Problem for a plumber

Latest answer — August 11, 2026

23 Across

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Clue explained

A LEAK is a plumbing problem in which liquid escapes from a pipe or fixture. As a singular noun, it fits “problem for a plumber.”

Clue type:
Definition
Water leaking from a household pipe

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 11, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Popular tablets
  2. 6Big name in food wholesale
  3. 11"Exit full screen" key
  4. 14Still in bed
  5. 15Just peachy
  6. 16By way of
  7. 17Psychedelic rock band with the 2003 tune "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1," with "the"
  8. 19Sam-___ (Seuss character)
  9. 20No rookie
  10. 21Missions, in brief
  11. 22Red denizen of Sesame Street
  12. 23Problem for a plumber
  13. 25Lollygag
  14. 27Against
  15. 30German film composer who wrote "Cornfield Chase" and "Time"
  16. 35Things to be mowed
  17. 37Passage ceremonies
  18. 38Word with cutie or sweetie
  19. 39Mario's video game brother
  20. 40Goat's bleat
  21. 41Scold
  22. 43Hosp. areas with gurneys
  23. 44In a cheery manner
  24. 46Tender spots
  25. 47Hip-hop group that wrote "C.R.E.A.M." and "Protect Ya Neck"
  26. 50Trifling
  27. 51"... or ___!" (threat)
  28. 52Opinion, informally
  29. 54Alternative to truth
  30. 56"Abso-freakin-lutely!"
  31. 59Big export of Myanmar
  32. 63Ingredient in a Dark 'n' Stormy
  33. 64First Chinese government to establish a permanent standing navy ... or a hint to 17-, 30- and 47-Across
  34. 66Portfolio portion, in brief
  35. 67Peripheral
  36. 68Religion of the Maldives
  37. 69"There, there" accompanier
  38. 70Stash away
  39. 71Prey for polar bears

Down

  1. 1Deets
  2. 2Opinion survey
  3. 3Ever so slightly
  4. 4Bit of Chinese food
  5. 5Steeple topper
  6. 6Droop
  7. 7"This is probably dumb but I'm doing it anyway" hashtag
  8. 8Go past
  9. 9Flip over, as a boat
  10. 10Yiddish laments
  11. 11The Soviet Union, to Reagan
  12. 12Thailand, before 1939
  13. 13Military wear, for short
  14. 18Head of a noted animal rescue project
  15. 22Stately tree
  16. 24Like a comeuppance, perhaps
  17. 26LPs and 45s
  18. 27"I'll ___ it"
  19. 28Island that's the world's third-smallest country, after Vatican City and Monaco
  20. 29People hold complicated positions on it
  21. 31Singer Horan of One Direction
  22. 32Patronize, as a hotel
  23. 33Duck down
  24. 34Angel ___, holder of the W.N.B.A. single-season record for offensive rebounds
  25. 36Stop and Yield
  26. 42Headquarters
  27. 45Got too old
  28. 48Pub drink
  29. 49___ a soul
  30. 53Mila of "That '70s Show"
  31. 54What icicles do
  32. 55Field you can feel, maybe
  33. 57"You're ___ something!"
  34. 58Longtime Disney boss Bob
  35. 60Cuba, por ejemplo
  36. 61And other authors: Abbr.
  37. 62Jazz singer Sylvia
  38. 64Castaway's call
  39. 65"Dr." from Compton

The answer to “Problem for a plumber” in the New York Times crossword is LEAK — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 11, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 23-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.

“Problem for a plumber” answer

LEAK (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 LEAK.

What does LEAK mean?

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

(verb)

  • (of a container or covering) accidentally lose or admit contents, especially liquid or gas, through a hole or crack
  • intentionally disclose (something private or secret)

When else has “Problem for a plumber” 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 11, 2026 (most recent) → LEAK. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Problem for a plumber”?

The answer is LEAK, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 11, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Problem for a plumber”?

4 letters: LEAK.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 11, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 23-Across.

Can “Problem for a plumber” 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 11, 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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