Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls

Latest answer — January 16, 2026

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, January 16, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Coming-out party?
  2. 11Finish (up)
  3. 15"Hello-o-o?"
  4. 16Dialect featured in the literature of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, for short
  5. 17Scenario calling for self-reliance
  6. 18Summer flier
  7. 19Classic 1926 poem associated with the Harlem Renaissance
  8. 20Do some cleaning
  9. 21Creatures that can turn into humans on land, in Scottish folklore
  10. 22Sound around a summer cornfield
  11. 23Wood used for flooring
  12. 24Trunk item
  13. 25Shortest-reigning English monarch (9 days)
  14. 28Molecule that can self-splice
  15. 29Enthusiasm-curbing
  16. 32"Here we go!"
  17. 34Uncovered
  18. 35Some cuts of meat
  19. 37Tennis great who had a tennis scholarship from U.C.L.A.
  20. 38Place for trading stories?
  21. 40Diverts
  22. 42It takes a long time to get this
  23. 43Leading character on social media?
  24. 45White House partner, for short
  25. 47Assume, as costs
  26. 48Do some cleaning
  27. 51Market for currencies, informally
  28. 52Financial aid basis
  29. 54Hand count?
  30. 55Ian : Scotland :: ___ : Wales
  31. 56One might help you hitch a ride
  32. 58Parmesan cheese feature
  33. 59Novel whence the line "Four legs good, two legs bad"
  34. 60Rests
  35. 61They're green year-round

Down

  1. 1Bare-bones
  2. 2Oscar-winning musical role for Rita Moreno
  3. 3Already
  4. 4"The Memory Police" author ___ Ogawa
  5. 5Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls
  6. 6Unwieldy situation, metaphorically
  7. 7"As if!"
  8. 8Blows away
  9. 9Release
  10. 10Kind of cycle
  11. 11Listing on a W-2 form
  12. 12Stumbled upon
  13. 13Overwhelming amount
  14. 14Some terrarium denizens
  15. 21Declares
  16. 23Tai chi accessory
  17. 24Receives unfair criticism
  18. 25Nimble, zigzagging maneuver
  19. 26Best Original Song Oscar winner from 2014's "Selma"
  20. 27P.E. unit
  21. 29Invitations to come on board
  22. 30First NASA mission broadcast live from orbit
  23. 31Secret offering?
  24. 33Julia of "The Addams Family"
  25. 36___ Excellency
  26. 39Like leatherette
  27. 41Witticism
  28. 44Start of a secret invitation, perhaps
  29. 46Leans
  30. 48Locale of a semiannual fashion week
  31. 49Opposite of subtle
  32. 50Makes do for a while?
  33. 52Gram, by another name
  34. 53Composer Satie
  35. 54Goal-oriented global org.?
  36. 56Half-___
  37. 57Totally

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Coming-out party? — Answer: BABYSHOWER
  2. 11. Finish (up) — Answer: WRAP
  3. 15. "Hello-o-o?" — Answer: ANYONEHOME
  4. 16. Dialect featured in the literature of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, for short — Answer: AAVE
  5. 17. Scenario calling for self-reliance — Answer: SINKORSWIM
  6. 18. Summer flier — Answer: GNAT
  7. 19. Classic 1926 poem associated with the Harlem Renaissance — Answer: ITOO
  8. 20. Do some cleaning — Answer: DUST
  9. 21. Creatures that can turn into humans on land, in Scottish folklore — Answer: SEALS
  10. 22. Sound around a summer cornfield — Answer: CAW
  11. 23. Wood used for flooring — Answer: FIR
  12. 24. Trunk item — Answer: GASCAN
  13. 25. Shortest-reigning English monarch (9 days) — Answer: JANEGREY
  14. 28. Molecule that can self-splice — Answer: RNA
  15. 29. Enthusiasm-curbing — Answer: JADING
  16. 32. "Here we go!" — Answer: LETSROCK
  17. 34. Uncovered — Answer: OPEN
  18. 35. Some cuts of meat — Answer: CHOPS
  19. 37. Tennis great who had a tennis scholarship from U.C.L.A. — Answer: ASHE
  20. 38. Place for trading stories? — Answer: BOOKFAIR
  21. 40. Diverts — Answer: AMUSES
  22. 42. It takes a long time to get this — Answer: OLD
  23. 43. Leading character on social media? — Answer: ATSYMBOL
  24. 45. White House partner, for short — Answer: FLOTUS
  25. 47. Assume, as costs — Answer: EAT
  26. 48. Do some cleaning — Answer: MOP
  27. 51. Market for currencies, informally — Answer: FOREX
  28. 52. Financial aid basis — Answer: NEED
  29. 54. Hand count? — Answer: FIVE
  30. 55. Ian : Scotland :: ___ : Wales — Answer: EVAN
  31. 56. One might help you hitch a ride — Answer: CARTRAILER
  32. 58. Parmesan cheese feature — Answer: RIND
  33. 59. Novel whence the line "Four legs good, two legs bad" — Answer: ANIMALFARM
  34. 60. Rests — Answer: SITS
  35. 61. They're green year-round — Answer: FAKEPLANTS

