Cause of a boom

Latest answer — May 15, 2026

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, May 15, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1To the ___ (as much as possible)
  2. 5Electrifying people, so to speak
  3. 14Dog howling at night, maybe
  4. 15Vintage bike feature
  5. 16Good name for a yoga instructor?
  6. 17Hairy get-up
  7. 18Wych ___ (tree type)
  8. 19Miss Doolittle of "Pygmalion"
  9. 20Civil rights activist Williams, an associate of Martin Luther King Jr.
  10. 21Splits apart
  11. 23Annual coll. basketball competition
  12. 25Class for some aspiring bilinguals, in brief
  13. 26Led
  14. 27Play casually, say
  15. 29Like some kitchens
  16. 30Harps on
  17. 33MacMurray of "Double Indemnity"
  18. 34Throw in at the end
  19. 35Pulls off
  20. 37Jarring film transition to a new scene
  21. 39Sired
  22. 40Give a hand?
  23. 41Language of southern India
  24. 42Sierra, e.g.
  25. 45"Nasty!"
  26. 46Rainwater reservoir
  27. 47Duane ___ (New York-based pharmacy chain)
  28. 49Figures in "Puss in Boots" and "Hop-o'-My-Thumb"
  29. 51Sickly-looking
  30. 52"I don't care either way"
  31. 54Magician's accessory
  32. 55Use of a popular song to make a scene iconic, in film-speak
  33. 56"Your turn to speak"
  34. 57Difficult time for farmers
  35. 58Hot ___

Down

  1. 1Big name in meal prep kits
  2. 2"Tell me!"
  3. 3Line of attack?
  4. 4Cause of a boom
  5. 5Material for the blue eyebrows on the mask of Tutankhamen, in brief
  6. 6Mother of Don Juan
  7. 7Here goes nothing!
  8. 8Brian of ambient music
  9. 9Part of a bass in a jug band
  10. 10:
  11. 11Get new life out of
  12. 12Eponym for a lounge chair
  13. 13"I can't believe that price" bargain
  14. 15Made hay?
  15. 19Uniform
  16. 22Puma rival
  17. 24Setting for the graphic novel series "Persepolis"
  18. 27Transition
  19. 28Competitor of the early Chevrolet 490
  20. 30"Sticks"
  21. 31Dangerous ocean phenomenon
  22. 32Edible algae dubbed "green caviar"
  23. 34Break the ice?
  24. 36Knockouts
  25. 38Blind followers, informally
  26. 39Friend of Nancy Drew
  27. 41Moor
  28. 42Daily ___
  29. 43Element of a poetry analysis, maybe
  30. 44Baseball's Stengel
  31. 46Sing like Michael Bublé
  32. 48Threads
  33. 50Food item whose name comes from the Greek for "turn"
  34. 53Occasion that may involve fine china
  35. 54Common end to an address

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. To the ___ (as much as possible) — Answer: HILT
  2. 5. Electrifying people, so to speak — Answer: LIVEWIRES
  3. 14. Dog howling at night, maybe — Answer: OMEN
  4. 15. Vintage bike feature — Answer: BANANASEAT
  5. 16. Good name for a yoga instructor? — Answer: MATT
  6. 17. Hairy get-up — Answer: APECOSTUME
  7. 18. Wych ___ (tree type) — Answer: ELM
  8. 19. Miss Doolittle of "Pygmalion" — Answer: ELIZA
  9. 20. Civil rights activist Williams, an associate of Martin Luther King Jr. — Answer: HOSEA
  10. 21. Splits apart — Answer: CLEAVES
  11. 23. Annual coll. basketball competition — Answer: NIT
  12. 25. Class for some aspiring bilinguals, in brief — Answer: ESL
  13. 26. Led — Answer: HEADED
  14. 27. Play casually, say — Answer: STRUM
  15. 29. Like some kitchens — Answer: EATIN
  16. 30. Harps on — Answer: BELABORS
  17. 33. MacMurray of "Double Indemnity" — Answer: FRED
  18. 34. Throw in at the end — Answer: TAGON
  19. 35. Pulls off — Answer: DOES
  20. 37. Jarring film transition to a new scene — Answer: SMASHCUT
  21. 39. Sired — Answer: BEGAT
  22. 40. Give a hand? — Answer: SHAKE
  23. 41. Language of southern India — Answer: TELUGU
  24. 42. Sierra, e.g. — Answer: GMC
  25. 45. "Nasty!" — Answer: EWW
  26. 46. Rainwater reservoir — Answer: CISTERN
  27. 47. Duane ___ (New York-based pharmacy chain) — Answer: READE
  28. 49. Figures in "Puss in Boots" and "Hop-o'-My-Thumb" — Answer: OGRES
  29. 51. Sickly-looking — Answer: WAN
  30. 52. "I don't care either way" — Answer: ITSUPTOYOU
  31. 54. Magician's accessory — Answer: CAPE
  32. 55. Use of a popular song to make a scene iconic, in film-speak — Answer: NEEDLEDROP
  33. 56. "Your turn to speak" — Answer: OVER
  34. 57. Difficult time for farmers — Answer: DRYSEASON
  35. 58. Hot ___ — Answer: MESS

