Pecan, but not pumpkin

Latest answer — September 26, 2026

21 Across

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Clue explained

A pecan is produced by a tree, whereas a pumpkin grows on a vine rather than a tree. Thus TREE fits the contrast in the clue.

Clue type:
Example
A pecan tree bearing pecans

NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, September 26, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Prepares, as shumai
  2. 7Paste commonly simulated by a blend of horseradish, mustard and green dye
  3. 13Rounded, say
  4. 15Late hour
  5. 16Pair's reassurance
  6. 18N.F.C. West team, informally
  7. 19"Go right ahead ..."
  8. 21Pecan, but not pumpkin
  9. 22Selena Gomez or Beyoncé, by birth
  10. 23Runaround?
  11. 24John ___, singer with the hit albums "Perfectly Good Guitar" and "Mystic Pinball"
  12. 25Withdraw (from)
  13. 26Part of an asymmetrical hairstyle
  14. 28Early giant in punch-card tabulating systems
  15. 29Giggle
  16. 30Element of economic globalization
  17. 31Desserts that may feature frangipane
  18. 32Part of what makes you you
  19. 35Online show pieces
  20. 36Result of a shopping spree
  21. 37Kite feature
  22. 38The Marlins, on scoreboards
  23. 39___-corner
  24. 40Assert
  25. 41STEM field concern
  26. 43It's in the eye of the beholder
  27. 45Pull it together
  28. 47Rang
  29. 48Camp distribution
  30. 49Toasts
  31. 50Verse from Emily Dickinson or Emma Lazarus

Down

  1. 1Duluth-to-Minneapolis dir.
  2. 2Broadcaster with a onetime coat-of-arms logo, informally
  3. 3Otoscopy, e.g.
  4. 4Anthropopithecus, e.g.
  5. 5Actress Price of the 2000s sitcom "Grounded for Life"
  6. 6Labor
  7. 7Took a turn
  8. 8Subject of the 1996 documentary "When We Were Kings"
  9. 9Watch party?
  10. 10Mean
  11. 11Some Basque headwear
  12. 12Exclave's spot in an atlas, often
  13. 14Critical response concerning a piece of fiction?
  14. 17Riding free as an employee, in airline lingo
  15. 20Real page-turner?
  16. 22Lead-in to light
  17. 24Gag reflexes?
  18. 26Scorches
  19. 27Roots for vegan burgers
  20. 29Part of a bridal outfit
  21. 30Signature QB move included as a feature in 2012's Madden NFL 13 video game
  22. 31Main pack in a bicycle race
  23. 32A bit corrupt, perhaps?
  24. 33Evergreen whose cones bear edible seeds
  25. 34Olympic gymnast Raisman
  26. 35Silently greet someone
  27. 36Pudding typically served with "neeps and tatties"
  28. 37Highly prized rewards on "Survivor"
  29. 39"This Side Up" container
  30. 41Roves
  31. 42HHH
  32. 44Once called
  33. 46Lake Tahoe winter hrs.

The answer to “Pecan, but not pumpkin” in the New York Times crossword is TREE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 26, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 21-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.

“Pecan, but not pumpkin” answer

TREE (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 TREE.

What does TREE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a woody perennial plant, typically having a single stem or trunk growing to a considerable height and bearing lateral branches at some distance from the ground
  • a wooden structure or part of a structure
  • a thing that has a branching structure resembling that of a tree

When else has “Pecan, but not pumpkin” 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.

September 26, 2026 (most recent) → TREE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Pecan, but not pumpkin”?

The answer is TREE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 26, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Pecan, but not pumpkin”?

4 letters: TREE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 26, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 21-Across.

Can “Pecan, but not pumpkin” 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 September 26, 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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