Down

  1. 1. Bare-bones — Answer: BASIC
  2. 2. Oscar-winning musical role for Rita Moreno — Answer: ANITA
  3. 3. Already — Answer: BYNOW. Hint: This word suggests that something is happening at the present moment! ⏰
  4. 4. "The Memory Police" author ___ Ogawa — Answer: YOKO
  5. 5. Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls — Answer: SNO
  6. 6. Unwieldy situation, metaphorically — Answer: HERDINGCATS
  7. 7. "As if!" — Answer: OHSURE
  8. 8. Blows away — Answer: WOWS
  9. 9. Release — Answer: EMIT
  10. 10. Kind of cycle — Answer: REM
  11. 11. Listing on a W-2 form — Answer: WAGES
  12. 12. Stumbled upon — Answer: RANACROSS
  13. 13. Overwhelming amount — Answer: AVALANCHE
  14. 14. Some terrarium denizens — Answer: PETSNAKES
  15. 21. Declares — Answer: SAYS. Hint: States something aloud or puts it into words 🗣️
  16. 23. Tai chi accessory — Answer: FAN
  17. 24. Receives unfair criticism — Answer: GETSABADRAP
  18. 25. Nimble, zigzagging maneuver — Answer: JINK
  19. 26. Best Original Song Oscar winner from 2014's "Selma" — Answer: GLORY
  20. 27. P.E. unit — Answer: REP
  21. 29. Invitations to come on board — Answer: JOBOFFERS
  22. 30. First NASA mission broadcast live from orbit — Answer: APOLLOVII
  23. 31. Secret offering? — Answer: DEODORANT
  24. 33. Julia of "The Addams Family" — Answer: RAUL
  25. 36. ___ Excellency — Answer: HIS
  26. 39. Like leatherette — Answer: FAUX
  27. 41. Witticism — Answer: MOT
  28. 44. Start of a secret invitation, perhaps — Answer: MEETME
  29. 46. Leans — Answer: TENDS
  30. 48. Locale of a semiannual fashion week — Answer: MILAN
  31. 49. Opposite of subtle — Answer: OVERT
  32. 50. Makes do for a while? — Answer: PERMS
  33. 52. Gram, by another name — Answer: NANA
  34. 53. Composer Satie — Answer: ERIK. Hint: This French composer shared a first name with a famous Viking explorer. 🎵
  35. 54. Goal-oriented global org.? — Answer: FIFA
  36. 56. Half-___ — Answer: CAF
  37. 57. Totally — Answer: ALL

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls” in the New York Times crossword is SNO — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 16, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 5-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.

“Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls” answer

SNO (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 SNO.

Why the answer is SNO

SNO is the 3-letter solution that fits "Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls" in the NYT Crossword crossword on January 16, 2026 (5-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls” 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.

January 16, 2026 (most recent) → SNO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on January 16, 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 January 16, 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 Friday 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 “Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls”?

The answer is SNO, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 16, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls”?

3 letters: SNO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on January 16, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 5-Down.

Can “Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls” 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 January 16, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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