Down

  1. 1. Big name in meal prep kits — Answer: HOMECHEF
  2. 2. "Tell me!" — Answer: IMALLEARS
  3. 3. Line of attack? — Answer: LETMEATEM
  4. 4. Cause of a boom — Answer: TNT
  5. 5. Material for the blue eyebrows on the mask of Tutankhamen, in brief — Answer: LAPIS
  6. 6. Mother of Don Juan — Answer: INEZ
  7. 7. Here goes nothing! — Answer: VACANTLOT
  8. 8. Brian of ambient music — Answer: ENO
  9. 9. Part of a bass in a jug band — Answer: WASHTUB
  10. 10. : — Answer: ISTO
  11. 11. Get new life out of — Answer: REUSE
  12. 12. Eponym for a lounge chair — Answer: EAMES
  13. 13. "I can't believe that price" bargain — Answer: STEAL
  14. 15. Made hay? — Answer: BALED
  15. 19. Uniform — Answer: EVEN
  16. 22. Puma rival — Answer: ADIDAS
  17. 24. Setting for the graphic novel series "Persepolis" — Answer: IRAN
  18. 27. Transition — Answer: SEGUE
  19. 28. Competitor of the early Chevrolet 490 — Answer: MODELT
  20. 30. "Sticks" — Answer: BACKWOODS
  21. 31. Dangerous ocean phenomenon — Answer: ROGUEWAVE
  22. 32. Edible algae dubbed "green caviar" — Answer: SEAGRAPES
  23. 34. Break the ice? — Answer: THAW
  24. 36. Knockouts — Answer: STUNNERS
  25. 38. Blind followers, informally — Answer: SHEEPLE
  26. 39. Friend of Nancy Drew — Answer: BESS
  27. 41. Moor — Answer: TIEUP
  28. 42. Daily ___ — Answer: GRIND
  29. 43. Element of a poetry analysis, maybe — Answer: METER
  30. 44. Baseball's Stengel — Answer: CASEY
  31. 46. Sing like Michael Bublé — Answer: CROON
  32. 48. Threads — Answer: DUDS
  33. 50. Food item whose name comes from the Greek for "turn" — Answer: GYRO
  34. 53. Occasion that may involve fine china — Answer: TEA
  35. 54. Common end to an address — Answer: COM

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 14 May 2026NYT Crossword 13 May 2026NYT Crossword 12 May 2026NYT Crossword 11 May 2026NYT Crossword 10 May 2026NYT Crossword 9 May 2026NYT Crossword 8 May 2026

The answer to “Cause of a boom” in the New York Times crossword is TNT — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 15, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 4-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.

“Cause of a boom” answer

TNT (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 TNT.

Why the answer is TNT

TNT is the 3-letter solution that fits "Cause of a boom" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 15, 2026 (4-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Cause of a boom” 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 15, 2026 (most recent) → TNT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on May 15, 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 May 15, 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 “Cause of a boom”?

The answer is TNT, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 15, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Cause of a boom”?

3 letters: TNT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 15, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 4-Down.

Can “Cause of a boom” 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 15, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

Crossword Clues

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