Did the backstroke, say

Latest answer — September 08, 2026

33 Down

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Clue explained

Swam is the past tense of swim, so someone who “did the backstroke” swam. The clue’s “say” indicates that backstroke is one example of swimming.

Clue type:
Word form
A swimmer performing the backstroke

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 08, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Prized gem in Chinese culture
  2. 5Long (for)
  3. 9Wise one
  4. 13Lyft competitor
  5. 14Trims, say
  6. 16Bullet point on an agenda
  7. 17___ Scotia
  8. 18Actress Judi with an Oscar and a Tony
  9. 19Hawaiian bird with a reduplicative name
  10. 20Smooths (over)
  11. 22Pest at a comedy club
  12. 24Soda bottle units
  13. 25Food court locale
  14. 26"This American Life" host Glass
  15. 27Suffix in the names of many languages
  16. 28"Please don't go!"
  17. 30French cosmetics company founded in 1909
  18. 32"For ___ a jolly good fellow ..."
  19. 34Crafts' partner
  20. 36"A Whole New ___" ("Aladdin" song)
  21. 37CVS rival ... or a phonetic hint to the answers on this puzzle's perimeter
  22. 40"What a shame!"
  23. 43Chopped down
  24. 44Broody music genre
  25. 47Hardest substance in the human body
  26. 49Aide: Abbr.
  27. 51Sound from a pound
  28. 53Energy-carrying chemical found in all living things, in brief
  29. 54Santa makes one
  30. 56Pompadour or pigtails
  31. 58"Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the ___ one of all?"
  32. 60Site of a paper jam
  33. 61Milkshake flavor
  34. 62___ dish (lab item)
  35. 64Father
  36. 65"___ I a Woman?" (Sojourner Truth speech)
  37. 66Plastic wrap brand
  38. 67Colleges, to Aussies
  39. 68Stuff growing on a tree trunk
  40. 69Acidic ingredient in guacamole
  41. 70Money maker

Down

  1. 1Jaguar's home
  2. 2Totally ban
  3. 3Faithful follower
  4. 4Clear, as a board
  5. 5Base of a statue
  6. 6March 15, e.g.
  7. 7Diarist Anaïs
  8. 8___ Sketch (classic drawing toy)
  9. 9Kitchen fixture that might have a double or single basin
  10. 10Artist's workshop
  11. 11Army leader
  12. 12May birthstone
  13. 15Shape of conchiglie pasta
  14. 21Cohort above jrs.
  15. 23Ronald McDonald, e.g.
  16. 25"This one's on me!"
  17. 29Cry of frustration
  18. 31"Titanic" heroine
  19. 33Did the backstroke, say
  20. 35Works with a needle
  21. 38One-named "Hello" singer
  22. 39Induct into a hall of fame, perhaps
  23. 40Froth seen at the beach
  24. 41Most populous Canadian province
  25. 422014 nonfiction best seller subtitled "A Brief History of Humankind"
  26. 45"Shaken, not stirred" drink
  27. 46Use DoorDash or Grubhub, e.g.
  28. 48Some speech impediments
  29. 50___ chi (Chinese martial art)
  30. 52Not see the ___ for the trees
  31. 55Amazing bargain
  32. 57"To recap ..."
  33. 59Decays
  34. 60British baby carriage
  35. 63The first "T" in TNT

The answer to “Did the backstroke, say” in the New York Times crossword is SWAM — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 8, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 33-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.

“Did the backstroke, say” answer

SWAM (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 SWAM.

What does SWAM mean?

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

(verb)

  • propel the body through water by using the limbs, or (in the case of a fish or other aquatic animal) by using fins, tail, or other bodily movement
  • be immersed in or covered with liquid
  • appear to reel or whirl before one's eyes

When else has “Did the backstroke, say” 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 8, 2026 (most recent) → SWAM. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Did the backstroke, say”?

The answer is SWAM, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Did the backstroke, say”?

4 letters: SWAM.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 8, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 33-Down.

Can “Did the backstroke, say” 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 8, 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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