Close call

Latest answer — May 23, 2026

25 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, May 23, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1They might be settled atop stools
  2. 8Shell, say
  3. 13Places to put fliers
  4. 15Surgical specialty, informally
  5. 16A boxer's might knock you out
  6. 18Substitute for "etc."
  7. 19Begrudges
  8. 20Old auto company based in Lansing, Mich.
  9. 22Jazz drummer DeRosa
  10. 23One of the seven depicted in the 1995 thriller "Se7en"
  11. 24Daytime regulars
  12. 26What some prisoners earn, in brief
  13. 27Old black-and-white police autos, to Brits
  14. 28___ weekend
  15. 29Walk on water?
  16. 30Top that screams "Look at me!"
  17. 31Clay-and-calcium-carbonate mix used in cement making
  18. 32"Lovely!"
  19. 35Chess puzzle challenge, maybe
  20. 36Make do
  21. 37Many an epithet
  22. 38Common con game
  23. 39Petite ___ (certain French partner)
  24. 40Epithet lead-in
  25. 41Bit of back-and-forth
  26. 42Farrow with a Pulitzer for his investigative journalism
  27. 44Eerie substance faked in 19th-century ghost hoaxes
  28. 46Bygone leaders
  29. 47Tourist nickname for a Southern mecca, to the chagrin of many locals
  30. 48Until, in Uruguay
  31. 49Destination for wagons, once

Down

  1. 1No-goodniks
  2. 2Sales job that Forbes magazine once dubbed "the original side hustle," informally
  3. 3Ancient collection of Hindu hymns
  4. 4Pampers
  5. 5Handled something poorly, say
  6. 6Gets even with?
  7. 7Tac preceder
  8. 8At least one
  9. 9Substance that undergoes change, as in a lab
  10. 10Magpie lookalike with black-and-white plumage
  11. 11Bosses (around)
  12. 12Gads about
  13. 14Figurative ability to withstand almost anything
  14. 17Canal blocker?
  15. 21Milky and iridescent
  16. 24Lizard predator of Africa
  17. 25Close call
  18. 27Swedish American model Porizkova
  19. 29Edward who wrote and illustrated "The Gashlycrumb Tinies"
  20. 30Foam designs, perhaps
  21. 31Berth places
  22. 3219th-century German novelist Theodor
  23. 33Stressors for some H.S. seniors
  24. 34Accessory on a pub counter
  25. 35Brunch beverage
  26. 36Standard 1L course, informally
  27. 37Title for some fictional lords
  28. 38Sugar ___
  29. 41Choice for the undecided
  30. 43Org. with a "Cryptographic Support Services" page on its website
  31. 45Little squirt

The answer to “Close call” in the New York Times crossword is SCARE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 23, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 25-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.

“Close call” answer

SCARE (5 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 SCARE.

Why the answer is SCARE

SCARE is the 5-letter solution that fits "Close call" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 23, 2026 (25-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does SCARE mean?

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

(verb)

  • cause great fear or nervousness in; frighten

When else has “Close call” 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 23, 2026 (most recent) → SCARE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Close call”?

The answer is SCARE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 23, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Close call”?

5 letters: SCARE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 23, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 25-Down.

Can “Close call” 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 23, 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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