First, second or third

Latest answer — September 25, 2026

10 Across

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Clue explained

First gear, second gear and third gear are successive settings in a vehicle’s transmission. Thus “first, second or third” can each be followed by GEAR.

Clue type:
Word form
A manual car gearshift labeled with numbered gears.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 25, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Olympic slalom equipment
  2. 6Spanish sparkling wine
  3. 10First, second or third
  4. 14"For real!"
  5. 16Fictional company famous for its duds
  6. 17Outcome of a match, maybe
  7. 18Forum setting
  8. 19U2 producer Brian
  9. 20Stew on it!
  10. 21Like a whodunit in which the butler did it [duh!]
  11. 22Device seen on a front desk
  12. 23Ho Chi Minh City's former name
  13. 25Exploit a loophole, e.g.
  14. 29Disinclined
  15. 30Supermodel Alek
  16. 31___ one's time
  17. 34Procedure after which you might wear flip-flops, informally
  18. 35Off
  19. 37___ Minor
  20. 38Pen that isn't used for writing, in brief
  21. 39"Karma is a cat / Purring in my ___ 'cause it loves me" (Taylor Swift lyric)
  22. 40Port on the Loire
  23. 42"Speaking of which ..."
  24. 45Like an earworm
  25. 46Play group
  26. 47Not bother
  27. 48Rapper and actor Smith
  28. 50Go-to doc
  29. 53Actress Shawkat
  30. 54Ones providing brief assistance?
  31. 56Alliance
  32. 57Invasive plants?
  33. 58One might be meat-only or dairy-only in a kosher household
  34. 59Morsels often found in fried rice
  35. 60The Devil's domain

Down

  1. 1Give credit to, in a way
  2. 2Analogous
  3. 3___ Sarratore, "My Brilliant Friend" character
  4. 4"How ___"
  5. 5Certain loopholes
  6. 6Spoon, e.g.
  7. 7Second Freudian stage
  8. 8Gives one's approval, in a way
  9. 9Past-tense verb that becomes its present tense when you move its last letter to the front
  10. 10Sources of some rock
  11. 11Some experts of interest?
  12. 12World capital once known as Philadelphia
  13. 13Instagram : ___ :: YouTube : Short
  14. 15Focus for the foul-mouthed?
  15. 21Skosh
  16. 22"Hang on a sec"
  17. 24Says "please," say
  18. 25Look stunned
  19. 26"___ plaisir" ("You're welcome," in French)
  20. 27Breathtaking activity?
  21. 28Take without paying ... or a motion made while paying
  22. 32Per ___
  23. 33Slip (into)
  24. 36Ganja
  25. 41Residence that can have thousands of chambers
  26. 43Unreturnable pickleball shot
  27. 44Polite titles
  28. 45Instruments in chamber groups
  29. 47Discovery sites
  30. 49What's distorted in a Mercator projection
  31. 50Part of a full house
  32. 51Ptolemaic royal, familiarly
  33. 52Poke alternative
  34. 54Vim
  35. 55Transcript fig.

The answer to “First, second or third” in the New York Times crossword is GEAR — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 25, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 10-Across. Other answers we've seen for this clue include ORDINAL, and BASE. 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.

“First, second or third” answer

GEAR (4 letters) — most recent; also seen as ORDINAL, BASE

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 GEAR.

What does GEAR mean?

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

(noun)

  • a toothed wheel that works with others to alter the relation between the speed of a driving mechanism (such as the engine of a vehicle) and the speed of the driven parts (the wheels)
  • equipment or apparatus that is used for a particular purpose

Other answers for “First, second or third”

New York Times has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides GEAR, it has also been ORDINAL, and BASE. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “First, second or third”?

The answer is GEAR, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 25, 2026. Other answers for this clue include ORDINAL, and BASE.

How many letters is the answer to “First, second or third”?

4 letters: GEAR. Earlier fills for this clue have also been ORDINAL (7), BASE (4).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 25, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 10-Across. Earlier appearances: December 13, 2025 → ORDINAL; September 9, 2025 → BASE.

Can “First, second or third” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides GEAR, New York Times has also used ORDINAL, and BASE for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for September 25, 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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