Tampa Bay players

Latest answer — August 24, 2026

41 Down

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Clue explained

The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team. “Players” makes the plural team nickname appropriate, even though the clue refers collectively to the roster.

Clue type:
Pop culture
Tampa Bay Rays players on a baseball field.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 24, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Apex
  2. 5Curry ingredient
  3. 10Hay unit
  4. 14Robert Frost creation
  5. 15Grilled, at a taqueria
  6. 16Mined metals
  7. 17Criminals' sphere
  8. 19Have a hankering for
  9. 20Floral Van Gogh subject
  10. 21Latin gods
  11. 22Enemy
  12. 23End of the Greek alphabet
  13. 25Tsunami
  14. 28Common motive in a murder case
  15. 30Follower of latch or catch
  16. 31Nashville honor, briefly
  17. 32Oft-torn knee part, in brief
  18. 34Confederate soldier, informally
  19. 35Any foreseeable difficulty ... with a hint to 17-, 25-, 50- and 60-Across
  20. 42Clerical vestment
  21. 43Writer Edgar Allan ___
  22. 44She, in Portuguese
  23. 45Zing ___ (brand of Bloody Mary mix)
  24. 47Zoomed past
  25. 50Stop in the afterlife
  26. 54Fill in for
  27. 55Fury
  28. 56Source of fleece
  29. 57Jazz great Fitzgerald
  30. 58White part of an orange
  31. 60Natural wonder in Venezuela
  32. 64Sound in a cavernous empty room
  33. 65Arctic creatures with flippers
  34. 66International retailer with a three-syllable name
  35. 67Dance whose name is also a hairstyle
  36. 68Golfer Els
  37. 69Letters on an invitation

Down

  1. 1Storekeeper on "The Simpsons"
  2. 2Trick
  3. 3Like the period known as the Middle Ages
  4. 4Leave the cocoon
  5. 5Sparrows : cheeps :: crows : ___
  6. 6Grp. that entertains troops
  7. 7Tuesday, in Lyon
  8. 8Sat at a red light
  9. 9Gymnast Comaneci
  10. 10Cousin of a curtsy
  11. 11Yasir of the P.L.O.
  12. 12Chinese computer giant
  13. 13Lauder of cosmetics
  14. 18"Knives Out" director Johnson
  15. 23Philharmonic grp.
  16. 24Many a viral post
  17. 25Word after Georgia, Virginia or low
  18. 26Big name in movie theaters
  19. 27Caitlin Clark's league
  20. 29Apparel
  21. 33Place for gloss
  22. 34Actress Perlman of "Cheers"
  23. 36"Auld ___ Syne"
  24. 37"Three Sisters" sister
  25. 38Like many horror flicks
  26. 39Presentations with an 18-minute limit
  27. 40Actor Idris
  28. 41Tampa Bay players
  29. 45Financial center of Switzerland
  30. 46Franklin who sang "Chain of Fools"
  31. 48Baby bovine
  32. 49Filled pastry
  33. 50Plumbing conduits
  34. 51Needle mischievously
  35. 52Renter's counterpart
  36. 53Daughter of King Lear
  37. 57Coder's counterpart to "if"
  38. 59Non-sharer
  39. 61One of football's Mannings
  40. 62"The Magicians" novelist Grossman
  41. 63Maple syrup base

