Most common word in English

Latest answer — April 07, 2026

42 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, April 07, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Red, white and blue land: Abbr.
  2. 5El ___, mythical city of gold
  3. 11Initials often seen next to THC
  4. 14Quotes
  5. 16Gave out, as charm
  6. 17Reply to a ship's captain
  7. 18It has wheels but doesn't go anywhere
  8. 20___ fly, play that results in a run and an out
  9. 21Dog's reward after a trick
  10. 22Connection point
  11. 23"How can this be?!"
  12. 24Decided to pay later, say
  13. 26Combo meal, usually
  14. 28Apple tablet
  15. 29Idles, with "around"
  16. 31Handy
  17. 32Hair goo
  18. 33____ track, song that insults another artist
  19. 34One who shouldn't proceed on thin ice
  20. 35Resort with a signature piña colada, perhaps
  21. 38Economic improvement
  22. 41Japanese noodle
  23. 42Most common word in English
  24. 45Communication method with dits and dahs
  25. 46Martial art whose name means "way of the sword"
  26. 48So-called "Land of a Million Elephants"
  27. 49Sharp or flat location on a piano, usually
  28. 51"I can't hear you!"
  29. 53Rolling in it
  30. 54Done
  31. 56Alleviated
  32. 57Lawyer: Abbr.
  33. 58Old-time restraint for a prisoner ... or what can go after the respective halves of 18-, 26-, 35- and 49-Across
  34. 61Prefix with physical or politics
  35. 62Marie ___, women's magazine
  36. 63Dye for body art
  37. 64Use salt instead of sugar, say
  38. 65What an underage person usually gets at a bar?
  39. 66Lose one's footing

Down

  1. 1Star pitcher
  2. 2Casual musical project
  3. 3Everlasting
  4. 4Try to make sense of a passage one didn't understand the first time
  5. 5___ Moines, Iowa
  6. 6Big bovines
  7. 7Remove, as heavy grime
  8. 8Longtime shoe sponsor for Lionel Messi
  9. 9Feints, in hockey
  10. 10Dedicated lines
  11. 11Turn in one's chips
  12. 12Narrow way to win
  13. 13Toy cipher ring
  14. 15Improvisational vocal style
  15. 19Language of "amore"
  16. 23Organ meats
  17. 24Arrange, as a match's outcome
  18. 25Pear variety
  19. 27Unit of arcade currency
  20. 30Cigar residue
  21. 33Jeter whose #2 was retired by the Yankees
  22. 34Bent down
  23. 35___ Gardens, Tampa amusement park
  24. 36One under Attila's rule
  25. 373 to 1 are good ones
  26. 38Resentment
  27. 39Better mannered
  28. 40John Deere product
  29. 42Blow the match
  30. 43Famous figure known for off-the-cuff performances?
  31. 44Supernatural ability, for short
  32. 46Bulletproof material
  33. 47What you blink with
  34. 48Mascara makes them stand out
  35. 50Marsupial that sleeps up to 20 hours a day
  36. 52Every's partner
  37. 55Still reddish, as a steak
  38. 58Secretly loop in on an email
  39. 59Flanders of "The Simpsons"
  40. 60Siesta

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Red, white and blue land: Abbr. — Answer: AMER
  2. 5. El ___, mythical city of gold — Answer: DORADO
  3. 11. Initials often seen next to THC — Answer: CBD
  4. 14. Quotes — Answer: CITES
  5. 16. Gave out, as charm — Answer: EXUDED
  6. 17. Reply to a ship's captain — Answer: AYE
  7. 18. It has wheels but doesn't go anywhere — Answer: EXERCISEBIKE
  8. 20. ___ fly, play that results in a run and an out — Answer: SAC
  9. 21. Dog's reward after a trick — Answer: TREAT
  10. 22. Connection point — Answer: NODE
  11. 23. "How can this be?!" — Answer: OHNO
  12. 24. Decided to pay later, say — Answer: RANATAB
  13. 26. Combo meal, usually — Answer: FASTFOOD
  14. 28. Apple tablet — Answer: IPAD. Hint: This gadget is perfect for reading, browsing, and watching your favorite shows on the go! 🍏
  15. 29. Idles, with "around" — Answer: LOAFS
  16. 31. Handy — Answer: OFUSE
  17. 32. Hair goo — Answer: GEL
  18. 33. ____ track, song that insults another artist — Answer: DISS
  19. 34. One who shouldn't proceed on thin ice — Answer: SKATER
  20. 35. Resort with a signature piña colada, perhaps — Answer: BEACHHOTEL
  21. 38. Economic improvement — Answer: UPTURN
  22. 41. Japanese noodle — Answer: UDON. Hint: A comforting bowlful often served in hot broth 🍜
  23. 42. Most common word in English — Answer: THE
  24. 45. Communication method with dits and dahs — Answer: MORSE
  25. 46. Martial art whose name means "way of the sword" — Answer: KENDO
  26. 48. So-called "Land of a Million Elephants" — Answer: LAOS. Hint: A tiny Southeast Asian country with a famously grand nickname. 🐘
  27. 49. Sharp or flat location on a piano, usually — Answer: BLACKKEY
  28. 51. "I can't hear you!" — Answer: SPEAKUP
  29. 53. Rolling in it — Answer: RICH
  30. 54. Done — Answer: OVER
  31. 56. Alleviated — Answer: EASED
  32. 57. Lawyer: Abbr. — Answer: ATT
  33. 58. Old-time restraint for a prisoner ... or what can go after the respective halves of 18-, 26-, 35- and 49-Across — Answer: BALLANDCHAIN
  34. 61. Prefix with physical or politics — Answer: GEO
  35. 62. Marie ___, women's magazine — Answer: CLAIRE
  36. 63. Dye for body art — Answer: HENNA
  37. 64. Use salt instead of sugar, say — Answer: ERR
  38. 65. What an underage person usually gets at a bar? — Answer: CARDED
  39. 66. Lose one's footing — Answer: SLIP

