Hive occupant
Editorially verified for the Oct 12, 2026
61 Down
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Clue explainedFact checked
A bee is an occupant of a hive. Honeybees live in colonies with a queen, worker bees, and—during part of the year—drones, with workers doing much of the foraging and hive maintenance.
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- Definition
NYT Crossword
This clue's Monday, October 12, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “Hive occupant” in the New York Times crossword is BEE — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 12, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 61-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.
“Hive occupant” answer
BEE (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 BEE.
What does BEE mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of BEE is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(noun)
- a stinging winged insect which collects nectar and pollen, produces wax and honey, and lives in large communities
- an insect of a large group to which the honeybee belongs, including many solitary as well as social kinds
- a meeting for communal work or amusement
When else has “Hive occupant” 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.
October 12, 2026 (most recent) → BEE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Hive occupant”?
The answer is BEE, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 12, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Hive occupant”?
3 letters: BEE.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 12, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 61-Down.
Can “Hive occupant” 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 October 12, 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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