Character with a famous opening line?

Latest answer — September 03, 2026

37 Across

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Clue explained

ALIBABA is the character from “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,” famously associated with the opening command “Open Sesame.” The question mark signals the playful reference to a character’s memorable line rather than a literal opening line of dialogue.

Clue type:
Pop culture
An illustration of Ali Baba opening a cave associated with the phrase “Open Sesame.”

NYT Crossword

This clue's Thursday, September 03, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Things that have icons
  2. 5She's possessive
  3. 8Sales spiel
  4. 13She can speak more than 20 languages
  5. 14Lead-in to haw
  6. 15Followed
  7. 17Show with the classic episodes "The Puffy Shirt" and "The Little Kicks"
  8. 19Authorize
  9. 20Noodle
  10. 21On, in French
  11. 23Successes for sluggers, for short
  12. 24Like some pants or haircuts
  13. 27Big laugh
  14. 28What dogs do the most in the spring and fall
  15. 32School unit
  16. 34Reached a payment date
  17. 36"Please give this high priority!"
  18. 37Character with a famous opening line?
  19. 38Like an overtired toddler
  20. 42Twice-told tale?
  21. 43Sweetums or Baby Doll
  22. 45March Madness org.
  23. 48Open, as a bottle
  24. 49One might feature rivers and bluffs
  25. 52Hastens
  26. 53Apple purchase
  27. 54Comedian Jon
  28. 56Its motto is "Industry"
  29. 58Sorta
  30. 59Luxuriates outdoors, in a way
  31. 64Emergency alerts
  32. 66Complete fiasco, slangily
  33. 68Steak option
  34. 69Emmy-winning role for Tina Fey
  35. 70Up the ___
  36. 71Words that might be seen on a docent's badge
  37. 72Letters found near some bars
  38. 73It might be paved with good intentions

Down

  1. 1The "A" in L.P.G.A.: Abbr.
  2. 2Slangy "mouth" found in a 20-Across
  3. 3Self-righteous type
  4. 4Confess, say
  5. 5Spotted youngster that might be spotted on the savanna
  6. 6Fish with fused fins
  7. 7One end of the Suez Canal
  8. 8Many a "Bridgerton" lady
  9. 9Alternative to a bed-and-breakfast
  10. 10Slavic title
  11. 11Place for storing belongings in a 32-Across
  12. 12Cause of a squeaky voice, maybe
  13. 16Place to study
  14. 18Factor in a clothing purchase
  15. 22___ Minor
  16. 25Something a suspect enters
  17. 26Sketches
  18. 28Leave a mark
  19. 29Hearty
  20. 30Islamic "commander"
  21. 31Show to be bogus
  22. 33Tool found in a 32-Across
  23. 35What choreologists study
  24. 39Garment that is typically around six yards long
  25. 40Captain Hook's right-hand man
  26. 41Evergreen trees with red arils
  27. 43Cat that can purr but can't roar
  28. 44Invigorate
  29. 46Skilled performer
  30. 472, 4, 6 and 8, e.g.
  31. 49Surface of a well-used wok
  32. 50Pocket rockets, e.g., found in a 49-Across
  33. 51"Well, shucks!"
  34. 53Polyhymnia or Clio
  35. 55Group with the 1994 12x platinum album "CrazySexyCool"
  36. 57"Tarnation!"
  37. 60Distantly
  38. 61Underground entrance found in a 73-Across
  39. 62Bread that may have a pocket
  40. 63Skeleton, say
  41. 65___ Lock (PC key)
  42. 67Orchestra setting

The answer to “Character with a famous opening line?” in the New York Times crossword is ALIBABA — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 3, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 37-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.

“Character with a famous opening line?” answer

ALIBABA (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 ALIBABA.

When else has “Character with a famous opening line?” 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.

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Character with a famous opening line?”?

The answer is ALIBABA, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Character with a famous opening line?”?

7 letters: ALIBABA.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 3, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 37-Across.

Can “Character with a famous opening line?” 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 September 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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