Proverbial slowpoke

The answer to “Proverbial slowpoke” in the New York Times crossword is TURTLE — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 17, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 9-Down. 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.

“Proverbial slowpoke” answer

TURTLE (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 TURTLE.

Why the answer is TURTLE

TURTLE is the 6-letter solution that fits "Proverbial slowpoke" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 17, 2026 (9-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does TURTLE mean?

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

When else has “Proverbial slowpoke” 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 17, 2026 (most recent) → TURTLE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions