Beam

Latest answer — July 28, 2026

54 Across

A narrow streak of light or a joyful grin can fit this clue nicely 🌟

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, July 28, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Insolence
  2. 5Scott ___, author of "Island of the Blue Dolphins"
  3. 10Be in need of ibuprofen, say
  4. 14Word with cap or socks
  5. 15Diet that eschews processed food
  6. 16In a minute
  7. 17With 58-Across, dad-joke response to the answers for each of this puzzle's starred clues
  8. 19Massage gun target
  9. 20Wyoming mountain range
  10. 21"Out with ya now!"
  11. 23Tax pro
  12. 24Primer mes del año
  13. 25*Essential oil with a musky scent
  14. 28Myrmecology subject
  15. 29Bonfire remains
  16. 30Concerning hearing
  17. 31*Home of the lowest town-level ZIP code in the continental U.S. (01001)
  18. 36Ruminant's mouthful
  19. 37Secondary social media account
  20. 38*"Until next time!"
  21. 45United
  22. 47Preposition in "The Star-Spangled Banner"
  23. 48Palindromic kitchen brand
  24. 49*Academy Award, e.g.
  25. 51___ Taco (ice cream treat)
  26. 53The "S" of macOS: Abbr.
  27. 54Beam
  28. 55Bubble tea bubbles
  29. 56Some first responders, for short
  30. 58See 17-Across
  31. 61Director Johnson of the "Knives Out" movies
  32. 62Once more
  33. 63Spot to huddle under during a rainstorm
  34. 64Rat (on)
  35. 65Packs (down), as tobacco in a pipe
  36. 66Iditarod conveyance

Down

  1. 1Sporting group at a cold-weather school
  2. 2Insect's feeler
  3. 3Six-line poems
  4. 4Honorific for many Spanish teachers
  5. 5Finishes deliberating
  6. 6"Well, lah-di-___!"
  7. 7Name that's an anagram of an untruth
  8. 8Units in horse racing
  9. 9Skill needed to solve a sudoku puzzle
  10. 10Query
  11. 11Plays the yes-man
  12. 12Muss and fuss
  13. 13Involve
  14. 181969 "bed-in" participant
  15. 22"___ be the day!"
  16. 25Expression of disgust that sounds like a family member
  17. 26Sun Devils' sch.
  18. 27"Straight ___ Compton" (1989 N.W.A album)
  19. 32Triflingly little
  20. 33Artistic visionary
  21. 34Org. mentioned in many zombie movies
  22. 35Evian, Perrier or Badoit
  23. 38Along a gulf, say
  24. 39Sweaty stretching session
  25. 40Up to this point
  26. 41Mined find
  27. 42"Oof, painfully true"
  28. 43Part of a country located entirely within another country
  29. 44Landed for the night
  30. 45Claim to be true
  31. 46Hinder
  32. 50Bother, as one's conscience
  33. 51Letter that can take a cedilla
  34. 52Puts through a harsh initiation
  35. 55Items sometimes chained to a desk
  36. 57Its alums include Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, in brief
  37. 59Rock singer ___ Fender
  38. 60Alcoholic equivalent of a fun-size candy bar

The answer to “Beam” in the New York Times crossword is RAY — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 28, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 54-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.

“Beam” answer

RAY (3 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 RAY.

Why the answer is RAY

A narrow streak of light or a joyful grin can fit this clue nicely 🌟

What does RAY mean?

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

(noun)

  • each of the lines in which light (and heat) may seem to stream from the sun or any luminous body, or pass through a small opening
  • a straight line extending indefinitely in one direction from a point
  • a thing that is arranged radially

When else has “Beam” 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 “Beam”?

The answer is RAY, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 28, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Beam”?

3 letters: RAY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on July 28, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 54-Across. Earlier appearances: October 11, 2025 → RAY.

Can “Beam” 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 July 28, 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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