Hired soldier, in slang

Latest answer — July 14, 2026

38 Down

Think of a term for a professional fighter that rhymes with 'perk'! ⚔️

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, July 14, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Closest bud
  2. 4Put-up job
  3. 8Destination for some sci-fi travelers
  4. 12___ and dear
  5. 13Magician's "Look at what I just did!"
  6. 14Supportive advocate, as for L.G.B.T.Q. rights
  7. 15Corrupting sorts, in an orchard metaphor
  8. 17Merest little chirp
  9. 18Folded French pancake
  10. 19___ mode (in the fashionable style)
  11. 20Industry showcase
  12. 21Nightmares for nannies
  13. 24"We come in peace" speakers, in a sci-fi trope
  14. 26Youngest woman ever elected to Congress, familiarly
  15. 27\+ or - particle
  16. 28Word after twin, tanning or trundle
  17. 31Rapper ___ Rhymes
  18. 35Movie review site with a percentage rating scale
  19. 39Schnozzle
  20. 40Firefighter's tool
  21. 41Helpful posting at a trailhead
  22. 42"Stop, Look and Listen" spot, e.g., in brief
  23. 44Curiosity and Perseverance, for two
  24. 47Novelty dance with comical elbow-flapping
  25. 52Hasn't been canceled
  26. 53Stimpy's TV companion
  27. 54___ peek
  28. 57State along a river of the same name
  29. 58Heading the wrong way ... or, interpreted culinarily, a hint to 15-, 21-, 35- and 47-Across
  30. 60Home in the woods
  31. 61Earring type
  32. 62Actress ___ Rachel Wood
  33. 63Half brother and rival of the goddess Athena
  34. 64Align
  35. 65Mo. with International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Down

  1. 1Campsite crasher in the Rockies
  2. 2Gradually blends with
  3. 3Chilled coffee drink
  4. 4Longtime NASCAR sponsor
  5. 5Special request for a flight meal
  6. 6Singer with the best-selling album "21"
  7. 7Ancient fortress overlooking the Dead Sea
  8. 8Slice of Life or nick of Time?
  9. 9Assistant with a whisper mode
  10. 10Gave it a rest?
  11. 11Writing wrongs
  12. 12Jimmy Fallon's network
  13. 16Underappreciated worker, say
  14. 22Library ID
  15. 23Tea with tapioca pearls
  16. 24Publicizes
  17. 25Lake bird with a laughing call
  18. 29When U R due
  19. 30Reveal private info about, in online lingo
  20. 32"The audacity!"
  21. 33Lachrymal unit
  22. 34Nile reptiles
  23. 36Traditional sumo hairstyles
  24. 37Online crafts bazaar
  25. 38Hired soldier, in slang
  26. 43Unlike the direction of this clue's answer
  27. 45"All right. What's the big deal?"
  28. 46Concert sites
  29. 47Shrek's beloved
  30. 48Escort
  31. 49Snap, crackle or pop
  32. 50Sizable
  33. 51For kicks and giggles
  34. 55"I need this immediately"
  35. 56"She's everything. He's just ___" ("Barbie" tagline)
  36. 59Public health agcy.

The answer to “Hired soldier, in slang” in the New York Times crossword is MERC — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 14, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 38-Down. 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.

“Hired soldier, in slang” answer

MERC (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 MERC.

Why the answer is MERC

Think of a term for a professional fighter that rhymes with 'perk'! ⚔️

What does MERC mean?

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

(noun)

  • a mercenary soldier

When else has “Hired soldier, in slang” 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.

July 14, 2026 (most recent) → MERC. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Hired soldier, in slang”?

The answer is MERC, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 14, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Hired soldier, in slang”?

4 letters: MERC.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on July 14, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 38-Down.

Can “Hired soldier, in slang” 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 July 14, 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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