Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower

Latest answer — March 09, 2026

66 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, March 09, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Constellation word before Major or Minor
  2. 5Something to blow off or let off
  3. 10"So-o-o cute!"
  4. 13Western defense grp.
  5. 14"I ___ been a contender ..."
  6. 15Lead-in to natal or nuptial
  7. 16*Outdoor sport with sticks (1979, 1984)
  8. 18Gentle touch
  9. 19Letters for a mind reader
  10. 20Grunt from a pigpen
  11. 21Athlete's representative
  12. 23Take weapons away from
  13. 25*Period for Fred, Wilma and Pebbles (2016, 2023)
  14. 28More in-your-business
  15. 30Encourages to buy a more expensive model, say
  16. 31Ernest Hemingway's "To Have and Have ___"
  17. 32Monster of folk tales
  18. 34Goal for collectors
  19. 35*Temporary guest from a canine shelter (1988, 1991)
  20. 39Oscars airer
  21. 42"Pencils down!"
  22. 43Double-decker, e.g.
  23. 45Strings along
  24. 48Some steaks
  25. 51*Popular fruit dessert (2001)
  26. 53Rebel as a group
  27. 55Zimbalist Jr. of "77 Sunset Strip"
  28. 56Plastic Ono Band's "Happy ___ (War Is Over)"
  29. 58Network for "The Wire" and "Euphoria"
  30. 59Birthplace of the bossa nova, informally
  31. 60Academy Award category ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues
  32. 64Vietnamese holiday with a palindromic name
  33. 65Baltimore baseball pro
  34. 66Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower
  35. 67"___ gratia artis" (classic MGM motto)
  36. 68Chicken noodle scoop
  37. 69Heredity unit

Down

  1. 1Like expired parking meters
  2. 2___ Bran
  3. 3Bobby, Peter or Greg, to Carol Brady
  4. 4Internet pioneer
  5. 5"Coming ___ to a theater near you"
  6. 6Partner of nips
  7. 7Relative of a reindeer
  8. 8Suffix with lemon or orange
  9. 9Ancient Central American pyramid builders
  10. 10They go to a higher court
  11. 11Round up, as cattle
  12. 12Receiving the most rain
  13. 14Grandfather clock sound
  14. 17Piquant triangular chip
  15. 22"Gosh!"
  16. 24Starting on
  17. 26Small castle tower
  18. 27Guest opinion column
  19. 29Corkscrew-shaped pasta
  20. 33Opal or ruby
  21. 36"Enough already!"
  22. 37Double-reed woodwind player
  23. 38Biceps, boastfully
  24. 39Canadian province north of Montana
  25. 40More brawny
  26. 41Bugs Bunny's supply
  27. 44"Now, you listen to me ..."
  28. 46Beats by ___ (headphone brand)
  29. 47Word with sex or status
  30. 49Support for a knee or a neck
  31. 50Enters a game at the half, say
  32. 52Praise enthusiastically
  33. 54Group assisting a sheriff
  34. 57Like a bull or buck
  35. 61Memorable period
  36. 62Caesar of old comedy
  37. 6318-wheeler

The answer to “Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower” in the New York Times crossword is IRIS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 9, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 66-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.

“Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower” answer

IRIS (4 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 IRIS.

Why the answer is IRIS

IRIS is the 4-letter solution that fits "Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower" in the NYT Crossword crossword on March 9, 2026 (66-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does IRIS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a flat, coloured, ring-shaped membrane behind the cornea of the eye, with an adjustable circular opening (pupil) in the centre
  • a plant with showy flowers, typically of purple or yellow, and sword-shaped leaves. Irises are native to both Eurasia and North America and widely cultivated as ornamentals

When else has “Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower” 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.

March 9, 2026 (most recent) → IRIS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower”?

The answer is IRIS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 9, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower”?

4 letters: IRIS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on March 9, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 66-Across.

Can “Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower” 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 March 9, 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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