Philosopher William of ___

The answer to “Philosopher William of ___” in the New York Times crossword is OCCAM — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 22, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 51-Across, and it has also run on 1 earlier date with the same answer. 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.

“Philosopher William of ___” answer

OCCAM (5 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 OCCAM.

Why the answer is OCCAM

OCCAM is the 5-letter solution that fits "Philosopher William of ___" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 22, 2026 (51-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does OCCAM mean?

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

When else has “Philosopher William of ___” 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.

• May 22, 2026 (most recent) → OCCAM
• May 6, 2026 → OCCAM

Frequently asked questions