a 41-Across
  27. 45Golf course part
  28. 47Nephew of Abraham
  29. 50Locale of the Sea of Serenity
  30. 51Literally, "grilled meat"
  31. 53Homeboys
  32. 54One way to the highway
  33. 55Opposite of post-
  34. 56Complimentary assortment in a hotel room's kitchenette, maybe
  35. 57Padding for a grade point average

Down

  1. 1Alternative to "Hey!"
  2. 2Nagging desire
  3. 3It may come with breakfast in bed
  4. 4Sew what?
  5. 5Green poke bowl topping
  6. 6Evening meal during Ramadan
  7. 7Genre of "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Big Sleep"
  8. 8Bit of scattered Valentine's Day décor
  9. 9D.C. summer hrs.
  10. 10Finished with hair and makeup, say
  11. 11Exciting announcement from a musician
  12. 12"Well done!"
  13. 13Clinton's last defense secretary
  14. 15Riser's partner
  15. 21Olympic track event in which Kenya dominates
  16. 22Intuitive ability in the Marvel Universe
  17. 24Hero's journey, say
  18. 25Hit hard
  19. 26Dad, in Korean
  20. 27Job for a model
  21. 28Chess great Spassky
  22. 30Who's ahead and who's not in campaign coverage, so to speak
  23. 31Early Chromebook manufacturer
  24. 32Energy-efficient bulbs, for short
  25. 37Identify (as)
  26. 40Wise ones
  27. 41Black ___, nickname for Kobe Bryant
  28. 42What fell on Chicken Little's head
  29. 43Medieval characters
  30. 46Pod member
  31. 47One of the three landlocked countries with four-letter names, aside from Chad and Mali
  32. 48R&B;/pop singer Aubrey
  33. 49"Look what I did!"
  34. 51"You cannot look at a sleeping ___ and feel tense": Jane Pauley
  35. 52Montevideo Mrs.

The answer to “Ay, there's the rub!” in the New York Times crossword is MASSAGE — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 1, 2025, a Friday puzzle, at 41-Across. 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.

“Ay, there's the rub!” answer

MASSAGE (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 MASSAGE.

Why the answer is MASSAGE

MASSAGE is the 7-letter solution that fits "Ay, there's the rub!" in the NYT Crossword crossword on August 1, 2025 (41-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does MASSAGE mean?

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

(noun)

  • the rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints of the body with the hands, especially to relieve tension or pain

When else has “Ay, there's the rub!” 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.

August 1, 2025 (most recent) → MASSAGE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Ay, there's the rub!”?

The answer is MASSAGE, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 1, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Ay, there's the rub!”?

7 letters: MASSAGE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 1, 2025 (a Friday puzzle), at 41-Across.

Can “Ay, there's the rub!” 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 August 1, 2025 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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