Gem mined in Australia

Latest answer — March 16, 2026

69 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, March 16, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"Throw me the ball, no one's covering me!"
  2. 7Drone's sound
  3. 11Cave-dwelling flier
  4. 14Galactic cloud
  5. 15Texas city that's home to Baylor University
  6. 16Broadcast
  7. 17*Forever
  8. 19Deer mother?
  9. 20Brad of 2025's "F1"
  10. 21"In case it's of interest ...," in brief
  11. 22Plenty of
  12. 24Bugle tune
  13. 25*One of a kind
  14. 28Bronx-born congresswoman elected in 2018, familiarly
  15. 30"Great Red" feature of Jupiter
  16. 31*Masterwork
  17. 36Wide-eyed and eager
  18. 40Go down to 0%, as a computer battery
  19. 41Allotment
  20. 43"___ word?"
  21. 44SoCal sch. whose teams are the Aztecs
  22. 46*After the event, as an analysis
  23. 48Ball-___ hammer
  24. 50Teeny-tiny
  25. 51*Reciprocal exchange
  26. 57Historian's focus
  27. 60"Me too," formally
  28. 61One might end with "com" or "org"
  29. 62Water, in Juárez
  30. 63___ chi
  31. 64Stereotypical charmers ... or those charmed by the answers to the starred clues?
  32. 68Before today
  33. 69Gem mined in Australia
  34. 70Exact retribution for
  35. 71Sleep cycle inits.
  36. 72Chap
  37. 73Term of address for a nun

Down

  1. 1Not suitable
  2. 2Social ___ (TikTok, Instagram, etc.)
  3. 3Locales for the late news?
  4. 4Kicks down the road, as a decision
  5. 5Santa's little helper
  6. 6Innocent sorts
  7. 7Hypothetical (one hopes!) global conflict, for short
  8. 8Beanie or beret
  9. 9Carefully monitored hosp. area
  10. 10Italian cheese
  11. 11Negative press for a celeb, say
  12. 12Condiment with lots of garlic ... and vowels
  13. 13Family diagrams
  14. 18Greenwich Village campus, in brief
  15. 23Like a book about writing a book, say
  16. 26Fighter pilot's garb
  17. 27___ salts
  18. 29Recipe unit
  19. 31Rx writers
  20. 32A helping hand
  21. 33Sullen sort
  22. 34City that's home to the University of Maine
  23. 35Six for a touchdown: Abbr.
  24. 37Staffer in a flight terminal
  25. 38"All for ___ and ___ for all!"
  26. 39Workout site
  27. 42"Pronto!"
  28. 45Fancy coif
  29. 47Improves, as a bike path
  30. 49Literary afterthought
  31. 51Mideast nation ruled by the House of Thani
  32. 52Meter reading
  33. 53"Talk turkey" or "eat crow"
  34. 54Warm bed covering
  35. 55Still-life vessel
  36. 56Earthen pots, from the Spanish
  37. 58Sudden increase
  38. 59Weapon that stuns
  39. 65Tail-less primate
  40. 66Beachgoer's "souvenir"
  41. 67Prefix meaning "egg"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. "Throw me the ball, no one's covering me!" — Answer: IMOPEN
  2. 7. Drone's sound — Answer: WHIR
  3. 11. Cave-dwelling flier — Answer: BAT
  4. 14. Galactic cloud — Answer: NEBULA
  5. 15. Texas city that's home to Baylor University — Answer: WACO
  6. 16. Broadcast — Answer: AIR
  7. 17. *Forever — Answer: ADINFINITUM
  8. 19. Deer mother? — Answer: DOE
  9. 20. Brad of 2025's "F1" — Answer: PITT
  10. 21. "In case it's of interest ...," in brief — Answer: FYI
  11. 22. Plenty of — Answer: AMPLE
  12. 24. Bugle tune — Answer: TAPS
  13. 25. *One of a kind — Answer: SUIGENERIS
  14. 28. Bronx-born congresswoman elected in 2018, familiarly — Answer: AOC
  15. 30. "Great Red" feature of Jupiter — Answer: SPOT
  16. 31. *Masterwork — Answer: MAGNUMOPUS
  17. 36. Wide-eyed and eager — Answer: AGOG
  18. 40. Go down to 0%, as a computer battery — Answer: DIE
  19. 41. Allotment — Answer: PORTION
  20. 43. "___ word?" — Answer: ANY
  21. 44. SoCal sch. whose teams are the Aztecs — Answer: SDSU
  22. 46. *After the event, as an analysis — Answer: POSTMORTEM
  23. 48. Ball-___ hammer — Answer: PEEN
  24. 50. Teeny-tiny — Answer: WEE
  25. 51. *Reciprocal exchange — Answer: QUIDPROQUO
  26. 57. Historian's focus — Answer: PAST
  27. 60. "Me too," formally — Answer: ASDOI
  28. 61. One might end with "com" or "org" — Answer: URL
  29. 62. Water, in Juárez — Answer: AGUA
  30. 63. ___ chi — Answer: TAI
  31. 64. Stereotypical charmers ... or those charmed by the answers to the starred clues? — Answer: LATINLOVERS
  32. 68. Before today — Answer: AGO
  33. 69. Gem mined in Australia — Answer: OPAL
  34. 70. Exact retribution for — Answer: AVENGE
  35. 71. Sleep cycle inits. — Answer: REM
  36. 72. Chap — Answer: GENT
  37. 73. Term of address for a nun — Answer: SISTER

