Lead-in to active

Latest answer — August 09, 2025

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 09, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Approach boldly
  2. 7Word with fixed or net
  3. 13Purple-hatted Nintendo character
  4. 15Mildew, e.g.
  5. 16Little Italian toasts
  6. 18One choice at a dry cleaner
  7. 19Say but not really mean
  8. 20English town known for its mineral water
  9. 22Historical event that acquired its name almost two decades after it ended, in brief
  10. 23Car once promoted with the slogan "It's Your Money ... Demand Better," informally
  11. 24Joy of television
  12. 25Windjammer, e.g.
  13. 2633-Down platform, for short
  14. 27Deceived, maybe
  15. 28Retreats
  16. 29Move around from here to there
  17. 31Unhelpful response to "Why?"
  18. 32Rabbit food?
  19. 33Pats (down)
  20. 34Progresses slowly
  21. 35Something chewed over
  22. 38Sections of history
  23. 39Has legs
  24. 40Something to climb in a WWE match
  25. 41"Stop! We get it!"
  26. 42Rube
  27. 43Literature Nobelist who wrote "Siddhartha"
  28. 44People whose flag depicts the Lion of Judah
  29. 46Animal that sleeps while floating on its back
  30. 48University of California campus locale
  31. 49"The Ultimate Trivia Destination," per its website
  32. 50Moves in the shadows
  33. 51Parts of cassette players

Down

  1. 1"Really, now!"
  2. 2Actress Lombard of classic Hollywood
  3. 3"Above the ___, as high as heaven itself?": Shak.
  4. 4Ejects
  5. 5Villainous group of science fiction
  6. 6___ Fridays
  7. 7Can't stand
  8. 8Dis
  9. 9"The only ___ is mediocrity": Martha Graham
  10. 10Ingredient in meringue cookies
  11. 11#1 on BBC's list of greatest 21st-century TV series
  12. 12Comics
  13. 14"This work is getting to be too much"
  14. 17Apple skins?
  15. 21Buildings that aren't water-resistant
  16. 24"La Cousine ___" (Balzac novel)
  17. 25Overly wise, say
  18. 27Feels thirsty
  19. 28Gives accolades
  20. 29Edges
  21. 30You can see right through them
  22. 31Phenomenon of experiencing something as strangely new even though one has experienced it before
  23. 32Designate, as funds
  24. 33Series of mental blocks?
  25. 35Retail giant that opened its first store in Seattle in 1983
  26. 36Persuade to pay more than originally intended
  27. 37Popular farm vehicles
  28. 39Falls short, say
  29. 40Lead-in to active
  30. 42American in Paris?
  31. 43Certain earring
  32. 45Poetic contraction
  33. 47Some courses for honor students, for short

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Approach boldly — Answer: ACCOST
  2. 7. Word with fixed or net — Answer: ASSETS
  3. 13. Purple-hatted Nintendo character — Answer: WALUIGI
  4. 15. Mildew, e.g. — Answer: BLIGHT
  5. 16. Little Italian toasts — Answer: CROSTINI
  6. 18. One choice at a dry cleaner — Answer: HANGER
  7. 19. Say but not really mean — Answer: MOUTH
  8. 20. English town known for its mineral water — Answer: EPSOM
  9. 22. Historical event that acquired its name almost two decades after it ended, in brief — Answer: WWI
  10. 23. Car once promoted with the slogan "It's Your Money ... Demand Better," informally — Answer: OLDS
  11. 24. Joy of television — Answer: BEHAR
  12. 25. Windjammer, e.g. — Answer: SHIP
  13. 26. 33-Down platform, for short — Answer: NES
  14. 27. Deceived, maybe — Answer: LEDON
  15. 28. Retreats — Answer: LAIRS
  16. 29. Move around from here to there — Answer: CUTANDPASTE
  17. 31. Unhelpful response to "Why?" — Answer: JUSTBECAUSE
  18. 32. Rabbit food? — Answer: EASTERCANDY
  19. 33. Pats (down) — Answer: TAMPS
  20. 34. Progresses slowly — Answer: EASES
  21. 35. Something chewed over — Answer: CUD
  22. 38. Sections of history — Answer: ERAS
  23. 39. Has legs — Answer: LASTS
  24. 40. Something to climb in a WWE match — Answer: ROPE
  25. 41. "Stop! We get it!" — Answer: TMI
  26. 42. Rube — Answer: YOKEL
  27. 43. Literature Nobelist who wrote "Siddhartha" — Answer: HESSE
  28. 44. People whose flag depicts the Lion of Judah — Answer: RASTAS
  29. 46. Animal that sleeps while floating on its back — Answer: SEAOTTER
  30. 48. University of California campus locale — Answer: IRVINE
  31. 49. "The Ultimate Trivia Destination," per its website — Answer: SPORCLE
  32. 50. Moves in the shadows — Answer: SKULKS
  33. 51. Parts of cassette players — Answer: SPOOLS