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Apex — Answer: ACME. Hint: It's often used to describe the highest point or peak of something! 🏔️
  2. 5. Curry ingredient — Answer: CUMIN. Hint: This warm, earthy spice often seasons stews and rice dishes. 🌶️
  3. 10. Hay unit — Answer: BALE. Hint: Farmers stack this compact bundle of dried grass. 🌾
  4. 14. Robert Frost creation — Answer: POEM. Hint: Think of a literary work by the famed American poet. 📜
  5. 15. Grilled, at a taqueria — Answer: ASADA. Hint: At a taco shop, this usually describes meat cooked over flames. 🔥
  6. 16. Mined metals — Answer: ORES. Hint: These valuable substances are dug from mineral-rich rock. ⛏️
  7. 17. Criminals' sphere — Answer: UNDERWORLD. Hint: It’s the shadowy realm associated with organized crime. 🕶️
  8. 19. Have a hankering for — Answer: WANT. Hint: To strongly desire something is to do this. 💭
  9. 20. Floral Van Gogh subject — Answer: IRIS. Hint: This flower appears in one of the painter’s best-known still lifes. 🌼
  10. 21. Latin gods — Answer: DEI. Hint: Roman deities are called this in Latin. 🏛️
  11. 22. Enemy — Answer: FOE. Hint: A rival or adversary fits this description. ⚔️
  12. 23. End of the Greek alphabet — Answer: OMEGA. Hint: This final Greek letter also symbolizes ultimate completion. 🔤
  13. 25. Tsunami — Answer: TIDALWAVE. Hint: This devastating coastal surge can follow an undersea earthquake. 🌊
  14. 28. Common motive in a murder case — Answer: REVENGE. Hint: A desire to get even can be a grim motive. ⚖️
  15. 30. Follower of latch or catch — Answer: ONTO. Hint: This word follows both “latch” and “catch” in common phrasing. 🔗
  16. 31. Nashville honor, briefly — Answer: CMA. Hint: This music award group is associated with Nashville’s country scene. 🎵
  17. 32. Oft-torn knee part, in brief — Answer: ACL. Hint: This ligament is often discussed in sports injuries. 🦵
  18. 34. Confederate soldier, informally — Answer: REB. Hint: This casual Civil War-era term referred to a Confederate soldier. 🪖
  19. 35. Any foreseeable difficulty ... with a hint to 17-, 25-, 50- and 60-Across — Answer: HELLORHIGHWATER. Hint: This phrase describes a challenge one is determined to overcome. 💪
  20. 42. Clerical vestment — Answer: ALB. Hint: This simple white garment is worn by clergy during services. ⛪
  21. 43. Writer Edgar Allan ___ — Answer: POE. Hint: The famous American author of “The Raven” fits here. 📚
  22. 44. She, in Portuguese — Answer: ELA. Hint: This Portuguese pronoun refers to a female person. 🌸
  23. 45. Zing ___ (brand of Bloody Mary mix) — Answer: ZANG. Hint: This Bloody Mary mixer has a name suggesting lively flavor. 🍅
  24. 47. Zoomed past — Answer: RACEDBY. Hint: It describes speeding past someone or something. 💨
  25. 50. Stop in the afterlife — Answer: PURGATORY. Hint: In theological lore, this is a place of purification between life and heaven. ✨
  26. 54. Fill in for — Answer: ACTAS. Hint: To do this is to step into another person’s role. 🔄
  27. 55. Fury — Answer: IRE. Hint: A fiery burst of intense anger 🔥
  28. 56. Source of fleece — Answer: EWE. Hint: Look to this female sheep for woolly fleece. 🐑
  29. 57. Jazz great Fitzgerald — Answer: ELLA. Hint: This legendary singer was nicknamed the First Lady of Song. 🎶
  30. 58. White part of an orange — Answer: PITH. Hint: This spongy citrus layer lies between the peel and juicy segments. 🍊
  31. 60. Natural wonder in Venezuela — Answer: ANGELFALLS. Hint: Venezuela is home to this spectacular waterfall, the world’s highest uninterrupted drop. 🌊
  32. 64. Sound in a cavernous empty room — Answer: ECHO. Hint: This sound repeats after bouncing off distant surfaces. 🔊
  33. 65. Arctic creatures with flippers — Answer: SEALS. Hint: These marine mammals swim with flippers and rest on icy shores. 🦭
  34. 66. International retailer with a three-syllable name — Answer: IKEA. Hint: This Swedish home-goods giant is known for flat-packed furniture. 🛋️
  35. 67. Dance whose name is also a hairstyle — Answer: SHAG. Hint: This lively dance shares its name with a tousled haircut. 💃
  36. 68. Golfer Els — Answer: ERNIE. Hint: This golfer shares a first name with a beloved Sesame Street character. ⛳
  37. 69. Letters on an invitation — Answer: RSVP. Hint: These invitation initials politely ask guests to reply. 💌

