Changes in form, but not in essence

Latest answer — October 03, 2026

17 Across

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Clue explained

SUBLIMATES is a verb meaning changes directly from a solid to a gas, altering a substance’s physical form without changing what it is. The clue describes that change of form while the substance remains the same.

Clue type:
Definition
A simple science diagram showing a solid changing directly into gas.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 03, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Five-note jingle for "The Gift That Grows"
  2. 11Tech news site
  3. 15Message that comes with a pointer
  4. 16Symbol of love
  5. 17Changes in form, but not in essence
  6. 18To: Abbr.
  7. 19Cookie, e.g.
  8. 20Question in a stalemate
  9. 22Urge
  10. 23"Show some manners!"
  11. 24Classic Harlem ballroom
  12. 27Get one's hands on, informally
  13. 28Did a boring job?
  14. 29Hot environment
  15. 30Throwing weapons for the Dark Knight
  16. 32Zip
  17. 33Indie music's ___ Iver
  18. 34Sword's alternative
  19. 35Chinese steamed bun
  20. 37Supplementary materials accompanying a home movie purchase
  21. 40Doozy
  22. 41Trap in the water
  23. 42Catches
  24. 43Ticket selector
  25. 44Thorough, say
  26. 46Rihanna's "Take a ___" (2008)
  27. 47(The) shaft, so to speak
  28. 48Not all there upstairs?
  29. 52Some altarations?
  30. 53Burkina Faso, before 1984
  31. 55Captain in Melville's "Billy Budd"
  32. 56Renowned naturalist buried at Rwanda's Karisoke Research Center
  33. 57Singing sister of Aretha
  34. 58Nervously inhales?

Down

  1. 1Target for surgical excision
  2. 2Time
  3. 3Country where the game of dominoes is a national pastime
  4. 4Characterized by great happiness
  5. 5"Sheesh!"
  6. 6Mr. Universe contestants
  7. 7Burn
  8. 8All worked (up)
  9. 9Greek actress who brought Elektra, Penelope, Antigone and Helen of Troy to the screen
  10. 10Man who made animals talk
  11. 11Stumble home after a night out, say
  12. 12Just
  13. 13Something you may be willing to hold?
  14. 14Camped out, say
  15. 21Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal ___"
  16. 23Fake poster
  17. 24"___ of Frankenstein" (1939 movie sequel)
  18. 25Person who gets a lot of texts?
  19. 26Sluglike creature known for its soft, water-repellent skin
  20. 27Has no control
  21. 30Word with shadow or shoe
  22. 31Lo-___
  23. 33Contradict
  24. 36Abba's "___ Last Summer"
  25. 38Outlet for the Jordan River
  26. 39Super-keen
  27. 40Weak amount of medicine
  28. 41Primary PC storage
  29. 43EX30, EX40 and XC60
  30. 45Praises
  31. 46Fails to keep things down
  32. 48Nota ___
  33. 49Classic film character who says "Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time"
  34. 50Proofreader's command
  35. 51Kansas' Fort ___
  36. 54Swinger's goal, perhaps

The answer to “Changes in form, but not in essence” in the New York Times crossword is SUBLIMATES — a 10-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 3, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 17-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.

“Changes in form, but not in essence” answer

SUBLIMATES (10 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 SUBLIMATES.

What does SUBLIMATES mean?

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

(verb)

  • (in psychoanalytic theory) divert or modify (an instinctual impulse) into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity
  • undergo a change of state from solid to gas without passing through the liquid phase, often forming a solid deposit again on cooling

When else has “Changes in form, but not in essence” 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.

October 3, 2026 (most recent) → SUBLIMATES. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Changes in form, but not in essence”?

The answer is SUBLIMATES, a 10-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Changes in form, but not in essence”?

10 letters: SUBLIMATES.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 3, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 17-Across.

Can “Changes in form, but not in essence” 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 October 3, 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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