Down

  1. 1. "Really, now!" — Answer: AWCMON
  2. 2. Actress Lombard of classic Hollywood — Answer: CAROLE
  3. 3. "Above the ___, as high as heaven itself?": Shak. — Answer: CLOUDS
  4. 4. Ejects — Answer: OUSTS
  5. 5. Villainous group of science fiction — Answer: SITH
  6. 6. ___ Fridays — Answer: TGI
  7. 7. Can't stand — Answer: ABHOR
  8. 8. Dis — Answer: SLAM
  9. 9. "The only ___ is mediocrity": Martha Graham — Answer: SIN
  10. 10. Ingredient in meringue cookies — Answer: EGGWHITE
  11. 11. #1 on BBC's list of greatest 21st-century TV series — Answer: THEWIRE
  12. 12. Comics — Answer: STRIPS
  13. 14. "This work is getting to be too much" — Answer: INEEDABREAK
  14. 17. Apple skins? — Answer: IPHONECASES
  15. 21. Buildings that aren't water-resistant — Answer: SANDCASTLES
  16. 24. "La Cousine ___" (Balzac novel) — Answer: BETTE
  17. 25. Overly wise, say — Answer: SASSY
  18. 27. Feels thirsty — Answer: LUSTS
  19. 28. Gives accolades — Answer: LAUDS
  20. 29. Edges — Answer: CUSPS
  21. 30. You can see right through them — Answer: PANES
  22. 31. Phenomenon of experiencing something as strangely new even though one has experienced it before — Answer: JAMAISVU
  23. 32. Designate, as funds — Answer: EARMARK
  24. 33. Series of mental blocks? — Answer: TETRIS
  25. 35. Retail giant that opened its first store in Seattle in 1983 — Answer: COSTCO
  26. 36. Persuade to pay more than originally intended — Answer: UPSELL
  27. 37. Popular farm vehicles — Answer: DEERES
  28. 39. Falls short, say — Answer: LOSES
  29. 40. Lead-in to active — Answer: RETRO
  30. 42. American in Paris? — Answer: YANK
  31. 43. Certain earring — Answer: HOOP
  32. 45. Poetic contraction — Answer: TIL
  33. 47. Some courses for honor students, for short — Answer: APS

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 8 August 2025NYT Crossword 7 August 2025NYT Crossword 6 August 2025NYT Crossword 5 August 2025NYT Crossword 4 August 2025NYT Crossword 3 August 2025NYT Crossword 2 August 2025

The answer to “Lead-in to active” in the New York Times crossword is RETRO — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 9, 2025, a Saturday puzzle, at 40-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.

“Lead-in to active” answer

RETRO (5 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 RETRO.

Why the answer is RETRO

RETRO is the 5-letter solution that fits "Lead-in to active" in the NYT Crossword crossword on August 9, 2025 (40-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Lead-in to active” 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 9, 2025 (most recent) → RETRO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on August 9, 2025

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 August 9, 2025 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 Saturday 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 “Lead-in to active”?

The answer is RETRO, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 9, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Lead-in to active”?

5 letters: RETRO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 9, 2025 (a Saturday puzzle), at 40-Down.

Can “Lead-in to active” 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 9, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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