Most common word in English

Editorially verified for the Apr 7, 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

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.

What does THE mean?

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

(determiner)

  • denoting one or more people or things already mentioned or assumed to be common knowledge
  • used to point forward to a following qualifying or defining clause or phrase
  • used to make a generalized reference to something rather than identifying a particular instance

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.

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.

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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