Lead-in to grid or play

Latest answer — September 13, 2026

125 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

POWER forms familiar compounds with both entries: a power grid distributes electricity, and a power play is an advantageous or forceful tactic.

Clue type:
Cross-reference
An educational illustration representing a power grid and a power play.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, September 13, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

Across

  1. 1Less injurious
  2. 6Showed some real malice toward
  3. 12Mideast currency
  4. 17Landscaper's timesaver
  5. 20"Well, how about that?!"
  6. 21Practice taught in a dojo
  7. 22Combined
  8. 23Computer's "brain," in brief
  9. 24Certain group of orchestral winds
  10. 26Large insect named from Greek myth
  11. 28Yank
  12. 29Hook for a newspaper article
  13. 30Forerunners of CDs
  14. 31New start?
  15. 32Nautical lever
  16. 33"De dónde ___ tú?" ("Where are you from?": Sp.)
  17. 35Rope in
  18. 37Mechanic's offering
  19. 41Told, as a story
  20. 43Special offer
  21. 46Turn from solid to liquid
  22. 47Diamond, e.g.
  23. 48Santa Fe automaker
  24. 50Two of them make up a diameter
  25. 52Chilling
  26. 54Frat ___
  27. 56Sharp nail
  28. 57Group project on a winter's day, perhaps
  29. 59What snobby people put on
  30. 61___ Simmons, founding member of Kiss
  31. 62Missouri airport code
  32. 63Highly anomalous
  33. 64Distraction-limiting lifestyle trend
  34. 66[24-Across]
  35. 70Rake in
  36. 72Enthusiastic response to "Who's ready?"
  37. 73[37-Across]
  38. 74Celebration between Xmas and M.L.K. Day
  39. 75Classic Dalmatian name
  40. 79"Am I invisible or what?!"
  41. 84[41-Across]
  42. 85Airport screening org.
  43. 86Another name for Vishnu, translating to "the remover"
  44. 87Broadway's "Dear ___ Hansen"
  45. 88Mellow, in a way
  46. 89[57-Across]
  47. 90Prompts to play, while conducting
  48. 92Largest zodiac constellation
  49. 94Privacy doc
  50. 96Material in reusable diapers
  51. 99Rihanna song with the lyric "Please, someone help me"
  52. 100Tonsil doc
  53. 101Baby fox
  54. 103Pioneering premium channel
  55. 106Pole, e.g.
  56. 107Advantageous
  57. 109Qualm
  58. 112Plot feature of "Planet of the Apes"
  59. 114Casals who popularized Bach's cello suites
  60. 115Suitable
  61. 117Source of the word "tuk-tuk" used for a motorized rickshaw
  62. 120Crumb carriers
  63. 122"What ___ we doing?"
  64. 123Took a load off
  65. 124Cousins of cobras
  66. 127"Good job!"
  67. 129Absorbent
  68. 132Cell network letters
  69. 134Co-Stooge of Larry
  70. 135Reply to "Nuh-uh!"
  71. 1361990s exercise fad
  72. 138Descended with rappelling ropes
  73. 141Step forcefully
  74. 142Alternative to a username when logging in
  75. 1431,000,000,000 years
  76. 144Stank
  77. 145Builds muscle
  78. 146Period of letting loose
  79. 147Abbr. after some business names
  80. 148Looks of contempt

Down

  1. 1Flour de-clumper
  2. 2Intriguing appeal
  3. 3Cornet lookalike
  4. 4Food assistance syst.
  5. 5Easily recite, with "off"
  6. 6Scampered away
  7. 7Walks nervously, in a way
  8. 8Jazz drummer Blakey
  9. 9Customize (to)
  10. 10Over
  11. 11Stunners, so to speak
  12. 12William and Harry's mum
  13. 13Occasional
  14. 14Like choices that can't turn out that badly
  15. 15Japan's largest carrier
  16. 16Locale with many seasonal businesses
  17. 17Previously unseen sporting result (term coined in 2014)
  18. 18Pick, with "for"
  19. 19"That's obvious!"
  20. 25Mabel Mora's portrayer on "Only Murders in the Building"
  21. 27Dallas baller
  22. 34Use your words?
  23. 36Central support
  24. 37Concluding passage, in music
  25. 38Enthusiasm
  26. 39French film award
  27. 40Reword, perhaps
  28. 42Child king of Egypt
  29. 44URL ender for many nonprofits
  30. 45___ tai
  31. 49Primo
  32. 51Hookups
  33. 53Isle of ___ (Scottish locale whose name sounds like an expression of endearment)
  34. 54Sound of impact
  35. 55Home of the Christ the Redeemer statue
  36. 58Brings the house down, like a comic
  37. 60Moving between the poles?
  38. 65Computer covered by AppleCare
  39. 66[109-Across]
  40. 67[115-Across]
  41. 68[127-Across]
  42. 69[138-Across]
  43. 71What acids do when mixed with bases
  44. 75___-wolf
  45. 76Secondhand lung irritant
  46. 77Bird whose name comes from the Latin for "golden"
  47. 78Glittery holiday strands
  48. 79Not even once
  49. 80Sheeplike
  50. 81Pastries that can be very sweet, ironically
  51. 82Tucked-away observations
  52. 83Conclude
  53. 91Shipmate of Spock
  54. 93Pods in bhindi masala
  55. 95Yellowfin tuna
  56. 96Advertising award
  57. 97Home décor options
  58. 98As a whole
  59. 102Hookup during infusion therapy, in brief
  60. 104Mardi Gras accessory
  61. 105Released with conditions
  62. 106Topping for an apple crisp
  63. 108"Toodles!"
  64. 110Embodiment
  65. 111Young 'un
  66. 113Snickers
  67. 116Expert
  68. 117Soft-serve request
  69. 118Must
  70. 119Deandre ___, N.B.A. center who was picked first in the 2018 draft
  71. 121Weapon used by some chimpanzees
  72. 125Lead-in to grid or play
  73. 126Puts in the mail
  74. 128"My bad!"
  75. 130Off Broadway award
  76. 131___-free
  77. 133Heaven on earth
  78. 137Boomer at a concert
  79. 139It's sometimes shortened to the letter "N"
  80. 140Dennis's sister on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"

The answer to “Lead-in to grid or play” in the New York Times crossword is POWER — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 13, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 125-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 grid or play” answer

POWER (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 POWER.

What does POWER mean?

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

(noun)

  • the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way
  • the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events
  • physical strength and force exerted by something or someone

When else has “Lead-in to grid or play” 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.

September 13, 2026 (most recent) → POWER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Lead-in to grid or play”?

The answer is POWER, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 13, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Lead-in to grid or play”?

5 letters: POWER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 13, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 125-Down.

Can “Lead-in to grid or play” 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 September 13, 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.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.