Favorable starting point of an auto race

Latest answer — February 18, 2026

38 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, February 18, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Genre for James Brown or Al Green, informally
  2. 6Biblical name for Syria
  3. 10International agreements
  4. 15"That's ___" (Dean Martin classic)
  5. 16Plumb mad
  6. 17Ancient Greek marketplace
  7. 18Dwindled away
  8. 20___ Aran, heroine of Nintendo's Metroid
  9. 21:nine_o'clock::hourglass_not_done::alarm_clock:
  10. 23Gullible one
  11. 24Pepper that's two steps above poblano on the Scoville scale
  12. 25Irritated outburst
  13. 28Carnaval city, informally
  14. 30Smallish batteries
  15. 31Reservoir producer
  16. 34Bounty
  17. 38Favorable starting point of an auto race
  18. 39:call_me_hand::clapping_hands::waving_hand:
  19. 43The Farm Service Agcy. is part of it
  20. 44Some wand wielders
  21. 45Trident-shaped letter
  22. 46QB's call
  23. 49Write "their" for "there," say
  24. 50Slopping spot
  25. 51Offensively odorous
  26. 55Noted wildlife refuge
  27. 57:speech_balloon::speaking_head::right_anger_bubble:
  28. 62Cara of "Fame" fame
  29. 63Digital capture
  30. 65Enchantress of Greek mythology
  31. 66Popular D.I.Y. website
  32. 67Go after
  33. 68Nincompoops
  34. 69Rackets
  35. 70Reduced to crumbs, say

Down

  1. 1What a fall guy has to take, with "the"
  2. 2Home of the Big 12's Cyclones
  3. 3Terse denial
  4. 4Remains
  5. 5Leader of the Sharks in "West Side Story"
  6. 6Gucci of fashion
  7. 7Locales for some urban gardens
  8. 8Like the accents in "déclassé"
  9. 9Godzilla foe
  10. 10Elbows and bow ties
  11. 11Once more
  12. 12Best-selling home computers of the 1980s
  13. 13On the money
  14. 14Freshness
  15. 19Observation
  16. 22It might be a stretch for historians
  17. 25Fill an automobile tank ... or boost the confidence of, in slang
  18. 26Deep chasm
  19. 27Pips
  20. 29Demon of Japanese folklore
  21. 32On guard
  22. 33Like some buns and bedrooms
  23. 35Org. for Wizards and Magic
  24. 36Includes, in a way
  25. 37One of the "six enemies of the mind," in Hinduism
  26. 38Big name in water filters
  27. 40Old-fashioned word that's a homophone of 49-Across
  28. 41Distressing encounter
  29. 42___ Howard, Oscar-nominated actor for 2005's "Hustle & Flow"
  30. 46New workmates
  31. 47Manipulate
  32. 48Cast
  33. 52Meager measure of compassion?
  34. 53Traditional rice cake snack on Japanese New Year
  35. 54Actor Zac of "High School Musical"
  36. 56Singer with the 2009 #1 hit "Tik Tok"
  37. 57Acronym on a W-2
  38. 58Bluish-purple bloom
  39. 59Wraps (up)
  40. 60Tête-à-tête
  41. 61Firefighting aid
  42. 64X

The answer to “Favorable starting point of an auto race” in the New York Times crossword is POLE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 18, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 38-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.

“Favorable starting point of an auto race” answer

POLE (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 POLE.

Why the answer is POLE

POLE is the 4-letter solution that fits "Favorable starting point of an auto race" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 18, 2026 (38-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does POLE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a long, slender, rounded piece of wood or metal, typically used with one end placed in the ground as a support for something

When else has “Favorable starting point of an auto race” 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.

February 18, 2026 (most recent) → POLE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Favorable starting point of an auto race”?

The answer is POLE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 18, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Favorable starting point of an auto race”?

4 letters: POLE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on February 18, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 38-Across.

Can “Favorable starting point of an auto race” 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 February 18, 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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