Epitome of smoothness

Latest answer — April 01, 2026

20 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, April 01, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"Don't ___ me!"
  2. 6Alternative to check or card
  3. 10World traveler's need
  4. 14Old Hollywood nickname that sounds like a golf term
  5. 15Birthplace of seven U.S. presidents
  6. 16They can be bruised or inflated
  7. 17Quip, part 1
  8. 19"Golly!"
  9. 20Epitome of smoothness
  10. 21Nail-biting sports periods, for short
  11. 22Bone that squeaks, maybe
  12. 24Takes care of
  13. 26Implied
  14. 27Quip, part 2
  15. 31Apple pan ___ (baked pastry)
  16. 34Waze ways: Abbr.
  17. 35Go a-courtin'?
  18. 36Airline predictions, for short
  19. 37Stores selling Snödrottning pillowcases
  20. 39Scottish caps
  21. 40"Fear ___"
  22. 41Either of two wives of Henry VIII
  23. 42Vault in a mummy movie
  24. 43Quip, part 3
  25. 47Cry from a bandleader
  26. 48"Wow, cool!"
  27. 51Leave undisturbed
  28. 53Environmentally friendly: Prefix
  29. 54Word before market or collar
  30. 56Tennis legend Arthur
  31. 57Quip, part 4
  32. 60Awaken slowly
  33. 61Mine finds
  34. 62Awaken rudely
  35. 63Cheek
  36. 64"Ramona the ___" (Beverly Cleary book)
  37. 65Nash who wrote "Who wants my jellyfish? / I'm not sellyfish!"

Down

  1. 1Outdoor events with grills, for short
  2. 2Julia ___-Dreyfus of "Veep"
  3. 3Light on one's feet
  4. 4Happy Meal chain, informally
  5. 5"Yikes!"
  6. 6Second wedding anniversary material
  7. 7Moments of understanding
  8. 8Walter Scott or Isaac Newton
  9. 9Occasions for getting gussied up
  10. 10Kind of burger that lacks meat
  11. 11"Listen, hear me out on this ..."
  12. 12Meh
  13. 13Like a burnt-out firepit
  14. 18Annual D.C. address, for short
  15. 23Phil who sang the protest song "The War Is Over"
  16. 25Kind of burger that lacks meat
  17. 26"Toodle-oo!"
  18. 28Environmentally friendly
  19. 29Rear end
  20. 30Word repeated while trying out a microphone
  21. 31Cozy rooms
  22. 32Midwestern native
  23. 33"Look what I can do!"
  24. 37Genre that combines mainstream and underground music
  25. 38Do some crafting
  26. 39Amphibian with specialized toe pads
  27. 41Opposed
  28. 42MS NOW competitor
  29. 44Edmonton's hockey team
  30. 45Swarming insect
  31. 46Restaurant chain with locations in more than a dozen countries, thus justifying the first letter in its name
  32. 49So others can hear
  33. 50Nervous
  34. 51Gal in Glasgow
  35. 52"Cómo ___ usted?"
  36. 53What hearts represent in the face of a love emoji
  37. 55Subject line abbr.
  38. 58"How ___ you?"
  39. 59Natural hairstyle, for short

The answer to “Epitome of smoothness” in the New York Times crossword is SILK — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 1, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 20-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.

“Epitome of smoothness” answer

SILK (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 SILK.

Why the answer is SILK

SILK is the 4-letter solution that fits "Epitome of smoothness" in the NYT Crossword crossword on April 1, 2026 (20-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does SILK mean?

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

(noun)

  • a fine, strong, soft lustrous fibre produced by silkworms in making cocoons and collected to make thread and fabric. Silk is also spun by some insect larvae and by most spiders
  • a Queen's (or King's) Counsel

When else has “Epitome of smoothness” 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.

April 1, 2026 (most recent) → SILK. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Epitome of smoothness”?

The answer is SILK, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Epitome of smoothness”?

4 letters: SILK.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on April 1, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 20-Across.

Can “Epitome of smoothness” 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 April 1, 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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