Down

  1. 1. Storekeeper on "The Simpsons" — Answer: APU. Hint: The Kwik-E-Mart clerk is one of Springfield’s familiar faces. 🛒
  2. 2. Trick — Answer: CON. Hint: A dishonest scheme designed to fool someone is this. 🎩
  3. 3. Like the period known as the Middle Ages — Answer: MEDIEVAL. Hint: This adjective fits castles, knights, and the era between antiquity and modern times. 🏰
  4. 4. Leave the cocoon — Answer: EMERGE. Hint: A butterfly does this when it leaves its chrysalis. 🦋
  5. 5. Sparrows : cheeps :: crows : ___ — Answer: CAWS. Hint: Crows produce this harsh, recognizable call. 🐦
  6. 6. Grp. that entertains troops — Answer: USO. Hint: This organization brings entertainment and cheer to service members 🎭
  7. 7. Tuesday, in Lyon — Answer: MARDI. Hint: A French word for the second day of the week 🇫🇷
  8. 8. Sat at a red light — Answer: IDLED. Hint: A car does this while waiting for traffic to move 🚗
  9. 9. Gymnast Comaneci — Answer: NADIA. Hint: This Romanian Olympic star became famous for perfect scores 🤸
  10. 10. Cousin of a curtsy — Answer: BOW. Hint: A polite gesture made by bending at the waist 🎩
  11. 11. Yasir of the P.L.O. — Answer: ARAFAT. Hint: This Palestinian leader chaired the P.L.O. for decades 🕊️
  12. 12. Chinese computer giant — Answer: LENOVO. Hint: This global computer maker is known for laptops and ThinkPad devices 💻
  13. 13. Lauder of cosmetics — Answer: ESTEE. Hint: This beauty mogul is known for her iconic skincare and makeup line! 💄
  14. 18. "Knives Out" director Johnson — Answer: RIAN. Hint: This filmmaker also helmed "Looper" and "Glass Onion" 🎬
  15. 23. Philharmonic grp. — Answer: ORCH. Hint: This short form labels a symphony’s instrumental ensemble 🎻
  16. 24. Many a viral post — Answer: MEME. Hint: An image or joke shared widely online often earns this label 😂
  17. 25. Word after Georgia, Virginia or low — Answer: TECH. Hint: It follows several place names and can refer to technology 🏫
  18. 26. Big name in movie theaters — Answer: LOEW. Hint: A pioneering theater-chain name associated with cinema history 🍿
  19. 27. Caitlin Clark's league — Answer: WNBA. Hint: This professional women’s basketball league features top American talent 🏀
  20. 29. Apparel — Answer: GARB. Hint: A slightly old-fashioned word for clothing 👕
  21. 33. Place for gloss — Answer: LIP. Hint: Gloss is commonly applied here 💄
  22. 34. Actress Perlman of "Cheers" — Answer: RHEA. Hint: She played the sharp-tongued Carla on the classic sitcom 📺
  23. 36. "Auld ___ Syne" — Answer: LANG. Hint: A Scottish term meaning “long ago” fills the New Year’s refrain 🎶
  24. 37. "Three Sisters" sister — Answer: OLGA. Hint: This is the eldest of Chekhov’s three titular siblings 🎭
  25. 38. Like many horror flicks — Answer: GORY. Hint: These movies may feature plenty of blood and gruesome scenes 🩸
  26. 39. Presentations with an 18-minute limit — Answer: TEDTALKS. Hint: These famous conference presentations are capped at 18 minutes 🎤
  27. 40. Actor Idris — Answer: ELBA. Hint: This British actor is known for his roles in both film and TV, often seen as a leading man! 🎬
  28. 41. Tampa Bay players — Answer: RAYS. Hint: These baseball players share their name with beams of sunlight ⚾
  29. 45. Financial center of Switzerland — Answer: ZURICH. Hint: Look to Switzerland’s largest city and banking hub 🏦
  30. 46. Franklin who sang "Chain of Fools" — Answer: ARETHA. Hint: She was the legendary Queen of Soul 🎤
  31. 48. Baby bovine — Answer: CALF. Hint: This young farm animal grows up to join the herd 🐄
  32. 49. Filled pastry — Answer: ECLAIR. Hint: This elegant pastry is usually filled with cream and topped with icing 🍰
  33. 50. Plumbing conduits — Answer: PIPES. Hint: These carry water through walls and beneath sinks 🔧
  34. 51. Needle mischievously — Answer: TEASE. Hint: To do this is to poke fun in a playful way 😄
  35. 52. Renter's counterpart — Answer: OWNER. Hint: This person holds the property title 🏠
  36. 53. Daughter of King Lear — Answer: REGAN. Hint: She is one of Lear’s three daughters in Shakespeare’s tragedy 📖
  37. 57. Coder's counterpart to "if" — Answer: ELSE. Hint: This programming keyword handles the alternative condition 💻
  38. 59. Non-sharer — Answer: HOG. Hint: Someone who keeps everything instead of dividing it is one 🐷
  39. 61. One of football's Mannings — Answer: ELI. Hint: This Manning quarterback won two Super Bowls 🏈
  40. 62. "The Magicians" novelist Grossman — Answer: LEV. Hint: He wrote the fantasy trilogy about Brakebills 📚
  41. 63. Maple syrup base — Answer: SAP. Hint: This sweet tree liquid is boiled down into pancake topping 🍁

The answer to “Tampa Bay players” in the New York Times crossword is RAYS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 24, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 41-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.

“Tampa Bay players” answer

RAYS (4 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 RAYS.

What does RAYS mean?

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

(noun)

  • each of the lines in which light (and heat) may seem to stream from the sun or any luminous body, or pass through a small opening
  • a straight line extending indefinitely in one direction from a point
  • a thing that is arranged radially

When else has “Tampa Bay players” 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.

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Tampa Bay players”?

The answer is RAYS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 24, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Tampa Bay players”?

4 letters: RAYS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 24, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 41-Down.

Can “Tampa Bay players” 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 August 24, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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