Crank cases?

Latest answer — October 18, 2025

21 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 18, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Measure of rank in Maori culture, informally
  2. 8Bubbles
  3. 13Sauce in Italian-American cuisine
  4. 14Knocked out
  5. 15It's in right now
  6. 16Was worthy of
  7. 17Having a single purpose
  8. 18Light that goes up when things are going down?
  9. 20Snatch
  10. 21Crank cases?
  11. 23Something pulled in many car chase scenes, for short
  12. 25Home to the Arco di Constantino
  13. 26Present a chance to get ahead
  14. 29Spaniards roll them
  15. 30Was really moving, in slang
  16. 31"Uh ... I guess"
  17. 32Sources of 24/7 support
  18. 33Many an attachment
  19. 36Ones catching waves
  20. 37Longtime name in Cuban politics
  21. 38Those playing the king of Egypt in "Aïda"
  22. 39Monthly magazine that sponsors a large annual music festival in New Orleans
  23. 41Easily removed locks
  24. 42Limited assignment
  25. 45Smallest member of the eurozone (122 square miles)
  26. 46Appropriately change course
  27. 48Spirals out of control?
  28. 50Panhellenic Games venue
  29. 51Can't cool off
  30. 52Gifted
  31. 53Culinary concurrence

Down

  1. 1Understands
  2. 2Site of some piercings
  3. 3"There's never been a better time" tech sloganeer
  4. 4Fangorn resident
  5. 5Sweet doings at a county fair
  6. 6___ Sea, locale of a 20th-century environmental disaster
  7. 7Cry that might be made with a bow
  8. 8Responders to cruise ship emergencies
  9. 9It works in translation
  10. 10Crunchy snacks
  11. 11Fine-tunes
  12. 12Divider of lots
  13. 13Really into
  14. 1521st-century first lady
  15. 19Attire for many a flamenco dancer
  16. 22Upright bar
  17. 24Bonheur who painted "Ploughing in the Nivernais"
  18. 27Woman's name that sounds like two letters of the alphabet
  19. 28Colorful swimmers in the Amazon
  20. 30Energy device that reflects sunlight
  21. 31Rings up?
  22. 32Can hold one's own, in modern lingo
  23. 33Bread purchase in the U.K.
  24. 34Like a building's central air conditioning
  25. 35Dogbane?
  26. 36Like drug dens, sometimes
  27. 37FAQ heading
  28. 38East African honorific
  29. 40Reduce to a pulp
  30. 43Minute
  31. 44Pay attention to
  32. 47Zip
  33. 49Home to the U.S.'s first pizzeria, according to the Pizza Hall of Fame, for short

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Measure of rank in Maori culture, informally — Answer: FACETAT
  2. 8. Bubbles — Answer: FROTH
  3. 13. Sauce in Italian-American cuisine — Answer: MARINARA
  4. 14. Knocked out — Answer: INAWE
  5. 15. It's in right now — Answer: LATESTFAD
  6. 16. Was worthy of — Answer: RATED
  7. 17. Having a single purpose — Answer: ADHOC
  8. 18. Light that goes up when things are going down? — Answer: FLARE
  9. 20. Snatch — Answer: BAG
  10. 21. Crank cases? — Answer: UFOLOGY
  11. 23. Something pulled in many car chase scenes, for short — Answer: EBRAKE
  12. 25. Home to the Arco di Constantino — Answer: ROMA
  13. 26. Present a chance to get ahead — Answer: OPENDOORS
  14. 29. Spaniards roll them — Answer: ARS
  15. 30. Was really moving, in slang — Answer: HAULEDASS
  16. 31. "Uh ... I guess" — Answer: WELLSORTA
  17. 32. Sources of 24/7 support — Answer: HELPLINES
  18. 33. Many an attachment — Answer: PDF
  19. 36. Ones catching waves — Answer: RADIOSETS
  20. 37. Longtime name in Cuban politics — Answer: RAUL
  21. 38. Those playing the king of Egypt in "Aïda" — Answer: BASSOS
  22. 39. Monthly magazine that sponsors a large annual music festival in New Orleans — Answer: ESSENCE
  23. 41. Easily removed locks — Answer: WIG
  24. 42. Limited assignment — Answer: STINT
  25. 45. Smallest member of the eurozone (122 square miles) — Answer: MALTA
  26. 46. Appropriately change course — Answer: ADAPT
  27. 48. Spirals out of control? — Answer: TORNADOES
  28. 50. Panhellenic Games venue — Answer: NEMEA
  29. 51. Can't cool off — Answer: STAYSMAD
  30. 52. Gifted — Answer: ADEPT
  31. 53. Culinary concurrence — Answer: YESCHEF

Down

  1. 1. Understands — Answer: FATHOMS
  2. 2. Site of some piercings — Answer: AREOLA
  3. 3. "There's never been a better time" tech sloganeer — Answer: CISCO
  4. 4. Fangorn resident — Answer: ENT
  5. 5. Sweet doings at a county fair — Answer: TAFFYPULLS
  6. 6. ___ Sea, locale of a 20th-century environmental disaster — Answer: ARAL
  7. 7. Cry that might be made with a bow — Answer: TADA
  8. 8. Responders to cruise ship emergencies — Answer: FIREBOATS
  9. 9. It works in translation — Answer: RNA
  10. 10. Crunchy snacks — Answer: OATBARS
  11. 11. Fine-tunes — Answer: TWEAKS
  12. 12. Divider of lots — Answer: HEDGE
  13. 13. Really into — Answer: MADFOR
  14. 15. 21st-century first lady — Answer: LAURA
  15. 19. Attire for many a flamenco dancer — Answer: REDDRESS
  16. 22. Upright bar — Answer: GOALPOST
  17. 24. Bonheur who painted "Ploughing in the Nivernais" — Answer: ROSA
  18. 27. Woman's name that sounds like two letters of the alphabet — Answer: ELSIE
  19. 28. Colorful swimmers in the Amazon — Answer: NEONTETRAS
  20. 30. Energy device that reflects sunlight — Answer: HELIOSTAT
  21. 31. Rings up? — Answer: WEDS
  22. 32. Can hold one's own, in modern lingo — Answer: HASGAME
  23. 33. Bread purchase in the U.K. — Answer: PANLOAF
  24. 34. Like a building's central air conditioning — Answer: DUCTED
  25. 35. Dogbane? — Answer: FLEAS
  26. 36. Like drug dens, sometimes — Answer: RAIDED
  27. 37. FAQ heading — Answer: README
  28. 38. East African honorific — Answer: BWANA
  29. 40. Reduce to a pulp — Answer: SMASH
  30. 43. Minute — Answer: ITSY
  31. 44. Pay attention to — Answer: NOTE
  32. 47. Zip — Answer: PEP
  33. 49. Home to the U.S.'s first pizzeria, according to the Pizza Hall of Fame, for short — Answer: NYC

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Crank cases?” in the New York Times crossword is UFOLOGY — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 18, 2025, a Saturday puzzle, at 21-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.

“Crank cases?” answer

UFOLOGY (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 UFOLOGY.

Why the answer is UFOLOGY

UFOLOGY is the 7-letter solution that fits "Crank cases?" in the NYT Crossword crossword on October 18, 2025 (21-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Crank cases?” 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 18, 2025 (most recent) → UFOLOGY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on October 18, 2025

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for October 18, 2025 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Saturday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Crank cases?”?

The answer is UFOLOGY, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 18, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Crank cases?”?

7 letters: UFOLOGY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 18, 2025 (a Saturday puzzle), at 21-Across.

Can “Crank cases?” 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 18, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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