Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across

Latest answer — January 27, 2026

54 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, January 27, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Potpourri piece
  2. 6Bit of pandemic attire
  3. 10Cry from a crib, perhaps
  4. 14Came up
  5. 15Et ___ (and others)
  6. 16Some stadium shouts
  7. 17Give friendly bites, as a puppy might
  8. 18Heaps
  9. 19Wrangler on the road
  10. 20Hosp. hookups
  11. 21Far from any urban center, colloquially
  12. 24Trickster figure in Native American folklore
  13. 26Cousin of a cravat
  14. 27Add as an afterthought
  15. 29Lacking a conscience
  16. 33Potentially at risk, metaphorically
  17. 36Spanish gold
  18. 37Nashville has a "grand ole" one
  19. 38___ Speed Wagon (old vehicle)
  20. 39Air passage
  21. 40Title for M.L.K. Jr.
  22. 41In a soaring mood, so to speak
  23. 45"Moving right along ..."
  24. 47Kind of fund
  25. 48Jump and shout for joy
  26. 51Ragamuffin
  27. 54Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across
  28. 58Poem of praise
  29. 59"Captain" on Mount Ararat
  30. 60Chew as a beaver might
  31. 61"Yay me!"
  32. 63Doofus
  33. 64To be, in Toulouse
  34. 65Assuaged
  35. 66Corset component
  36. 67Medical measure
  37. 68In poor condition

Down

  1. 1Freak out
  2. 2"Wicked" co-star Cynthia ___
  3. 3Downside-up
  4. 4Happy ___ lark
  5. 5"Forgive and forget"
  6. 6Barley product
  7. 7Hi in HI
  8. 8Loci
  9. 9Source of some Jumbotron entertainment
  10. 10Cuban rum cocktail
  11. 11Actor Guinness
  12. 12Like the ones who shall inherit the earth, in Matthew 5:5
  13. 13Horned vipers
  14. 22Like some highlighter colors
  15. 23___ of the Unknown Soldier
  16. 25Like some cookies and milk
  17. 28Not, colloquially
  18. 30Engage in boisterous activity
  19. 31St. Louis landmark
  20. 32Area to build on
  21. 33Request from a dentist
  22. 34Floral ring
  23. 35Charged particles
  24. 37Singer Rita
  25. 39Chip shape
  26. 41Cunning, like Mr. Tod or Swiper
  27. 42Chillaxed, say
  28. 43It's binding
  29. 44Gets a move on
  30. 46Possible pronoun pairing
  31. 49Slowly, in scores
  32. 50Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great
  33. 52Did diddly-squat
  34. 53Tending to cling
  35. 54Winds up
  36. 55Debatable
  37. 56Cry from a crib, perhaps
  38. 57Britishly precious
  39. 62Issa of "The Lovebirds"

The answer to “Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across” in the New York Times crossword is EMPTYNESTER — a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 27, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 54-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.

“Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across” answer

EMPTYNESTER (11 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 EMPTYNESTER.

Why the answer is EMPTYNESTER

EMPTYNESTER is the 11-letter solution that fits "Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across" in the NYT Crossword crossword on January 27, 2026 (54-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across” 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.

January 27, 2026 (most recent) → EMPTYNESTER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across”?

The answer is EMPTYNESTER, a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 27, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across”?

11 letters: EMPTYNESTER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on January 27, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 54-Across.

Can “Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across” 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 January 27, 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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