Search for groundwater, in a way

Latest answer — February 24, 2026

53 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, February 24, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Utter rubbish
  2. 6Yellowish color for old computer graphics
  3. 11Showing a smirk, say
  4. 14"Make that two!"
  5. 15Actress Watts of "The Friend"
  6. 16Half of a giggle
  7. 17Nuyoricans, e.g.
  8. 19Doc who's seen for sinusitis
  9. 20Went on the fritz
  10. 21Grand project begun by the London Philological Society, in brief
  11. 22Snowman in "Frozen"
  12. 24Fender Stratocaster, e.g.
  13. 29Its base unit is the kilogram
  14. 30Self-written life story, informally
  15. 31Deer ___ (road sign)
  16. 33Otherwise called, in brief
  17. 34Brand of squishy balls
  18. 35Involuntary movement
  19. 36"The Disrobing of Christ," e.g.
  20. 40Fish in some onigiri
  21. 41One way to leave a door
  22. 43Asset for a thrower
  23. 44Old tape players
  24. 46Tiny swine
  25. 48One of the matriarchs in Judaism
  26. 50Thyroid, e.g.
  27. 54Oft-discarded part of an orange
  28. 55Some reproductive cells
  29. 56Baby ones are joeys, familiarly
  30. 58Sprightly dance
  31. 59Dress for a soirée, e.g.
  32. 63Prefix with sex or brow
  33. 64Protection against flooding
  34. 65Group of smarties
  35. 66"___ Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
  36. 67Coffeehouse chain that owns the domain coffee.com
  37. 68Inch (up)

Down

  1. 1Contacted quickly online, informally
  2. 2Fix, as shoelaces
  3. 3Blues legend Waters
  4. 4Formally denounce
  5. 5Carp in a Japanese pond
  6. 6Brings to a boil?
  7. 7___ Gras
  8. 8Honeybun
  9. 9LiMu ___ (insurance bird)
  10. 10Remove, as a page of a notebook
  11. 11Brew that's often a little cloudy and fruity
  12. 12Festivals often featuring jousting knights, for short
  13. 13Nevertheless
  14. 18Beds that might have wheels
  15. 23Either bronze animal in front of the Art Institute of Chicago
  16. 25Word after rib or batting
  17. 26Centerpiece of a birthday celebration
  18. 27Green dip, slangily
  19. 28[Hi-lar-ious!]
  20. 31President of China beginning in 2013
  21. 32"This is pretty cool!"
  22. 33Asset for a thrower
  23. 35Make friendly to humans
  24. 37Hideout
  25. 38Supermodel Hadid
  26. 39Avocado-shaped
  27. 42Civil disturbance
  28. 45Juice box?
  29. 47I.T. pro's offering
  30. 48Imposes, as a tax
  31. 49Jennifer who wrote "A Visit From the Goon Squad"
  32. 51Pretty large jazz combo
  33. 52Whom a diary is often shown to
  34. 53Search for groundwater, in a way
  35. 57Jacket closer
  36. 58Au ___ (how roast beef may be served)
  37. 60Shape for flying geese
  38. 61Apple taster in Eden
  39. 62Car brand with the Hummer E.V.

The answer to “Search for groundwater, in a way” in the New York Times crossword is DOWSE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 24, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 53-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.

“Search for groundwater, in a way” answer

DOWSE (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 DOWSE.

Why the answer is DOWSE

DOWSE is the 5-letter solution that fits "Search for groundwater, in a way" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 24, 2026 (53-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does DOWSE mean?

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

(verb)

  • practise dowsing

When else has “Search for groundwater, in a way” 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.

February 24, 2026 (most recent) → DOWSE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Search for groundwater, in a way”?

The answer is DOWSE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 24, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Search for groundwater, in a way”?

5 letters: DOWSE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on February 24, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 53-Down.

Can “Search for groundwater, in a way” 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 February 24, 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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