They have teeth but don't bite
Latest answer — August 26, 2026
3 Down
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Clue explained
GEARS have interlocking teeth but do not bite; their teeth transfer motion between rotating mechanical parts. The plural form matches “They.”
- Clue type:
- Pun or wordplay
NYT Crossword
This clue's Wednesday, August 26, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “They have teeth but don't bite” in the New York Times crossword is GEARS — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 26, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 3-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.
“They have teeth but don't bite” answer
GEARS (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 GEARS.
What does GEARS mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of GEARS is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(noun)
- a toothed wheel that works with others to alter the relation between the speed of a driving mechanism (such as the engine of a vehicle) and the speed of the driven parts (the wheels)
- equipment or apparatus that is used for a particular purpose
When else has “They have teeth but don't bite” 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 26, 2026 (most recent) → GEARS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “They have teeth but don't bite”?
The answer is GEARS, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 26, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “They have teeth but don't bite”?
5 letters: GEARS.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 26, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 3-Down.
Can “They have teeth but don't bite” 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 26, 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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