Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent

Latest answer — August 25, 2026

45 Down

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A labeled illustration of the planets in the solar system.

Clue explained

PLANETS are celestial “wanderers,” from the Greek idea of bodies that appear to move against the fixed stars. The answer also identifies what the puzzle’s circled letters represent: the planet names placed in their orbital paths.

Clue type:
Cross-reference

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 25, 2026 appearance

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The answer to “Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent” in the New York Times crossword is PLANETS — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 25, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 45-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.

“Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent” answer

PLANETS (7 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 PLANETS.

What does PLANETS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a celestial body moving in an elliptical orbit round a star

When else has “Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent” 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 25, 2026 (most recent) → PLANETS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent”?

The answer is PLANETS, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 25, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent”?

7 letters: PLANETS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 25, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 45-Down.

Can “Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent” 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 25, 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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