Shin guards protect them
Latest answer — October 07, 2026
12 Down
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Clue explainedFact checked
Shin guards cover the tibiae, the paired bones at the front of the lower legs. Each tibia runs from the knee to the ankle and bears much of the body's weight; the smaller fibula sits beside it. “Tibiae” is the plural of “tibia,” the anatomical name for a shinbone, so the clue is pointing to the bones the guards protect.
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- Definition
NYT Crossword
This clue's Wednesday, October 07, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “Shin guards protect them” in the New York Times crossword is TIBIAE — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 7, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 12-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.
“Shin guards protect them” answer
TIBIAE (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 TIBIAE.
What does TIBIAE mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of TIBIAE is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(noun)
- the inner and typically larger of the two bones between the knee and the ankle (or the equivalent joints in other terrestrial vertebrates), parallel with the fibula
When else has “Shin guards protect them” 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) → TIBIAE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Shin guards protect them”?
The answer is TIBIAE, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 7, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Shin guards protect them”?
6 letters: TIBIAE.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 7, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 12-Down.
Can “Shin guards protect them” 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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