Phase in which users help catch bugs

Latest answer — August 03, 2026

40 Across

It’s the pre-release testing stage where volunteers try the product and report glitches. 🐛

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 03, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1What's paid
  2. 5Slowpoke in a "mobile home"
  3. 10Figure that might be measured in acres
  4. 14What a diaper pail helps minimize
  5. 15___ bear (cuddly toy)
  6. 16Device used in a lactation room
  7. 17Size between mini and maxi
  8. 18Humiliate
  9. 19Ancient Peruvian society
  10. 20Idler along the seashore
  11. 22"Pumpkin eater" in a nursery rhyme
  12. 23Speak at the top of one's lungs
  13. 24Needle-working craft
  14. 26Kitchen appliance for desserts
  15. 30Division in a supermarket
  16. 31Travel like slime
  17. 32One lacking refinement
  18. 35Chess game's end
  19. 36Children's author A.A. ___
  20. 38Throw with force
  21. 39___ constrictor
  22. 40Phase in which users help catch bugs
  23. 41Instrument on which reveille is played
  24. 42Series that may feature forensics experts
  25. 46Ninja's quality
  26. 48___ whiskey
  27. 49Surgery that leaves the patient looking better?
  28. 50Adjective describing 20-, 26- and 42-Across
  29. 54Guesstimates for when planes are due, for short
  30. 55Donation at some Red Cross events
  31. 57"Best Dad ___" (message on a mug)
  32. 58"The King" in soccer
  33. 59Competitive thing to "bring"
  34. 60Still red, as steak
  35. 61Uno + dos
  36. 62All gone from the dinner plate
  37. 63Winter forecast

Down

  1. 1Head-scratcher?
  2. 2Garfield's perky-eared canine buddy
  3. 3Coke or Pepsi
  4. 4Toddler's wheels
  5. 5Horses' hangout
  6. 6Cosmic cloud
  7. 7Eve's man
  8. 8Passports and driver's licenses, for short
  9. 9Aid in making soap
  10. 10Per individual
  11. 11Rehearsal
  12. 12Host with a mic
  13. 13A world ___
  14. 21"Present!"
  15. 22Hawaiian seafood dish
  16. 24"Let's go, man!"
  17. 25Demolish
  18. 26First two syllables of "I am what I am," aptly
  19. 27Farewell in Florence
  20. 28Opportunity to buy some antiques
  21. 29Back tooth
  22. 33Guthrie who sang "You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant"
  23. 34Went by plane
  24. 36Convene
  25. 37What a mosquito bite causes
  26. 38Swindling sorts
  27. 40Swoleness
  28. 41Taco ___
  29. 43Rewards for excellent employees
  30. 44Stereotypical cry after "Honey ..."
  31. 45___ voyage (first trip)
  32. 46Caught some Z's
  33. 47Product of Maine or Idaho, informally
  34. 50Jacket
  35. 51Pavlov known for canine experiments
  36. 52Roman emperor who competed in the Olympics (and "won" every event he was in)
  37. 53Got bigger
  38. 55Snookums
  39. 56Alternative to JFK and EWR

The answer to “Phase in which users help catch bugs” in the New York Times crossword is BETA — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 3, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 40-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.

“Phase in which users help catch bugs” answer

BETA (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 BETA.

Why the answer is BETA

It’s the pre-release testing stage where volunteers try the product and report glitches. 🐛

What does BETA mean?

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

(noun)

  • the second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β), transliterated as ‘b’

When else has “Phase in which users help catch bugs” 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.

August 3, 2026 (most recent) → BETA. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Phase in which users help catch bugs”?

The answer is BETA, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Phase in which users help catch bugs”?

4 letters: BETA.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 3, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 40-Across.

Can “Phase in which users help catch bugs” 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 August 3, 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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