Prior to now

Latest answer — July 29, 2025

18 Across

Think of a time before the present moment. ⏳

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, July 29, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"I give up!"
  2. 6J.F.K.'s predecessor
  3. 9Golden fruit that started the Trojan War, in myth
  4. 14Permanent location?
  5. 15Charged particle
  6. 16Studied, with "over"
  7. 17Chuckle + ___ = chortle
  8. 18Prior to now
  9. 19Singer Mary J. ___
  10. 20Who said "Every great film should seem new every time you see it"
  11. 23"That's my cue!"
  12. 24Nickname for Eleanor
  13. 25Sundry: Abbr.
  14. 27Be an agent for, informally
  15. 30Introspective rock genre
  16. 31Hamlet's ill-fated love interest
  17. 35Rejoinder to a doubter
  18. 37Mount with four faces that all face southeast
  19. 38Constantly pushing forward
  20. 39Dads
  21. 40Wide-eyed and eager
  22. 41Argon or neon
  23. 44Grilled Italian sandwich
  24. 46Some fins
  25. 47Catchy song, in modern lingo
  26. 48Composer Coleman and others
  27. 49They can be boosted or bruised
  28. 50Setting of Switzerland's Glacier Express
  29. 52File format for a profile pic
  30. 55Western city hinted at seven times in this puzzle's circled letters
  31. 60Burr in "Hamilton"
  32. 62Ctrl-Alt-___
  33. 63Think out loud
  34. 64Adrien with Oscars
  35. 65Miner matter
  36. 66Birthplace of artist Leonardo
  37. 67Flippant
  38. 68Holiday party pour
  39. 69Plein-air painter's prop

Down

  1. 1Bygone world power, for short
  2. 2Prefix meaning "one-billionth"
  3. 3Bulky slip-on
  4. 4Italian film star Sophia
  5. 5Main courses
  6. 6El infierno figure
  7. 7Modern lead-in to coin
  8. 8Huge
  9. 9"Be on the lookout" alert, in brief
  10. 10Role for Erik Estrada on TV's "CHiPs" ... as well as in real life
  11. 11Stiffly demure
  12. 12Toy brand with theme parks on three continents
  13. 13Unspoiled paradise
  14. 21Muppet who's made guest appearances on "Scrubs" and "The West Wing"
  15. 22Suggestions
  16. 26Quiet sound?
  17. 27Inflexible
  18. 28Low-cost, in ads
  19. 29Handout at a busy restaurant
  20. 32"___ will get you from A to B. Imagination can take you everywhere" (statement attributed to Einstein)
  21. 33Humor with a twist
  22. 34Protection
  23. 36Thor and Odin
  24. 37Dorm aides, for short
  25. 39Forwent
  26. 42What's touch and go?
  27. 43Hunk of melted mozzarella, e.g.
  28. 44Sport with mallets
  29. 45Give the OK
  30. 47Reason to wear a knee brace, perhaps
  31. 51Old-timey photo filter
  32. 52Zingers
  33. 53Prefix with sail or glide
  34. 54Cupid's Greek counterpart
  35. 56Infamous Roman ruler
  36. 57Options for martinis
  37. 58A single time
  38. 59Actor ___ Patrick Harris
  39. 61Subway Series squad, on scoreboards

The answer to “Prior to now” in the New York Times crossword is AGO — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 29, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 18-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.

“Prior to now” answer

AGO (3 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 AGO.

Why the answer is AGO

Think of a time before the present moment. ⏳

What does AGO mean?

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

(adverb)

  • before the present; earlier (used with a measurement of time)

When else has “Prior to now” 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.

July 29, 2025 (most recent) → AGO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Prior to now”?

The answer is AGO, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 29, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Prior to now”?

3 letters: AGO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on July 29, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 18-Across.

Can “Prior to now” 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 July 29, 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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