Former

Latest answer — August 29, 2026

34 Down

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Clue explained

ERSTWHILE is an adjective meaning former or previous, as in an erstwhile colleague.

Clue type:
Definition
Two former colleagues meeting again.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 29, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Main characters for an early reader
  2. 5They get rings for hoops
  3. 14Skin-care brand known for its pore strips
  4. 15Large restaurant vessel shaped like another vessel
  5. 16Conference handout
  6. 17Dubious sighting in the night sky
  7. 18Started to boil
  8. 20Work, as a joke
  9. 21Romance author Huang
  10. 22They might be rehabbed with knee flexion
  11. 23His #33 was retired by the Knicks in 2003
  12. 25Winner of the 2025 Outstanding Drama Series Emmy, with "The"
  13. 26Personne canonisée: Abbr.
  14. 27___ Capital, investment firm co-founded by Mitt Romney
  15. 28Hits the mark, in a way
  16. 29Many people climb it
  17. 33Naturally concluded
  18. 35Ones giving a toast at an outdoor party?
  19. 37Court session, perhaps
  20. 39Like much of Libya
  21. 41Depicting the world bleakly and cynically
  22. 42Put your back into it
  23. 43"Sweet dreams are made of cheese / Who am I to dis a ___?" (parody lyrics)
  24. 44Is immersed
  25. 46Fair trade, say
  26. 47"It is not easy for a ___ to balance himself on a ladder": "Animal Farm"
  27. 48A word in closing
  28. 49Relative of house music
  29. 51Inverse of an exponential function
  30. 54Vikings' offense?
  31. 55What a supposed bug is often revealed to be
  32. 56Grant
  33. 57Deftly evades
  34. 58Come off as

Down

  1. 1Nonhuman provider of medical advice
  2. 2Neck topper
  3. 3Shoves (in)
  4. 4Sonic system
  5. 5Org. featured in 1998's "Enemy of the State"
  6. 6Breaking character?
  7. 7Like parts of Istanbul
  8. 8Common Chinese surname
  9. 9___ legs
  10. 10Stability aids, informally
  11. 11Soft, silky material
  12. 12Depicts stylishly
  13. 13Green day star, for short
  14. 14Humongous, slangily
  15. 19Stocked and sold, as goods
  16. 24August ___, "Fences" playwright
  17. 25Makes sense of
  18. 27Deliberately exasperated
  19. 28More sassy
  20. 30Indecisive way to end
  21. 31Gets by
  22. 32Binary, in a way
  23. 34Former
  24. 36"Wow ... what are the chances?!"
  25. 38Publisher of the front-page headline "This sport is stupid anyway" after a U.S. loss at the World Cup, in brief
  26. 39Half-spoken, half-sung passages of an opera
  27. 40Not fair
  28. 43Nearly 90
  29. 44It goes on top
  30. 45Shockingly unconventional
  31. 46Stepped-on instrument
  32. 48"___ chic!"
  33. 50Time divisions
  34. 52"___ You That Somebody?" (1998 Aaliyah hit)
  35. 53Half of a couple

The answer to “Former” in the New York Times crossword is ERSTWHILE — a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 29, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 34-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include ONETIME. 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.

“Former” answer

ERSTWHILE (9 letters) — most recent; also seen as ONETIME

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 ERSTWHILE.

What does ERSTWHILE mean?

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

(adjective)

  • former

Other answers for “Former”

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

  • August 29, 2026 (most recent) → ERSTWHILE
  • May 17, 2026 → ONETIME

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Former”?

The answer is ERSTWHILE, a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 29, 2026. Other answers for this clue include ONETIME.

How many letters is the answer to “Former”?

9 letters: ERSTWHILE. Earlier fills for this clue have also been ONETIME (7).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 29, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 34-Down. Earlier appearances: May 17, 2026 → ONETIME.

Can “Former” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides ERSTWHILE, New York Times has also used ONETIME 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 August 29, 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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