Flame proof?

Editorially verified for the Aug 28, 2026

38 Across

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Ash remaining after a fire has burned down.

Clue explained

ASH is the residue left after a flame has burned something, so it can serve as “proof” that a flame was present. The question mark flags this playful interpretation of proof.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay

NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 28, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1"Oh, what the hell"
  2. 8Mythical figure in "Doctor Faustus"
  3. 13Worrier's words
  4. 15Like a parkour practitioner
  5. 16Politician's response, maybe
  6. 18Step in the shower
  7. 19Christian ___
  8. 20Beamed over
  9. 22"Would ya look at that ..."
  10. 25Milieu for bathyspheres, with "the"
  11. 26"Ignorance is bliss," e.g.
  12. 29Compañeras
  13. 31Rabbit's title
  14. 32Lead-in to field or fifties
  15. 34Big house
  16. 35___ polo (sport played in Pakistan)
  17. 36Asteroids system
  18. 38Flame proof?
  19. 39___ collar
  20. 41Yellow-and-black ideogram
  21. 42World's second-most-populous island
  22. 44Hosting, informally
  23. 45They might raise your kids
  24. 49"Easy-peasy!"
  25. 52Customizable avatar for Nintendo games
  26. 53Natural exfoliant
  27. 54Houdini specialty
  28. 57Flower in a Whitman poem written as an elegy for Lincoln
  29. 58Kim Cattrall's role on "Sex and the City"
  30. 59Move stealthily
  31. 60Setting for an uphill climb

Down

  1. 1Certain elastic band
  2. 2Washing the dishes, e.g.
  3. 3Brazilian soccer star known for his dribbling flair
  4. 4Org. that might do some spring cleaning?
  5. 5Actress Ming-Na of "Mulan"
  6. 6Shoe fitting concerns
  7. 7Golf bag attachments
  8. 8Frequent collaborator with Bill Murray
  9. 9Members of a Gen Z subculture with online origins
  10. 10Screen capture?
  11. 11Choice word
  12. 12Sine qua non
  13. 14Something read at a table
  14. 17Overhaul
  15. 21Creator of the Hawaiian Islands, in myth
  16. 23Building block
  17. 24"Our luck has turned!"
  18. 27Blend
  19. 28Word with live or chicken
  20. 29Residency org.
  21. 30Brewing stuff
  22. 31Outlaw
  23. 33Unprofessional letters?
  24. 35"The thing is ..."
  25. 37Sticking point
  26. 40Lightning conductor?
  27. 41Rock subgenre portmanteau
  28. 43Jazz aficionado, e.g.
  29. 44Spirit seen on el Día de los Muertos
  30. 46The 12th crew member in "Ocean's Twelve"
  31. 47Women's Basketball Hall-of-Famer Penicheiro
  32. 48Electric instrument played on Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"
  33. 49Afflictions
  34. 50Work like a dog
  35. 51Star turns at a concert
  36. 55Print maker
  37. 56Subj. with two A.P. exams

The answer to “Flame proof?” in the New York Times crossword is ASH — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 28, 2026, a Friday 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.

“Flame proof?” answer

ASH (3 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 ASH.

What does ASH mean?

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

(noun)

  • the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance
  • a trophy for the winner of a series of Test matches in a cricket season between England and Australia

When else has “Flame proof?” 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.

August 28, 2026 (most recent) → ASH. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Flame proof?”?

The answer is ASH, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 28, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Flame proof?”?

3 letters: ASH.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 28, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 38-Across.

Can “Flame proof?” 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 August 28, 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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