Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"

Latest answer — January 04, 2026

25 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, January 04, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1It protects the heart
  2. 8Egyptian god of the underworld
  3. 14Dr.'s order?
  4. 17Substances found in cured meats and explosives
  5. 18Theme park with attractions like The Count's Splash Castle and Oscar's Rusty Rotten Rockets
  6. 21High marks
  7. 22"That's enough bickering!"
  8. 24Valletta's land
  9. 25Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"
  10. 27Max's opposite
  11. 28Morpheus, to 25-Across
  12. 29Good ol' boy
  13. 31Actor Thomas ___ Church
  14. 34Stares stupidly
  15. 35General who crossed the Rubicon
  16. 37Snubs
  17. 39Ultimate end, to Aristotle
  18. 40TV E.T.
  19. 41Secondary list of options
  20. 43___ Veronese, "The Wedding at Cana" painter
  21. 45Queen ___ Land (region of Antarctica claimed by Norway)
  22. 47Classification that anyone can donate to
  23. 48Got off
  24. 49With warts and all
  25. 53Pesto ingredients
  26. 55Made less angry now
  27. 58Ozone no-no, for short
  28. 59The dash in many an emoticon
  29. 60It's a "tyrannical discipline," said Sylvia Plath
  30. 61Titular role in a 2024 Disney prequel
  31. 63Derived from gold
  32. 66Steals, informally
  33. 67Something a bug produces
  34. 68Certain Army noncom
  35. 70Points to a church?
  36. 71What the 7 may mean in 7/11
  37. 73Brewed beverage
  38. 74Perseveres
  39. 76Certain drink + what that drink has a lot of = women's lifestyle website
  40. 80"Horsefeathers!"
  41. 82"Fiddlesticks!"
  42. 83Combine using heat without melting, as particles
  43. 85Make a lot, say?
  44. 86Famed firefighter Red
  45. 88"All right, but that's not my opinion"
  46. 90L.A.P.D. unit?
  47. 91The Lamb
  48. 93Devoted effort to looking attractive
  49. 96Leaning
  50. 98Bandage brand
  51. 99Possessed, biblically
  52. 100Word before winner or after Wonder
  53. 101Brick homes
  54. 103Buffalo's home: Abbr.
  55. 104"Sprechen ___ Deutsch?"
  56. 106Eponym of element 96
  57. 109They'll get there eventually
  58. 113Like the cultivation of land
  59. 115Country whose border shape is the world's roundest
  60. 116Zero
  61. 117Co.'s $$$ head
  62. 118Steal for ransom
  63. 119Whence the phrase "wear one's heart on one's sleeve"

Down

  1. 1Kelly of morning TV
  2. 2"Come on and let loose for a while!"
  3. 3Name of Ohio State's buckeye mascot
  4. 4Wrinkly fruits
  5. 5Parts of many online handles
  6. 6Davis of "Thelma & Louise"
  7. 7"___ quam videri" (North Carolina's motto)
  8. 81940s spy grp.
  9. 9Ready ... or a word after ready
  10. 10Chemist's variant
  11. 11Violent seizure, as of property
  12. 12"Sign me up"
  13. 13He scattered his brother's remains across the land and usurped his throne
  14. 14Soothing goo
  15. 15Hawaiian for "long mountain"
  16. 16Intermission follower on Broadway
  17. 17War zone for Rambo, informally
  18. 19Poe's "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon ___"
  19. 20Wicket and Teebo of Endor, e.g.
  20. 23Hosp. areas
  21. 26"I'm flattered!"
  22. 30Believing his friend and ally had too much power, he led a party of conspirators to put an end to him
  23. 32State capital that's closest to the U.S. Capitol
  24. 33Like five Across answers by five Down answers in this puzzle, literally and figuratively
  25. 35Kids' summer getaway
  26. 36Kyrgyzstani mountain range
  27. 37Urchins
  28. 38Fans out
  29. 39Where idols go head-to-head?
  30. 42Small part in a gig
  31. 44British isle
  32. 46It's in your jeans
  33. 48Plot divisions
  34. 50Traumatize
  35. 51"Assuming that's true ..."
  36. 52He led his brother to his demise by endangering his nephew
  37. 54"Not gonna lie ..."
  38. 56First enactors of democracy
  39. 57Fencing contests
  40. 60Chemistry lab dropper
  41. 62Prepare quickly, as eggs for breakfast
  42. 63Chop-chop
  43. 64Wrinkly fruit
  44. 65GPS lines: Abbr.
  45. 66Programming language that's also a musical key
  46. 69He sold out his master in exchange for silver
  47. 71Baby in a pouch
  48. 72Pandemonium
  49. 75Title for a guru
  50. 76Survivor's affliction, for short
  51. 77Elf portrayed by Cate Blanchett in "The Fellowship of the Ring"
  52. 78Big name in makeup
  53. 79Music score squiggle
  54. 81Disagrees (with)
  55. 84Ixnays from Irkutsk
  56. 87Obnoxious fratty sort, colloquially
  57. 89Possible scenario, to a coder
  58. 912011 Lady Gaga hit
  59. 92Steamy
  60. 94Paired chips with dips?
  61. 95Touch lightly, as a gas pedal
  62. 97Floral victory symbol
  63. 98Lead-in to Tech
  64. 100Spawned
  65. 102Camera inits.
  66. 103___ me tangere (Latin warning)
  67. 105Jafar's parrot in "Aladdin"
  68. 107Driven by envy toward his comrades, he fabricated events that led to their downfall
  69. 108Official lang. of Liberia
  70. 110Acorn, in the future
  71. 111Messenger ___
  72. 112Birth month of most Virgos: Abbr.
  73. 114"Ruh-___!" (cry from Astro on "The Jetsons")

The answer to “Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"” in the New York Times crossword is NEO — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 4, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 25-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.

“Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"” answer

NEO (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 NEO.

Why the answer is NEO

NEO is the 3-letter solution that fits "Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"" in the NYT Crossword crossword on January 4, 2026 (25-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"” 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.

January 4, 2026 (most recent) → NEO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"”?

The answer is NEO, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 4, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"”?

3 letters: NEO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on January 4, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 25-Across.

Can “Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"” 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 January 4, 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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