Middlemen in illicit transactions

Latest answer — June 04, 2026

5 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Thursday, June 04, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1In "The Tempest," when Miranda says "O brave new world, That has such people in't!"
  2. 5Middlemen in illicit transactions
  3. 11Last over the line, say
  4. 14Sushi wrapper
  5. 15Waikiki welcomes
  6. 16Indigenous people of the Great Basin
  7. 17Forbidden idol
  8. 19"American ___"
  9. 20Neighborhood watering hole
  10. 21Subj. for one aspiring to become bilingual
  11. 22Particularly fine examples
  12. 23Tolkien's Treebeard, for one
  13. 24Cards
  14. 26Shamash holder
  15. 28Really rips into
  16. 31Become enamored with
  17. 32Beguile
  18. 34Bob who narrated "How I Met Your Mother"
  19. 35Historic Bulgarian ruler
  20. 38Faux flattery
  21. 40Bob who hosted PBS's "The Joy of Painting"
  22. 41Broad-shouldered Titan
  23. 43Most senior
  24. 45Italian liquor distilled from winemaking leftovers
  25. 47Downward dog and others
  26. 50Exactly as desired
  27. 52151, once
  28. 53Discouraging words
  29. 55They come in black, Belgian and double varieties
  30. 56Path to spiritual harmony
  31. 58Bring out
  32. 60Lillehammer's land: Abbr.
  33. 61Large retail establishment ... and a hint to four squares in this puzzle
  34. 63Part of the conjugation of "être"
  35. 64Candy heart phrase
  36. 65Where "the man gave names to all ... the birds in the sky and all the wild animals"
  37. 66"Told you!"
  38. 67Containers in orchards
  39. 68Run into

Down

  1. 1It's a matter of degrees
  2. 2Beer brand with the slogan "La Playa Awaits"
  3. 3Political leaflets
  4. 4"The Four Seasons" composer
  5. 5Altered excerpts of a film posted to social media, say
  6. 6Sons of ___, exemplars of biblical wickedness
  7. 7Site of an 1899-1909 gold rush
  8. 8Deep fissure
  9. 9Bald youngster?
  10. 10Montreal-to-Boston dir.
  11. 11Freudian censor
  12. 12Conservative guesses
  13. 13Links openings?
  14. 18Imported beverage brand
  15. 22Pint-size racers
  16. 25___ mold
  17. 27"It Ain't Hard to Tell" rapper
  18. 29Six-winged angels
  19. 30Like the appearance of armadillos and anacondas
  20. 33Many a character on "The Pitt," informally
  21. 35"Just Do It" and "Think Different"
  22. 36Fashion photographer's direction
  23. 37Not prix fixe
  24. 39Movie theaters with many screens
  25. 42Fancy hotel amenity
  26. 44Nursery purchases
  27. 46More pretentious
  28. 48Disguise, in a way
  29. 49Fancy affair
  30. 51Soft rock?
  31. 54Tube placed during angioplasty
  32. 57Article that might be prewritten, informally
  33. 59Bullet point
  34. 61Airer of "The Graham Norton Show"
  35. 62Small square

The answer to “Middlemen in illicit transactions” in the New York Times crossword is FENCES — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on June 4, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 5-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.

“Middlemen in illicit transactions” answer

FENCES (6 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 FENCES.

Why the answer is FENCES

FENCES is the 6-letter solution that fits "Middlemen in illicit transactions" in the NYT Crossword crossword on June 4, 2026 (5-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does FENCES mean?

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

(noun)

  • a barrier, railing, or other upright structure, typically of wood or wire, enclosing an area of ground to prevent or control access or escape
  • a guard or guide on a plane, saw, or other tool
  • a person who deals in stolen goods

When else has “Middlemen in illicit transactions” 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.

June 4, 2026 (most recent) → FENCES. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Middlemen in illicit transactions”?

The answer is FENCES, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on June 4, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Middlemen in illicit transactions”?

6 letters: FENCES.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on June 4, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 5-Across.

Can “Middlemen in illicit transactions” 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 June 4, 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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