Down

  1. 1. Not suitable — Answer: INAPT
  2. 2. Social ___ (TikTok, Instagram, etc.) — Answer: MEDIA
  3. 3. Locales for the late news? — Answer: OBITPAGES
  4. 4. Kicks down the road, as a decision — Answer: PUNTSON
  5. 5. Santa's little helper — Answer: ELF
  6. 6. Innocent sorts — Answer: NAIFS
  7. 7. Hypothetical (one hopes!) global conflict, for short — Answer: WWIII
  8. 8. Beanie or beret — Answer: HAT
  9. 9. Carefully monitored hosp. area — Answer: ICU
  10. 10. Italian cheese — Answer: ROMANO
  11. 11. Negative press for a celeb, say — Answer: BADPR
  12. 12. Condiment with lots of garlic ... and vowels — Answer: AIOLI
  13. 13. Family diagrams — Answer: TREES
  14. 18. Greenwich Village campus, in brief — Answer: NYU
  15. 23. Like a book about writing a book, say — Answer: META
  16. 26. Fighter pilot's garb — Answer: GSUIT
  17. 27. ___ salts — Answer: EPSOM
  18. 29. Recipe unit — Answer: CUP
  19. 31. Rx writers — Answer: MDS
  20. 32. A helping hand — Answer: AID
  21. 33. Sullen sort — Answer: MOPER
  22. 34. City that's home to the University of Maine — Answer: ORONO
  23. 35. Six for a touchdown: Abbr. — Answer: PTS
  24. 37. Staffer in a flight terminal — Answer: GATEAGENT
  25. 38. "All for ___ and ___ for all!" — Answer: ONE
  26. 39. Workout site — Answer: GYM
  27. 42. "Pronto!" — Answer: NOW
  28. 45. Fancy coif — Answer: UPDO
  29. 47. Improves, as a bike path — Answer: REPAVES
  30. 49. Literary afterthought — Answer: EPILOG
  31. 51. Mideast nation ruled by the House of Thani — Answer: QATAR
  32. 52. Meter reading — Answer: USAGE
  33. 53. "Talk turkey" or "eat crow" — Answer: IDIOM
  34. 54. Warm bed covering — Answer: QUILT
  35. 55. Still-life vessel — Answer: URN
  36. 56. Earthen pots, from the Spanish — Answer: OLLAS
  37. 58. Sudden increase — Answer: SURGE
  38. 59. Weapon that stuns — Answer: TASER
  39. 65. Tail-less primate — Answer: APE
  40. 66. Beachgoer's "souvenir" — Answer: TAN
  41. 67. Prefix meaning "egg" — Answer: OVI

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 15 March 2026NYT Crossword 14 March 2026NYT Crossword 13 March 2026NYT Crossword 12 March 2026NYT Crossword 11 March 2026NYT Crossword 10 March 2026NYT Crossword 9 March 2026

The answer to “Gem mined in Australia” in the New York Times crossword is OPAL — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 16, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 69-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.

“Gem mined in Australia” answer

OPAL (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 OPAL.

Why the answer is OPAL

OPAL is the 4-letter solution that fits "Gem mined in Australia" in the NYT Crossword crossword on March 16, 2026 (69-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Gem mined in Australia” 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.

March 16, 2026 (most recent) → OPAL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on March 16, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for March 16, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Monday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Gem mined in Australia”?

The answer is OPAL, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 16, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Gem mined in Australia”?

4 letters: OPAL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on March 16, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 69-Across.

Can “Gem mined in Australia” 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 March 16, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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