Starchy tuber

Latest answer — May 05, 2026

45 Across

Think of a starchy underground vegetable often enjoyed mashed or roasted 🥔

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, May 05, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Tried-and-true choice, informally
  2. 5It's perfect for some musicians
  3. 10Motorcyclist's invitation
  4. 15Asia's shrinking ___ Sea
  5. 16Ruckus
  6. 17Where Boise is
  7. 18It's a piece of cake
  8. 20Computer geeks
  9. 21Source of some South American wool
  10. 22Alaska politico Palin
  11. 24___-Ball
  12. 25Alternative to a Word doc
  13. 27It's child's play
  14. 29Glassblower, e.g.
  15. 33One of three statistical averages
  16. 34M.L.B. stadium demolished in 2009
  17. 35Ones always blowing off steam?
  18. 39Altar promise
  19. 42It's a no-brainer
  20. 45Starchy tuber
  21. 462016 Ariana Grande love song
  22. 47Drug buster
  23. 48Heavy, spiked club
  24. 50Bared one's teeth, say
  25. 52It's a breeze
  26. 57___-fi
  27. 58Sudden or impulsive, as a decision
  28. 59Lipstick blunder
  29. 61Intermittently offered fast-food pork sandwich
  30. 65Oscars host, e.g.
  31. 67It's a walk in the park
  32. 69Abandon prematurely, as a mission
  33. 70Piano exercise
  34. 71Fencing blade
  35. 72"OMG, same!"
  36. 73About 50.7% of all Americans
  37. 74Like typical communicators in sign language

Down

  1. 1Effrontery
  2. 2Not in writing, as an exam
  3. 3Magician's "Look what I did!"
  4. 4International competition in math, science and other disciplines
  5. 5Greek letter that looks like an "O" superimposed with an "I"
  6. 6Charged particles
  7. 7Roman robes
  8. 8French sweetheart
  9. 9Prohibited in Islam
  10. 10Chart-topper
  11. 11Texas setting for 2004's "Friday Night Lights"
  12. 12Mule or burro
  13. 13"Fancy seeing you here!"
  14. 14They may be counted when taking attendance
  15. 19Bell-bottom jeans and pet rocks, in the 1970s
  16. 23Undeniable successes
  17. 26Media misinformation
  18. 28Loch ___ monster
  19. 29Like a campfire by morning, typically
  20. 30Flightless bird from South America
  21. 31Figure in a school pep rally
  22. 32Empty ___ (home after the kids go off to college)
  23. 36Chinese general on a menu
  24. 37"___ will be done"
  25. 38English facilities
  26. 40"Don't you ___!"
  27. 41How much 1990s music was issued
  28. 43Pet pests
  29. 44Having added nutrients
  30. 49Obey, with "to"
  31. 51Apex
  32. 52Pay for at a restaurant, say
  33. 53Title role for Sylvester Stallone
  34. 54"This is my first day on the job"
  35. 55"Groovy"
  36. 56Unit of information
  37. 60Like checking a dating app while you're on a date
  38. 62Fully matured
  39. 63Swedish furniture supplier
  40. 64Complaint, informally
  41. 66Arrivals in the 2016 thriller "Arrival," in brief
  42. 68___ Faire (historical event)

The answer to “Starchy tuber” in the New York Times crossword is YAM — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 5, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 45-Across, and it has also run on 1 earlier date with the same answer. 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.

“Starchy tuber” answer

YAM (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 YAM.

Why the answer is YAM

Think of a starchy underground vegetable often enjoyed mashed or roasted 🥔

What does YAM mean?

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

(noun)

  • the edible starchy tuber of a climbing plant that is widely grown in tropical and subtropical countries
  • the cultivated plant that yields the yam
  • a sweet potato

When else has “Starchy tuber” 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Starchy tuber”?

The answer is YAM, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 5, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Starchy tuber”?

3 letters: YAM.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 5, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 45-Across. Earlier appearances: February 17, 2025 → YAM.

Can “Starchy tuber” 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 May 5, 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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