Down

  1. 1. Star pitcher — Answer: ACE. Hint: A dominant baseball pitcher might be called this! ⚾
  2. 2. Casual musical project — Answer: MIXTAPE
  3. 3. Everlasting — Answer: ETERNAL
  4. 4. Try to make sense of a passage one didn't understand the first time — Answer: REREAD
  5. 5. ___ Moines, Iowa — Answer: DES. Hint: This city shares its name with a common word for 'to be aware of' in Spanish. 🏙️
  6. 6. Big bovines — Answer: OXEN
  7. 7. Remove, as heavy grime — Answer: RUBOFF
  8. 8. Longtime shoe sponsor for Lionel Messi — Answer: ADIDAS
  9. 9. Feints, in hockey — Answer: DEKES
  10. 10. Dedicated lines — Answer: ODE. Hint: Think of a poetic tribute that expresses admiration! 🎶
  11. 11. Turn in one's chips — Answer: CASHOUT
  12. 12. Narrow way to win — Answer: BYANOSE
  13. 13. Toy cipher ring — Answer: DECODER
  14. 15. Improvisational vocal style — Answer: SCAT
  15. 19. Language of "amore" — Answer: ITALIAN
  16. 23. Organ meats — Answer: OFFAL
  17. 24. Arrange, as a match's outcome — Answer: RIG
  18. 25. Pear variety — Answer: BOSC
  19. 27. Unit of arcade currency — Answer: TOKEN
  20. 30. Cigar residue — Answer: ASH
  21. 33. Jeter whose #2 was retired by the Yankees — Answer: DEREK
  22. 34. Bent down — Answer: STOOPED
  23. 35. ___ Gardens, Tampa amusement park — Answer: BUSCH
  24. 36. One under Attila's rule — Answer: HUN
  25. 37. 3 to 1 are good ones — Answer: ODDS
  26. 38. Resentment — Answer: UMBRAGE
  27. 39. Better mannered — Answer: POLITER
  28. 40. John Deere product — Answer: TRACTOR
  29. 42. Blow the match — Answer: TAKEANL
  30. 43. Famous figure known for off-the-cuff performances? — Answer: HOUDINI
  31. 44. Supernatural ability, for short — Answer: ESP
  32. 46. Bulletproof material — Answer: KEVLAR
  33. 47. What you blink with — Answer: EYELID
  34. 48. Mascara makes them stand out — Answer: LASHES
  35. 50. Marsupial that sleeps up to 20 hours a day — Answer: KOALA
  36. 52. Every's partner — Answer: EACH
  37. 55. Still reddish, as a steak — Answer: RARE
  38. 58. Secretly loop in on an email — Answer: BCC
  39. 59. Flanders of "The Simpsons" — Answer: NED
  40. 60. Siesta — Answer: NAP

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Most common word in English” in the New York Times crossword is THE — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 7, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 42-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.

“Most common word in English” answer

THE (3 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 THE.

Why the answer is THE

THE is the 3-letter solution that fits "Most common word in English" in the NYT Crossword crossword on April 7, 2026 (42-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Most common word in English” 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.

April 7, 2026 (most recent) → THE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on April 7, 2026

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 April 7, 2026 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 Tuesday 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 “Most common word in English”?

The answer is THE, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Most common word in English”?

3 letters: THE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on April 7, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 42-Across.

Can “Most common word in English” 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 April 7, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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