Before surgery, for short

Latest answer — April 29, 2026

32 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, April 29, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

Across

  1. 1*Failed internet company?
  2. 8Rinse with water, as grain in the brewing process
  3. 14Exaggerated the merits of
  4. 16"That's actually pretty neat!"
  5. 17Trait for a good waiter?
  6. 18Ingredient in shepherd's pie
  7. 19Strange
  8. 20Pirate's booty
  9. 22Swabbie's tool
  10. 23In the ___ (intensely focused)
  11. 25*Assurance from an internet company?
  12. 28"Your pick"
  13. 29Lightly strike, as a windowpane
  14. 30Many a 24-hour eatery
  15. 31*Puzzling question for an internet company?
  16. 33Some épéeists' moves
  17. 34Had remorse for
  18. 35Trial version
  19. 36One-___ (pithy jokes)
  20. 39*Exposure for an internet company?
  21. 43Ancient theater
  22. 44Assuages
  23. 45Status ___
  24. 46*Illustrative story from an internet company?
  25. 48What a track athlete may do three times in one attempt
  26. 49World War I Flying ___ (Snoopy alter ego)
  27. 50Just
  28. 51___ Guofeng, successor to Mao Zedong
  29. 52Samples
  30. 54Rose up
  31. 59Get situated
  32. 60Shoe with a "kitten" variety
  33. 61Zeroes
  34. 62*Blog message from an internet company?

Down

  1. 1Robber's pursuer
  2. 2Reproductive cells
  3. 3"Wall Street," for the U.S. financial industry
  4. 4Half of many a union-to-be
  5. 5Secondhand
  6. 6Recipient of many dad jokes
  7. 7"Little People, Big World" network
  8. 8Deep sleep
  9. 9Uncurated Instagram collections
  10. 10Do something
  11. 11On a different network, say
  12. 12Visit
  13. 13They usually get no reception
  14. 15Coastal resort city in southern California
  15. 21Select, with "for"
  16. 23Actor Efron
  17. 24"Mrs. Lennon" writer
  18. 25They're on the docket
  19. 26Paper view?
  20. 27Student's subspecialty
  21. 29Where seeds might be placed
  22. 32Before surgery, for short
  23. 33"___ at 'em!"
  24. 35Cabbage Patch Kid, e.g.
  25. 36Part of URL
  26. 37"Actually, this matters to me a lot!"
  27. 38The Road Runner, to Wile E. Coyote
  28. 39Poles tossed in a Highland competition
  29. 40On par with
  30. 41Total
  31. 42Soak (up), as gravy
  32. 44Elevator part
  33. 47Takes a breather
  34. 48Derby drink
  35. 51Spot for a ship's captain
  36. 53Control center?
  37. 55... and so on
  38. 56Life story, for short
  39. 57Trisolarans in "The Three-Body Problem," e.g., informally
  40. 58Preceder of the answer to each of this puzzle's starred clues

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. *Failed internet company? — Answer: COMBUST
  2. 8. Rinse with water, as grain in the brewing process — Answer: SPARGE
  3. 14. Exaggerated the merits of — Answer: OVERSOLD
  4. 16. "That's actually pretty neat!" — Answer: OHCOOL
  5. 17. Trait for a good waiter? — Answer: PATIENCE
  6. 18. Ingredient in shepherd's pie — Answer: POTATO
  7. 19. Strange — Answer: ODD. Hint: Think of something unusual or out of the ordinary. 🤔
  8. 20. Pirate's booty — Answer: LOOT
  9. 22. Swabbie's tool — Answer: MOP
  10. 23. In the ___ (intensely focused) — Answer: ZONE
  11. 25. *Assurance from an internet company? — Answer: COMPROMISE
  12. 28. "Your pick" — Answer: ANY
  13. 29. Lightly strike, as a windowpane — Answer: TAPAT
  14. 30. Many a 24-hour eatery — Answer: DINER
  15. 31. *Puzzling question for an internet company? — Answer: COMPOSER
  16. 33. Some épéeists' moves — Answer: LUNGES
  17. 34. Had remorse for — Answer: RUED
  18. 35. Trial version — Answer: DEMO
  19. 36. One-___ (pithy jokes) — Answer: LINERS
  20. 39. *Exposure for an internet company? — Answer: COMPRESS
  21. 43. Ancient theater — Answer: ODEON
  22. 44. Assuages — Answer: CALMS
  23. 45. Status ___ — Answer: QUO
  24. 46. *Illustrative story from an internet company? — Answer: COMPARABLE
  25. 48. What a track athlete may do three times in one attempt — Answer: JUMP
  26. 49. World War I Flying ___ (Snoopy alter ego) — Answer: ACE
  27. 50. Just — Answer: MERE
  28. 51. ___ Guofeng, successor to Mao Zedong — Answer: HUA
  29. 52. Samples — Answer: TASTES
  30. 54. Rose up — Answer: REBELLED
  31. 59. Get situated — Answer: ORIENT
  32. 60. Shoe with a "kitten" variety — Answer: STILETTO
  33. 61. Zeroes — Answer: RESETS
  34. 62. *Blog message from an internet company? — Answer: COMPOST

