Real swell

Latest answer — October 07, 2026

49 Down

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The word NEATO in playful lettering, representing informal praise.

Clue explainedFact checked

Neato is an informal way to say “great” or “swell,” so “real swell” points to it as a compliment. It has a jaunty, playful tone, like an enthusiastic “That’s neat!”

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, October 07, 2026 appearance

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The answer to “Real swell” in the New York Times crossword is NEATO — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 7, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 49-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.

“Real swell” answer

NEATO (5 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 NEATO.

What does NEATO mean?

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

(adjective)

  • That is excellent, desirable, or ‘neat’; wonderful, ‘fantastic’. Also as interjection See "neat".

When else has “Real swell” 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.

October 7, 2026 (most recent) → NEATO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Real swell”?

The answer is NEATO, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Real swell”?

5 letters: NEATO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 7, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 49-Down.

Can “Real swell” 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 October 7, 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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