Kicks back, in a way

Latest answer — August 15, 2026

36 Down

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Clue explained

To recline is to lean or lie back, so someone who “kicks back” in a chair RECLINES. The answer is the third-person singular verb form matching an implied subject such as “he” or “she.”

Clue type:
Word form
A person leaning back in a comfortable chair.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 15, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Began
  2. 7Show faces?
  3. 15Bring back into the fold, so to speak
  4. 16Worth looking back on
  5. 17One from "Japan's kitchen"
  6. 18Appeal
  7. 19Bit of ceramic ware
  8. 20Cast off
  9. 227/
  10. 23"Lovely" and "wonderful" food, per Monty Python
  11. 25Rose Bowl Stadium athlete
  12. 26Big ring
  13. 27Patient privacy law, in brief
  14. 29World Cup team nicknamed "The Three Lions": Abbr.
  15. 30Say "Hey," say
  16. 31"Speak up"
  17. 34Intermezzo and trou normand dishes, essentially
  18. 38Hoedown get-down?
  19. 39Long-___ squid
  20. 42"Wayne's World" exclamation
  21. 43Christina of "Buffalo '66"
  22. 44Ring location
  23. 45Oil wells?
  24. 47Nickname for Eleanor
  25. 48Eye-catching stage prop
  26. 49"Got it?"
  27. 51Thru
  28. 52Underlining, e.g.
  29. 54Classical figure in an 1898 Gustav Klimt oil
  30. 56Some back-and-forth
  31. 57Big name in fashion
  32. 58Go in the wrong way?
  33. 59"I beg you!"

Down

  1. 1Cut out the middleman, for delivery
  2. 2Fabulous collection
  3. 3"You're the best!"
  4. 4No-good ending?
  5. 5Diamond figs.
  6. 6Leftmost star of the Summer Triangle
  7. 7Classic 1926 novel often published with a bull and matador on its cover
  8. 8Dressing group
  9. 9Gamgee player in "Lord of the Rings"
  10. 10___-C
  11. 11The second one on the Statue of Liberty is longer than its first one
  12. 12Toothache care option
  13. 13Communion, e.g.
  14. 14Charybdis' man-eating opposite, in myth
  15. 21Upper regions of forests
  16. 24Sea cow
  17. 26French Baroque artist Nicolas
  18. 28Challenged on X, say
  19. 30Scout's follower?
  20. 32Bad spell
  21. 33Partner of pitch and roll
  22. 35"You get the point"
  23. 36Kicks back, in a way
  24. 37Crime writer Mickey who created the Mike Hammer stories
  25. 39Prince of Monaco beginning in 2005
  26. 40Certain tenant
  27. 41French soccer superstar Kylian
  28. 45Some bow ties
  29. 46Where roots take hold
  30. 49Complain
  31. 50Citation shortener
  32. 53Tricks
  33. 55Orange or lime

The answer to “Kicks back, in a way” in the New York Times crossword is RECLINES — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 15, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 36-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.

“Kicks back, in a way” answer

RECLINES (8 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 RECLINES.

What does RECLINES mean?

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

(verb)

  • lean or lie back in a relaxed position with the back supported

When else has “Kicks back, in a way” 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 15, 2026 (most recent) → RECLINES. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Kicks back, in a way”?

The answer is RECLINES, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 15, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Kicks back, in a way”?

8 letters: RECLINES.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 15, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 36-Down.

Can “Kicks back, in a way” 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 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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