It may drive one to distraction, in brief

Latest answer — August 16, 2026

68 Down

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Clue explained

ADHD—attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder—may make it difficult to sustain attention and can drive someone to distraction. “In brief” indicates that the answer is the disorder’s abbreviation.

Clue type:
Abbreviation
Educational illustration representing difficulty maintaining attention

NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, August 16, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Work parodied by Umberto Eco's "Granita"
  2. 7Subject of Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"
  3. 10One's opponents
  4. 14Uncool
  5. 18Untold
  6. 19Down Under runners
  7. 21Caramel-filled candy
  8. 22Word following bear or honey
  9. 23_ATSO_ and _EKYL_
  10. 27Astonished, informally
  11. 28With 45-Across, many a correspondent
  12. 29Do business
  13. 30Uncle, in Uruguay
  14. 31Water nymph of Greek myth
  15. 33Poet's Muse
  16. 34Memorial ___ Kettering (New York City medical facility)
  17. 36_RAVES
  18. 41It may be petrified
  19. 42Acknowledge
  20. 43El ___, Tex.
  21. 44Sass
  22. 45See 28-Across
  23. 47Eggy quaff
  24. 48Trudge
  25. 50Approaching
  26. 54Some funerary selections
  27. 56SAG_
  28. 60Stands for speakers
  29. 62Preserver of freshness
  30. 63Sent
  31. 64Place for a sailor's anchor, informally
  32. 67Hunk
  33. 70Disapproving syllables
  34. 72It may be mental
  35. 73Out, in a way
  36. 75"That's cool, man"
  37. 77Words that may open doors
  38. 79_NIGHT
  39. 83Learning method
  40. 87Guard, as a goal
  41. 88Get rid of
  42. 89"Yadda, yadda"
  43. 90Squeaker ... or squealer
  44. 92Home improvement initials
  45. 93Italian wine city
  46. 95Fiber also known as viscose
  47. 97Toddler's jumping spot on a rainy day
  48. 99FRAN_
  49. 104More reasonable
  50. 105Interprets
  51. 106Suspended musical instruments
  52. 107Vein contents
  53. 108Calm
  54. 111Title that becomes loftier when an E is added
  55. 112Escort to a penthouse, say
  56. 116_IALO_
  57. 120Even
  58. 121Carry on
  59. 122Tender cut
  60. 123Pie portions, shapewise
  61. 124Crones
  62. 125Gas brand that sounds like two letters of the alphabet
  63. 126Invention originally developed as a yellow dye
  64. 127Refuse to budge

Down

  1. 1Striplings
  2. 2Texter's "Then again ..."
  3. 3Bananas
  4. 4Chants
  5. 5Briefly swam
  6. 6Home to more than 1,500 languages: Abbr.
  7. 7Affixed, as a patch
  8. 8"Let's do this!"
  9. 9Macadamia, for one
  10. 10Closely following
  11. 11Racing vehicle
  12. 12Napoleon exile site
  13. 13No longer relevant
  14. 14Inc., abroad
  15. 15Childish comeback
  16. 16Maid of Sherwood Forest
  17. 17Many a printer
  18. 20Consequences of supply chain problems
  19. 24Cross
  20. 25Dizzying gallery works
  21. 26Pauses while playing
  22. 32Treasure or desert follower
  23. 33Ewoks' home moon
  24. 35Job that may involve jumping through hoops
  25. 36Form of detective fiction
  26. 37Channel for gaming enthusiasts?
  27. 38Actress Skye
  28. 39Words after check, follow or catch
  29. 40Bum
  30. 41Reason to take a shot
  31. 46Some odoriferous gifts
  32. 48Smartphone predecessors, for short
  33. 49Female rapper with a longtime feud with Foxy Brown
  34. 51"Diminutive" Greek letter
  35. 52Nickname that omits "-ory"
  36. 53London park
  37. 55Chemistry test?
  38. 57Travel bag
  39. 58Bag
  40. 59Not very favorable, as some 84-Down
  41. 61Car with a stylized lightning bolt logo
  42. 64Thai money
  43. 65"Gotcha"
  44. 66Group with a tartan
  45. 68It may drive one to distraction, in brief
  46. 69Thumbnail, maybe
  47. 71A-lister
  48. 74Sauce traditionally made in a mortar
  49. 76Steal
  50. 78Attach with a click
  51. 80Carpenter's spacer
  52. 81Ophthalmology concerns
  53. 82Green sci.
  54. 842 to 5, say
  55. 85Infraction at an arcade
  56. 86___ of Horus (Egyptian symbol of healing)
  57. 91Element used in bulb filaments
  58. 94"Shoo!"
  59. 95Display some emotion, perhaps
  60. 96Member of the N.F.L.'s "Big Blue," in brief
  61. 98Prepares to puree, perhaps, as papayas
  62. 99Fantasy realm ruled by King Caspian
  63. 100Feature of Anthony Robles, a 2011 N.C.A.A. national champion wrestler
  64. 101Shows pride in one's appearance, in a way
  65. 102Result in
  66. 103Producer of a call to arms
  67. 104Go ___ (fail)
  68. 109Poop
  69. 110School grps.
  70. 111Hide
  71. 113Vet
  72. 114Western Indians
  73. 115Subtle summons
  74. 117Fingers
  75. 118Park place?
  76. 119Road recklessness of a sort, for short

The answer to “It may drive one to distraction, in brief” in the New York Times crossword is ADHD — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 16, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 68-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.

“It may drive one to distraction, in brief” answer

ADHD (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 ADHD.

When else has “It may drive one to distraction, in brief” 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.

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “It may drive one to distraction, in brief”?

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

How many letters is the answer to “It may drive one to distraction, in brief”?

4 letters: ADHD.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 16, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 68-Down.

Can “It may drive one to distraction, in brief” 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 August 16, 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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