"Catch-22" topic

Editorially verified for the Aug 30, 2026

97 Across

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A book cover for Joseph Heller’s Catch-22.

Clue explained

WAR is the central subject of Joseph Heller’s novel Catch-22, which depicts the absurdity of military life during World War II. The clue asks for the broad topic rather than a character or plot detail.

Clue type:
Pop culture

NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, August 30, 2026 appearance

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The answer to “"Catch-22" topic” in the New York Times crossword is WAR — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 30, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 97-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.

“"Catch-22" topic” answer

WAR (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 WAR.

What does WAR mean?

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

(noun)

  • a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country

When else has “"Catch-22" topic” 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 30, 2026 (most recent) → WAR. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"Catch-22" topic”?

The answer is WAR, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 30, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"Catch-22" topic”?

3 letters: WAR.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 30, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 97-Across.

Can “"Catch-22" topic” 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 30, 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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