Barriers to entry, in a way

Editorially verified for the May 29, 2026

57 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, May 29, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"Oscar" of the French film industry
  2. 6Feeling after a long hike
  3. 10Singer/composer Bareilles
  4. 14Prematurely
  5. 16Many a fund-raising target, informally
  6. 17"We have a mutual friend?!"
  7. 18Smurf who is more than 500 years old
  8. 19See 20-Across
  9. 20With 19-Across, swing dance originating in Harlem
  10. 21They're cut to defuse an explosive
  11. 22Cue ... or queue
  12. 23Only player to win three Super Bowl M.V.P. awards before turning 30
  13. 25Reducing to rubble
  14. 28Apt anagram of NOTES
  15. 29Hockey infraction
  16. 30Breezy things enjoyed at the beach
  17. 34Doesn't go at full speed
  18. 35Sack
  19. 36Walk-on
  20. 37They might make you one with everything
  21. 39"La Tulipe Noire" novelist, 1850
  22. 40Party poppers
  23. 41Makes fun of mercilessly
  24. 42Fall sign
  25. 45Agitate
  26. 46Hits
  27. 47Won't let it go
  28. 49Zendaya's role on "Euphoria"
  29. 52Fictional manufacturer of a Do-It Yourself Tornado Kit
  30. 53"Can you catch me up?"
  31. 55Time of day either way
  32. 56Author of "All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists"
  33. 57Barriers to entry, in a way
  34. 58Unravel at the edges
  35. 59Variety of cold brew

Down

  1. 1It is king, in a phrase
  2. 2Redheaded monster on TV
  3. 3Thwack
  4. 4Birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.: Abbr.
  5. 5Road maneuvers featuring lazy braking
  6. 6Without dissenting voices
  7. 7It's cut after birth
  8. 8"Yowzers!"
  9. 9What a circle lacks
  10. 10Someone attracted to intellect over looks, say
  11. 11Dream interrupter
  12. 12Currency in The Legend of Zelda
  13. 13Hoard
  14. 15Outstanding, in a way
  15. 21Eager buyer's question
  16. 22Traps in a laundry room
  17. 24Not a particular one
  18. 25Snack brand since 1934
  19. 26It might be a lot
  20. 27Last U.S. national park, alphabetically
  21. 28Return payments?
  22. 30Adhere to the kashrut dietary rules
  23. 31They're filled with bacon
  24. 32"Curses, foiled again!"
  25. 33Guff
  26. 38Co-star of 2025's "Wicked: For Good," informally
  27. 41Neither demure nor mindful
  28. 42Come to attention, in a way
  29. 43Powder in a pantry
  30. 44Child's agreement
  31. 45Avoid rage-quitting, perhaps
  32. 48Longtime college basketball coach VanDerveer
  33. 49Run amok
  34. 50Hammer-and-sickle land, for short
  35. 51Gas brand whose name sounds like two letters of the alphabet
  36. 53"R U KIDDING ME?!"
  37. 54Way to look inward, in brief?

The answer to “Barriers to entry, in a way” in the New York Times crossword is DAMS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 29, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 57-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.

“Barriers to entry, in a way” answer

DAMS (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 DAMS.

Why the answer is DAMS

DAMS is the 4-letter solution that fits "Barriers to entry, in a way" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 29, 2026 (57-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does DAMS mean?

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

(verb)

  • build a dam across (a river or lake)

When else has “Barriers to entry, in a way” 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.

May 29, 2026 (most recent) → DAMS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Barriers to entry, in a way”?

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

How many letters is the answer to “Barriers to entry, in a way”?

4 letters: DAMS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 29, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 57-Across.

Can “Barriers to entry, in a way” 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 May 29, 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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