Preps for a sports competition

Latest answer — May 26, 2025

21 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, May 26, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Ran, as colors in the wash
  2. 5One of four on most molars
  3. 9Fee
  4. 13Overhaul
  5. 14Where India and Indonesia are
  6. 15Choir member
  7. 161999 sports drama co-starring Al Pacino
  8. 19Fiber-rich fruits
  9. 20The "p" of r.p.m.
  10. 21Preps for a sports competition
  11. 22Sinusitis doc
  12. 23What the "E" stands for in 22-Across
  13. 24Born and ___
  14. 251973 marital drama co-starring Elizabeth Taylor
  15. 30T-bone or porterhouse
  16. 31Unexpected blessing
  17. 32Super Mario Bros. console
  18. 35Take care of, as a bar
  19. 36Firmly declares
  20. 38"___ we forget ..."
  21. 39Texting tech, in brief
  22. 40TLC or ZZ Top, e.g.
  23. 41Around, as in dates
  24. 422003 fantasy comedy co-starring Lindsay Lohan
  25. 45Not at home
  26. 47___ Raisman, six-time medalist in Olympic gymnastics
  27. 48Mimic
  28. 49Security devices
  29. 51Point of no return?
  30. 52Oft-used plaything on snow days
  31. 531970s-'80s TV staple ... or a hint to 16-, 25- and 42-Across
  32. 56Subsequently
  33. 57Locale of an arch and sole
  34. 58Meanie
  35. 59Actress Gilbert
  36. 60The Venus de Milo's missing body parts
  37. 61Like some fiber-rich cereals

Down

  1. 1Body part connecting the cerebrum to the spinal cord
  2. 2Stretches out
  3. 3"Grand" ice cream brand
  4. 4Hound, in two ways
  5. 5Stalactite site
  6. 6___ experience
  7. 7Topic for an evangelical preacher
  8. 8History
  9. 9Melodious yellow bird
  10. 10Tune from way back
  11. 11Counterpart of sit
  12. 12Santa's bagful
  13. 17Tablet debut of 2010
  14. 18City-related
  15. 19Thanksgiving or Easter spreads
  16. 23"A mouse!"
  17. 26Bunch of dollar bills, say
  18. 27Kindle download, e.g.
  19. 28Scatter, as seeds
  20. 29MS-___ (early PC platform)
  21. 32"Look at this guy spouting useless trivia!"
  22. 33Aid for getting out of a computer jam
  23. 34Didn't go
  24. 36"What ___ you up to these days?"
  25. 37By way of
  26. 3852, in old Rome
  27. 40"Go ahead, ask"
  28. 41Sob
  29. 42Hot breakfast bowlful
  30. 43Billionaires' boats
  31. 44Get out of Dodge
  32. 45"Hi," in Hilo
  33. 46Show indecision
  34. 49Quantities: Abbr.
  35. 50Seat with cushions
  36. 51Chemistry 101 topic
  37. 52Gaming company that created Sonic the Hedgehog
  38. 54Not against
  39. 55Pursue romantically

The answer to “Preps for a sports competition” in the New York Times crossword is TRAINS — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 26, 2025, a Monday 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.

“Preps for a sports competition” answer

TRAINS (6 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 TRAINS.

Why the answer is TRAINS

TRAINS is the 6-letter solution that fits "Preps for a sports competition" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 26, 2025 (21-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does TRAINS mean?

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

(verb)

  • teach (a person or animal) a particular skill or type of behaviour through practice and instruction over a period of time
  • prepare (a person or animal) for a particular sport or event with a course of exercise and diet
  • cause (a plant) to grow in a particular direction or into a required shape

When else has “Preps for a sports competition” 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 26, 2025 (most recent) → TRAINS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Preps for a sports competition”?

The answer is TRAINS, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 26, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Preps for a sports competition”?

6 letters: TRAINS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 26, 2025 (a Monday puzzle), at 21-Across.

Can “Preps for a sports competition” 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 May 26, 2025 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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