Hole for threading a lace

Latest answer — February 23, 2026

20 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, February 23, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Buffoons
  2. 6Paula of "American Idol"
  3. 11Final use for an old T-shirt
  4. 14Enraged
  5. 15What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison song
  6. 16Mesozoic or Paleozoic
  7. 17Home for a single guy
  8. 19Animation sheet
  9. 20Hole for threading a lace
  10. 21___ fide (genuine)
  11. 22"Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videos
  12. 25Dr. Seuss book with the quote "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
  13. 28___ Today
  14. 29Kind of computer port
  15. 31Like the smell of trees
  16. 32Showed again
  17. 34Zoom past
  18. 37Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across?
  19. 41Text on a red, white and blue sticker
  20. 42Gender-neutral possessive
  21. 44Ran after
  22. 47Opposite of WNW
  23. 49To and ___
  24. 50Time machine car in "Back to the Future"
  25. 53Made a grand speech
  26. 55Brother of Abel
  27. 56Times between dusk and dawn
  28. 58Had lunch, say
  29. 59Fruit with a "bellybutton"
  30. 64What planets revolve around
  31. 65How often the time is 12:00 each day
  32. 66Decorate
  33. 67Mini-albums
  34. 68___ of Troy
  35. 69Sat for a portrait

Down

  1. 1Accessory for a baby in a highchair
  2. 2British singer Rita
  3. 3Efron of "The Greatest Showman"
  4. 4Last multiple-choice option, often
  5. 5Rude goodbye to an enemy
  6. 6Soldier who has failed to report
  7. 7Military cap
  8. 8One of the three dimensions
  9. 9Kick ___ fuss
  10. 10Counterculture drug, in brief
  11. 114.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per Guinness
  12. 12Concert venues
  13. 13Milky Way, e.g.
  14. 18Not as much
  15. 21"I crushed it!!!"
  16. 22Not just my
  17. 23___-friendly
  18. 24Root used in making poi
  19. 26Large jug
  20. 27Cage for crustaceans
  21. 30"American Psycho" author ___ Easton Ellis
  22. 33Cartoonist Bechdel
  23. 35Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare)
  24. 36Give up
  25. 38Was a passenger
  26. 39Democrats and Socialists, with "the"
  27. 40Father
  28. 43Axle, e.g.
  29. 44Jewel box
  30. 45Start to escalate
  31. 46Extraterrestrials
  32. 48London theater district
  33. 51Object hitting people's heads in old cartoons
  34. 52Sibling's daughter
  35. 54South American barbecue
  36. 57Valley
  37. 59High degree
  38. 60Response to seeing an aurora, maybe
  39. 61Rejections
  40. 62College sr.'s test
  41. 6363-Down, in this puzzle

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Buffoons — Answer: BOZOS
  2. 6. Paula of "American Idol" — Answer: ABDUL
  3. 11. Final use for an old T-shirt — Answer: RAG
  4. 14. Enraged — Answer: IRATE
  5. 15. What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison song — Answer: WEEPS
  6. 16. Mesozoic or Paleozoic — Answer: ERA
  7. 17. Home for a single guy — Answer: BACHELORPAD
  8. 19. Animation sheet — Answer: CEL
  9. 20. Hole for threading a lace — Answer: EYELET
  10. 21. ___ fide (genuine) — Answer: BONA
  11. 22. "Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videos — Answer: OUTROS
  12. 25. Dr. Seuss book with the quote "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." — Answer: THELORAX
  13. 28. ___ Today — Answer: USA
  14. 29. Kind of computer port — Answer: USB
  15. 31. Like the smell of trees — Answer: WOODSY
  16. 32. Showed again — Answer: RERAN
  17. 34. Zoom past — Answer: RACEBY
  18. 37. Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across? — Answer: ROLEREVERSALS
  19. 41. Text on a red, white and blue sticker — Answer: IVOTED
  20. 42. Gender-neutral possessive — Answer: THEIR
  21. 44. Ran after — Answer: CHASED
  22. 47. Opposite of WNW — Answer: ESE
  23. 49. To and ___ — Answer: FRO
  24. 50. Time machine car in "Back to the Future" — Answer: DELOREAN
  25. 53. Made a grand speech — Answer: ORATED
  26. 55. Brother of Abel — Answer: CAIN
  27. 56. Times between dusk and dawn — Answer: NIGHTS
  28. 58. Had lunch, say — Answer: ATE
  29. 59. Fruit with a "bellybutton" — Answer: NAVELORANGE
  30. 64. What planets revolve around — Answer: SUN
  31. 65. How often the time is 12:00 each day — Answer: TWICE
  32. 66. Decorate — Answer: ADORN
  33. 67. Mini-albums — Answer: EPS
  34. 68. ___ of Troy — Answer: HELEN
  35. 69. Sat for a portrait — Answer: POSED

