Pester

Latest answer — March 22, 2026

86 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, March 22, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Catalyst for reckless behavior
  2. 5More than enough
  3. 10Resting places
  4. 15Resin source
  5. 18Tippy-top
  6. 19Green ___
  7. 20Basic tier on a popular ridesharing app
  8. 21Bygone bird
  9. 22Triangle, for one
  10. 24Prerelease prototypes
  11. 25List-shortening abbreviation
  12. 26Fixed fees
  13. 27The circles in 22-Across?
  14. 30Nauru's capital
  15. 31Digital ID?
  16. 33Canon competitor
  17. 34Island chains
  18. 35Betwixt
  19. 37Eucalyptus eater
  20. 39Liturgical book
  21. 41Modern trend of employees doing the bare minimum
  22. 45The circles in 41-Across?
  23. 46Coffee holders
  24. 47___ planning
  25. 48Came to a conclusion
  26. 50Enterprise that might offer disposable slippers
  27. 51Power suffix?
  28. 52Harvard extension
  29. 53Big parties
  30. 55Bed liner?
  31. 56Gussied (up)
  32. 58"Totally tubular!"
  33. 61Kind
  34. 62Tony winner ___ Lenya
  35. 64Highchair wear
  36. 67The circles in 64-Across?
  37. 69"___ on you!"
  38. 71Lisa with the 1994 #1 hit "Stay (I Missed You)"
  39. 73Liquor-free
  40. 74"No help needed here!"
  41. 78Leave speechless
  42. 79Each of the tiny tufts of a dandelion has one
  43. 82Addams Family member
  44. 84Rowboat blade
  45. 85One of a pair of lines drawn in hangman
  46. 86___ Haute, Ind.
  47. 87Seven days in San Juan
  48. 90Firework part
  49. 91The circles in 93-Across?
  50. 93On easy street
  51. 96"Secret" holiday figures
  52. 971980s video game character who hops between cubes
  53. 98MacFarlane who voiced Ted in "Ted"
  54. 99Degrees for C.F.O.s
  55. 100Numbers game
  56. 103Help
  57. 105Altiplano animal
  58. 108The circles in 115-Across?
  59. 111Family members
  60. 113Romeo's last words
  61. 114States for the record
  62. 115Nickname of Oak Ridge, Tenn., built in 1942 for the Manhattan Project
  63. 117Some reds, for short
  64. 118Send payment
  65. 119Nasal cavity
  66. 120Winslet with five Golden Globes
  67. 121Part of E.S.L.: Abbr.
  68. 122Dresden denials
  69. 123Where the Rosetta Stone was discovered
  70. 124Little twerp

Down

  1. 1Jay Gatsby's obsession in "The Great Gatsby"
  2. 2Breathing issue
  3. 3Subdued
  4. 4Go to ___
  5. 5Touch
  6. 6Oft-reposted internet content
  7. 7Publicist's handout
  8. 8Duo with the 1999 hit "Steal My Sunshine"
  9. 9James in the Blues Hall of Fame
  10. 10Cooking vessel used in making angel food cake
  11. 11Excels at Simon Says, say
  12. 12Hashtag that trended in 2017
  13. 13Indiana governor Mike
  14. 14Austin music-and-media festival, familiarly
  15. 15"I guess the time has come"
  16. 16Bulge in some throats
  17. 17Flag bearer
  18. 21Find abhorrent
  19. 23Rehearsed the whole show, in theater lingo
  20. 28Raised designs
  21. 29Admission of duplicity
  22. 32___ bene
  23. 36Eliminated for not following the rules, informally
  24. 38Start of an encouragement
  25. 39Granola kin
  26. 40Hurdle for an aspiring atty.
  27. 41Difficult ice skating maneuver, in brief
  28. 42Language of Pakistan's national anthem
  29. 43Illegal activity generating considerable interest?
  30. 44Ready to go, with "up"
  31. 45Captain's subordinate: Abbr.
  32. 49Component of fertilizer and gunpowder
  33. 52Cheese ball?
  34. 54Key ___
  35. 55Iris holder
  36. 57Israel's first U.N. ambassador
  37. 59Less incompetent
  38. 60Some radio tubes
  39. 63"Will do!"
  40. 65Attacks from all sides
  41. 66"The Fresh Prince of ___-Air"
  42. 68Recumbent
  43. 69Arrived en masse
  44. 70You or me, say
  45. 72Film crew assistant
  46. 75From Bhutan or Bangladesh
  47. 76The right direction?
  48. 77"South Park" co-creator Parker
  49. 78Exams for srs.
  50. 80Settings for some TV dramas, in brief
  51. 81Chapeau perch
  52. 83Light hits
  53. 86Pester
  54. 88Actress Sorvino
  55. 89Sb, on the periodic table
  56. 90Tufted parts of horses' legs
  57. 92Equilibria
  58. 94Batteries for brains?
  59. 95Archaeologist's find
  60. 100Surge protector?
  61. 101People of the Mexican altiplano
  62. 102Bring to a garage for repairs
  63. 104Block, beaver-style
  64. 106Memorable saying
  65. 107To date
  66. 108Small, say
  67. 109It may be hard to believe
  68. 110Freedom from fretting
  69. 112___ bump
  70. 116Comedian Notaro

The answer to “Pester” in the New York Times crossword is TEASE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 22, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 86-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include ANNOY. 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.

“Pester” answer

TEASE (5 letters) — most recent; also seen as ANNOY

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 TEASE.

Why the answer is TEASE

TEASE is the 5-letter solution that fits "Pester" in the NYT Crossword crossword on March 22, 2026 (86-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does TEASE mean?

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

(verb)

  • make fun of or attempt to provoke (a person or animal) in a playful way
  • gently pull or comb (tangled wool, hair, etc.) into separate strands

Other answers for “Pester”

New York Times has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides TEASE, it has also been ANNOY. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

  • March 22, 2026 (most recent) → TEASE
  • May 5, 2025 → ANNOY

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Pester”?

The answer is TEASE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 22, 2026. Other answers for this clue include ANNOY.

How many letters is the answer to “Pester”?

5 letters: TEASE. Earlier fills for this clue have also been ANNOY (5).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on March 22, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 86-Down. Earlier appearances: May 5, 2025 → ANNOY.

Can “Pester” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides TEASE, New York Times has also used ANNOY for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for March 22, 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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