Poetic contraction

Latest answer — February 15, 2026

11 Down

Poets may trim a familiar word this way to keep the rhythm flowing. ✍️

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, February 15, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Do a little too well?
  2. 5Tops
  3. 9Resident of Ayrshire or Lanarkshire
  4. 13No time at all
  5. 19Discouraged action
  6. 20Mouthy?
  7. 21"What a relief!"
  8. 22Brought (out)
  9. 24Completely destroy with a blast
  10. 27Gaia, by another name
  11. 28Something typically taken every 10 years
  12. 29Doodled
  13. 30Certain bridge positions
  14. 32Segment of a timeline, perhaps
  15. 33The moon's "maria"
  16. 36Circa
  17. 38"Rhoda" actress Valerie
  18. 40Version of a textbook designed for instruction
  19. 44Salon substance
  20. 45Muppet who loves pigeons
  21. 46"My life is over"
  22. 47Sharpness
  23. 48Sarcastic response to a show-off
  24. 52Walked gingerly
  25. 53Product with Pro, Air and Mini varieties
  26. 55Conical shelter
  27. 57Use salt instead of sugar while baking, say
  28. 58Skewered Indonesian dish
  29. 60___ Winter, basketball coach who famously innovated the "triangle offense"
  30. 61Had a brain fart
  31. 66Top-left PC key
  32. 69Like some simple repair jobs, in brief
  33. 70Grilled South American fare
  34. 72Smoothed (out)
  35. 73"Things are only going to get worse" ... or a hint to answering the seven italicized clues in this puzzle
  36. 78Science-and-nature magazine, familiarly
  37. 79Muckety-muck
  38. 80Frequently, poetically
  39. 81Fair-hiring inits.
  40. 82Chemical element whose use led to the first known law against poisoning
  41. 84Herman ___ (potato chip entrepreneur)
  42. 85More sardonic
  43. 87Rest area?
  44. 90Speeds of slow-moving traffic
  45. 92"It's ___ real"
  46. 93Delicate, as beauty
  47. 96Photo-editing technique used to create a smooth transition
  48. 100Wear (out)
  49. 102Middle-of-the-night woe
  50. 104Duchess of ___ (noted Spanish title)
  51. 105Made younger-looking in an editing studio, say
  52. 107Reality TV franchise created by Tyra Banks
  53. 108Philosophy symbolized by yin and yang
  54. 111Ruby lookalike
  55. 112Throw, in modern slang
  56. 113Fort Collins sch.
  57. 114Calls to task?
  58. 116Company behind the machine used to make Slurpees
  59. 118Kind of paper in a lab
  60. 123In back
  61. 125"Wait, are we done?"
  62. 129Queen of the fairies
  63. 130Dueling weapon
  64. 131Skin softener
  65. 132Fruit also known as a "uniq"
  66. 133Largest bird in North America
  67. 134X-ray units
  68. 135Immodest
  69. 136"You can't make me!," e.g.

Down

  1. 1"The Exchange" airer
  2. 2Flaw in an argument
  3. 3Unknown author, for short
  4. 4Squabbles
  5. 5Unresolved parts of a plot
  6. 6Org. to which you might provide your bank account info
  7. 7Renewable energy structure
  8. 8Lost traction
  9. 9Globelike shape
  10. 10Dress down
  11. 11Poetic contraction
  12. 12Many middle schoolers
  13. 13Ones pressed for cash?
  14. 14Top of a latte
  15. 15Mucho
  16. 16M.L.B. team that once went by OAK on scoreboards
  17. 17In hot water?
  18. 18Fashion designer Carolina
  19. 23Shortage
  20. 25Behind
  21. 26Certain public transit network
  22. 31Singer whose "Hello" was the fastest video ever to reach 1 billion views on YouTube
  23. 34"People ___ Strange" (the Doors song)
  24. 35Conduct inciting an insurrection
  25. 37World's first billion-dollar corporation
  26. 39Sac fly result
  27. 40Game piece in Rummikub
  28. 41Royal title
  29. 42Where jet-setters may rub elbows
  30. 43Chalice
  31. 49P.D. alert
  32. 50Prefix meaning "sun"
  33. 51"Heavens to Betsy!"
  34. 54Subscription-only website feature
  35. 56Look into
  36. 59Contribute
  37. 60Chicago paper, informally
  38. 62N.Y.C. neighborhood that's home to the Grey Art Museum
  39. 63Lower-body exercise
  40. 64Occupational suffix
  41. 65J.F.K. predecessor
  42. 67Aromatic herb
  43. 68Hold tightly
  44. 70Mariner's greeting
  45. 71Natural attraction
  46. 73Two peas ___ pod
  47. 74Pitch
  48. 75French wine region
  49. 76LeBron James or Nikola Jokic
  50. 77Delivery person's assignment: Abbr.
  51. 83"Wheels"
  52. 85Beverage infused with THC
  53. 86Fixed, as a "m-i-t-s-a-k-e"
  54. 88County in western New York
  55. 89Deck out?
  56. 91Shoe with a thick sole
  57. 92Part of an equestrian's ensemble
  58. 94Small songbird
  59. 95Benefit plan option, in brief
  60. 96Wealthy sort
  61. 97Stretchy
  62. 98"Next on my list"
  63. 99___ chi
  64. 101Lit up, in a way
  65. 103___ Valley (San Francisco neighborhood)
  66. 106Less challenging
  67. 109Shell out
  68. 110Video game character aptly celebrated on Mar. 10
  69. 115Bicyclist's setting
  70. 117Latin list ender
  71. 119Lead-in to a conclusion
  72. 120___ Millions (multistate lottery)
  73. 121Some addresses
  74. 122Dos + cuatro
  75. 124China's largest ethnic group
  76. 126Wellness resort offering
  77. 127Horn contents at a Viking feast
  78. 128Depressed

The answer to “Poetic contraction” in the New York Times crossword is OER — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 15, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 11-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include TIL. 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.

“Poetic contraction” answer

OER (3 letters) — most recent; also seen as TIL

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 OER.

Why the answer is OER

Poets may trim a familiar word this way to keep the rhythm flowing. ✍️

Other answers for “Poetic contraction”

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Poetic contraction”?

The answer is OER, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 15, 2026. Other answers for this clue include TIL.

How many letters is the answer to “Poetic contraction”?

3 letters: OER. Earlier fills for this clue have also been TIL (3).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on February 15, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 11-Down. Earlier appearances: August 9, 2025 → TIL.

Can “Poetic contraction” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides OER, New York Times has also used TIL 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 February 15, 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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