Hot ___

Latest answer — May 15, 2026

58 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, May 15, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1To the ___ (as much as possible)
  2. 5Electrifying people, so to speak
  3. 14Dog howling at night, maybe
  4. 15Vintage bike feature
  5. 16Good name for a yoga instructor?
  6. 17Hairy get-up
  7. 18Wych ___ (tree type)
  8. 19Miss Doolittle of "Pygmalion"
  9. 20Civil rights activist Williams, an associate of Martin Luther King Jr.
  10. 21Splits apart
  11. 23Annual coll. basketball competition
  12. 25Class for some aspiring bilinguals, in brief
  13. 26Led
  14. 27Play casually, say
  15. 29Like some kitchens
  16. 30Harps on
  17. 33MacMurray of "Double Indemnity"
  18. 34Throw in at the end
  19. 35Pulls off
  20. 37Jarring film transition to a new scene
  21. 39Sired
  22. 40Give a hand?
  23. 41Language of southern India
  24. 42Sierra, e.g.
  25. 45"Nasty!"
  26. 46Rainwater reservoir
  27. 47Duane ___ (New York-based pharmacy chain)
  28. 49Figures in "Puss in Boots" and "Hop-o'-My-Thumb"
  29. 51Sickly-looking
  30. 52"I don't care either way"
  31. 54Magician's accessory
  32. 55Use of a popular song to make a scene iconic, in film-speak
  33. 56"Your turn to speak"
  34. 57Difficult time for farmers
  35. 58Hot ___

Down

  1. 1Big name in meal prep kits
  2. 2"Tell me!"
  3. 3Line of attack?
  4. 4Cause of a boom
  5. 5Material for the blue eyebrows on the mask of Tutankhamen, in brief
  6. 6Mother of Don Juan
  7. 7Here goes nothing!
  8. 8Brian of ambient music
  9. 9Part of a bass in a jug band
  10. 10:
  11. 11Get new life out of
  12. 12Eponym for a lounge chair
  13. 13"I can't believe that price" bargain
  14. 15Made hay?
  15. 19Uniform
  16. 22Puma rival
  17. 24Setting for the graphic novel series "Persepolis"
  18. 27Transition
  19. 28Competitor of the early Chevrolet 490
  20. 30"Sticks"
  21. 31Dangerous ocean phenomenon
  22. 32Edible algae dubbed "green caviar"
  23. 34Break the ice?
  24. 36Knockouts
  25. 38Blind followers, informally
  26. 39Friend of Nancy Drew
  27. 41Moor
  28. 42Daily ___
  29. 43Element of a poetry analysis, maybe
  30. 44Baseball's Stengel
  31. 46Sing like Michael Bublé
  32. 48Threads
  33. 50Food item whose name comes from the Greek for "turn"
  34. 53Occasion that may involve fine china
  35. 54Common end to an address

The answer to “Hot ___” in the New York Times crossword is MESS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 15, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 58-Across. Other answers we've seen for this clue include SAKE. 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.

“Hot ___” answer

MESS (4 letters) — most recent; also seen as SAKE

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 MESS.

Why the answer is MESS

MESS is the 4-letter solution that fits "Hot ___" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 15, 2026 (58-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does MESS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a dirty or untidy state of things or of a place
  • a situation that is confused and full of problems
  • a portion of semi-liquid food

Other answers for “Hot ___”

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Hot ___”?

The answer is MESS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 15, 2026. Other answers for this clue include SAKE.

How many letters is the answer to “Hot ___”?

4 letters: MESS. Earlier fills for this clue have also been SAKE (4).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 15, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 58-Across. Earlier appearances: March 20, 2025 → SAKE.

Can “Hot ___” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides MESS, New York Times has also used SAKE 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 May 15, 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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