Comment that breaks the fourth wall

Latest answer — January 21, 2026

52 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, January 21, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Practiced pitches
  2. 7What arms might do on a final gym rep
  3. 14Lee has a hot bowl of ___ to start off his day
  4. 15Lee has a hot bowl of ___ to start off his day
  5. 16Enemy of the Avengers
  6. 17Ones with the munchies, maybe
  7. 18In need of a massage, say
  8. 19Like those local to Universal Studios Japan
  9. 21Hide one's roots, perhaps
  10. 22Like the study of the kabbalah
  11. 24Drill insert
  12. 26Polarizing punctuation choice
  13. 31Bracket-busting wins in March Madness
  14. 35Friend or ___
  15. 36Complete disrepair
  16. 37Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way
  17. 38Recycling container
  18. 39Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way
  19. 40They might be foiled
  20. 41Treatment for a sprained ankle
  21. 42Like the villain at the end of a "Scooby-Doo" episode
  22. 43All ___
  23. 44Slime
  24. 45Jay-Z's and Alicia Keys's "___ State of Mind"
  25. 46Classic P.O.W. movie starring Steve McQueen, with "The"
  26. 49Heavy weight
  27. 50Transaction on an online marketplace
  28. 55Govt. org. in "Alias"
  29. 58Entertainer who says "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"
  30. 60Inflation measures, for short
  31. 61Opportunity to dress up
  32. 63Eagles' nests
  33. 65With gossip and beer over Friday's ___ game
  34. 66With gossip and beer over Friday's ___ game
  35. 67Satisfies
  36. 68Luxurious cotton fabric

Down

  1. 1Italian apology
  2. 2Some pullover shirts
  3. 3Any course whose name ends in "101"
  4. 4Bird with a plume that, ounce for ounce, was once worth more than gold
  5. 5Constellation near the Big Dipper
  6. 6Gentlemen, in Granada
  7. 7Captured
  8. 8Like government bonds and Uber drivers
  9. 9___ minority
  10. 10Mrs., en français
  11. 11Bit of sweat
  12. 12British title
  13. 13Ultimatum ender
  14. 17Life across the ___ is much the same
  15. 20British title
  16. 23These: Sp.
  17. 25Shredded, as a contract
  18. 27Top-of-the-line
  19. 28Prefix with vitamin or tool
  20. 29Athlete aiming for a four-minute finish, perhaps
  21. 30One end of an electrolytic cell
  22. 31Let float, as a currency
  23. 32Pertaining to hair
  24. 33Welcome sight for a sailor
  25. 34Patronizes, as a restaurant
  26. 38Life stories
  27. 39Warm and cozy
  28. 44Bona fide
  29. 45Govt. sites for testing pollutants
  30. 47Ones with chiseled abs?
  31. 48___ Dhabi
  32. 51Spar on a sailing boat
  33. 52Comment that breaks the fourth wall
  34. 53Feudal lord
  35. 54German steel city
  36. 55Provide for free, as a drink
  37. 56Suffix with method or metaphor
  38. 57Pine
  39. 59Collectible caps in the '90s
  40. 62Steely Dan album whose name is pronounced "Asia"
  41. 64The Three Kingdoms in Chinese history, e.g.

The answer to “Comment that breaks the fourth wall” in the New York Times crossword is ASIDE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 21, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 52-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.

“Comment that breaks the fourth wall” answer

ASIDE (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 ASIDE.

Why the answer is ASIDE

ASIDE is the 5-letter solution that fits "Comment that breaks the fourth wall" in the NYT Crossword crossword on January 21, 2026 (52-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does ASIDE mean?

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

(adverb)

  • to one side; out of the way

When else has “Comment that breaks the fourth wall” 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.

January 21, 2026 (most recent) → ASIDE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Comment that breaks the fourth wall”?

The answer is ASIDE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Comment that breaks the fourth wall”?

5 letters: ASIDE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on January 21, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 52-Down.

Can “Comment that breaks the fourth wall” 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 January 21, 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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