Means of self-defense

Latest answer — October 01, 2026

36 Across

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Clue explained

Mace is a handheld self-defense spray used to deter an attacker. The answer is the common name for this means of self-defense.

Clue type:
Definition
A canister of Mace brand pepper spray.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Thursday, October 01, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Sneaker brand whose logo features the "Formstrip"
  2. 5"Thank You for the Music" group
  3. 9Some instructors, for short
  4. 14Gator's relative
  5. 15"King of all kings" in the prehistoric world, familiarly
  6. 16Features of gathering clouds?
  7. 17Patriotic recitation since 1892
  8. 20Concoct, with "up"
  9. 21It may include toms and a snare
  10. 22Abbr. on a scale
  11. 25First lady
  12. 26Tagging symbols
  13. 27Expresses support without meaning it
  14. 31Bit of ink
  15. 34Quite the stir
  16. 35Bygone "before"
  17. 36Means of self-defense
  18. 37Joan of Arc, for one
  19. 38It's just a state of mind, to some
  20. 39Cruz known as the "Queen of Salsa"
  21. 40Some midflight announcements, in brief
  22. 41Molecule in protein synthesis
  23. 42Disposes of securely, in a way
  24. 43Start of the names of four of the U.S.'s 20 largest cities
  25. 44Obsolescent credit card feature
  26. 46Term of affection in the U.K.
  27. 47Rapper with the 1999 #1 album "I Am ..."
  28. 48Is long ago?
  29. 49Chickpeas, e.g.
  30. 53"Uh-huh, sure it is"
  31. 55Obstacles ... or a hint to three squares in this puzzle
  32. 60Lost
  33. 61Identify
  34. 62Goddess of the earth
  35. 63All together, in music
  36. 64Migratory fish with exceptionally sensitive hearing
  37. 65The Black Knights of the N.C.A.A.

Down

  1. 1Doc seen for an annual checkup
  2. 2Address letters
  3. 3A Stooge
  4. 4Band whose logo is stylized with a lightning bolt
  5. 5Came by for dinner
  6. 6Word with power or pawn
  7. 7Happen to
  8. 8Cut
  9. 9Great Basin tribe
  10. 10Chews (out)
  11. 11Cry heard by Old MacDonald
  12. 12Central points
  13. 13Woodpecker food
  14. 18Attacks
  15. 19Words that might come before a meal
  16. 22Major works of art
  17. 23Mexican revolutionary Emiliano
  18. 24Resident of Aleppo
  19. 28Moccasins and loafers, e.g.
  20. 29Free of animal products
  21. 30Wrath
  22. 31Writer Gay
  23. 32Hallucinatory experiences
  24. 33It comes with cups and saucers
  25. 36Chicago exchange, in brief
  26. 38Director Lee
  27. 39Sculptor's tool
  28. 41French composer who refused the Legion of Honour in 1920
  29. 42Skewered
  30. 44Gateway of India locale
  31. 45Tough nut to crack
  32. 46"Network" director Sidney
  33. 49Hurdle for an aspiring atty.
  34. 50Words of reproach following a betrayal
  35. 51Big blow
  36. 52Things confessed
  37. 54Ancient wrap
  38. 56"I don't wanna"
  39. 57It might be on a lot
  40. 58"___ Possible" (2000s animated series)
  41. 59Perchance

The answer to “Means of self-defense” in the New York Times crossword is MACE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 1, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 36-Across. 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.

“Means of self-defense” answer

MACE (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 MACE.

What does MACE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a staff of office, especially that which lies on the table in the House of Commons when the Speaker is in the chair, regarded as a symbol of the authority of the House
  • a heavy club with a spiked metal head

When else has “Means of self-defense” 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.

October 1, 2026 (most recent) → MACE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Means of self-defense”?

The answer is MACE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Means of self-defense”?

4 letters: MACE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 1, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 36-Across.

Can “Means of self-defense” 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 October 1, 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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