Down

  1. 1. Accessory for a baby in a highchair — Answer: BIB
  2. 2. British singer Rita — Answer: ORA
  3. 3. Efron of "The Greatest Showman" — Answer: ZAC
  4. 4. Last multiple-choice option, often — Answer: OTHER
  5. 5. Rude goodbye to an enemy — Answer: SEEYOUNEVER
  6. 6. Soldier who has failed to report — Answer: AWOL
  7. 7. Military cap — Answer: BERET
  8. 8. One of the three dimensions — Answer: DEPTH
  9. 9. Kick ___ fuss — Answer: UPA
  10. 10. Counterculture drug, in brief — Answer: LSD
  11. 11. 4.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per Guinness — Answer: RECORD
  12. 12. Concert venues — Answer: ARENAS
  13. 13. Milky Way, e.g. — Answer: GALAXY
  14. 18. Not as much — Answer: LESS. Hint: Think about what you might say when comparing quantities! 📉
  15. 21. "I crushed it!!!" — Answer: BOOYAH
  16. 22. Not just my — Answer: OUR
  17. 23. ___-friendly — Answer: USER
  18. 24. Root used in making poi — Answer: TARO
  19. 26. Large jug — Answer: EWER
  20. 27. Cage for crustaceans — Answer: LOBSTERTRAP
  21. 30. "American Psycho" author ___ Easton Ellis — Answer: BRET
  22. 33. Cartoonist Bechdel — Answer: ALISON
  23. 35. Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare) — Answer: AVE
  24. 36. Give up — Answer: CEDE
  25. 38. Was a passenger — Answer: RODE
  26. 39. Democrats and Socialists, with "the" — Answer: LEFT
  27. 40. Father — Answer: SIRE
  28. 43. Axle, e.g. — Answer: ROD
  29. 44. Jewel box — Answer: CDCASE
  30. 45. Start to escalate — Answer: HEATUP
  31. 46. Extraterrestrials — Answer: ALIENS
  32. 48. London theater district — Answer: SOHO
  33. 51. Object hitting people's heads in old cartoons — Answer: ANVIL
  34. 52. Sibling's daughter — Answer: NIECE. Hint: Think of the family relationship between you and your brother’s or sister’s daughter. 👨‍👩‍👧
  35. 54. South American barbecue — Answer: ASADO. Hint: Think of the beloved Argentine and Uruguayan tradition of grilling meat over an open flame. 🥩
  36. 57. Valley — Answer: GLEN. Hint: Think of a narrow, scenic valley often found in the Scottish Highlands 🏞️
  37. 59. High degree — Answer: NTH. Hint: Consider the term used to describe the ultimate level of something! 🔝
  38. 60. Response to seeing an aurora, maybe — Answer: AWE
  39. 61. Rejections — Answer: NOS
  40. 62. College sr.'s test — Answer: GRE
  41. 63. 63-Down, in this puzzle — Answer: END

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 22 February 2026NYT Crossword 21 February 2026NYT Crossword 20 February 2026NYT Crossword 19 February 2026NYT Crossword 18 February 2026NYT Crossword 17 February 2026NYT Crossword 16 February 2026

The answer to “Hole for threading a lace” in the New York Times crossword is EYELET — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 23, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 20-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.

“Hole for threading a lace” answer

EYELET (6 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 EYELET.

Why the answer is EYELET

EYELET is the 6-letter solution that fits "Hole for threading a lace" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 23, 2026 (20-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Hole for threading a lace” 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.

February 23, 2026 (most recent) → EYELET. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on February 23, 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 February 23, 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 “Hole for threading a lace”?

The answer is EYELET, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 23, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Hole for threading a lace”?

6 letters: EYELET.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on February 23, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 20-Across.

Can “Hole for threading a lace” 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 February 23, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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