Down

  1. 1. Robber's pursuer — Answer: COP
  2. 2. Reproductive cells — Answer: OVA
  3. 3. "Wall Street," for the U.S. financial industry — Answer: METONYM
  4. 4. Half of many a union-to-be — Answer: BRIDE
  5. 5. Secondhand — Answer: USED. Hint: Think of something that has had a prior owner rather than being brand-new. 🛍️
  6. 6. Recipient of many dad jokes — Answer: SON
  7. 7. "Little People, Big World" network — Answer: TLC
  8. 8. Deep sleep — Answer: SOPOR
  9. 9. Uncurated Instagram collections — Answer: PHOTODUMPS
  10. 10. Do something — Answer: ACT. Hint: When you take action, you really need to make a move! 🎭
  11. 11. On a different network, say — Answer: ROAMING
  12. 12. Visit — Answer: GOTOSEE
  13. 13. They usually get no reception — Answer: ELOPERS
  14. 15. Coastal resort city in southern California — Answer: DELMAR
  15. 21. Select, with "for" — Answer: OPT
  16. 23. Actor Efron — Answer: ZAC
  17. 24. "Mrs. Lennon" writer — Answer: ONO
  18. 25. They're on the docket — Answer: CASES
  19. 26. Paper view? — Answer: OPED
  20. 27. Student's subspecialty — Answer: MINOR
  21. 29. Where seeds might be placed — Answer: TOURNAMENT
  22. 32. Before surgery, for short — Answer: PREOP
  23. 33. "___ at 'em!" — Answer: LEMME
  24. 35. Cabbage Patch Kid, e.g. — Answer: DOLL
  25. 36. Part of URL — Answer: LOCATOR
  26. 37. "Actually, this matters to me a lot!" — Answer: IDOCARE
  27. 38. The Road Runner, to Wile E. Coyote — Answer: NEMESIS
  28. 39. Poles tossed in a Highland competition — Answer: CABERS
  29. 40. On par with — Answer: EQUALTO
  30. 41. Total — Answer: SUM. Hint: Think of the result you get after adding everything together. ➕
  31. 42. Soak (up), as gravy — Answer: SOP
  32. 44. Elevator part — Answer: CAR
  33. 47. Takes a breather — Answer: RESTS
  34. 48. Derby drink — Answer: JULEP
  35. 51. Spot for a ship's captain — Answer: HELM
  36. 53. Control center? — Answer: TEE
  37. 55. ... and so on — Answer: ETC
  38. 56. Life story, for short — Answer: BIO
  39. 57. Trisolarans in "The Three-Body Problem," e.g., informally — Answer: ETS
  40. 58. Preceder of the answer to each of this puzzle's starred clues — Answer: DOT

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 28 April 2026NYT Crossword 27 April 2026NYT Crossword 26 April 2026NYT Crossword 25 April 2026NYT Crossword 24 April 2026NYT Crossword 23 April 2026NYT Crossword 22 April 2026

The answer to “Before surgery, for short” in the New York Times crossword is PREOP — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 29, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 32-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.

“Before surgery, for short” answer

PREOP (5 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 PREOP.

Why the answer is PREOP

PREOP is the 5-letter solution that fits "Before surgery, for short" in the NYT Crossword crossword on April 29, 2026 (32-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Before surgery, for short” 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.

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

More clues from the NYT Crossword on April 29, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for April 29, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Wednesday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Before surgery, for short”?

The answer is PREOP, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 29, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Before surgery, for short”?

5 letters: PREOP.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on April 29, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 32-Down.

Can “Before surgery, for short” 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 April 29, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.