Used to be

Latest answer — May 04, 2026

54 Across

Think of how we refer to something in the past! 🕰️

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, May 04, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"The ___ is clear!"
  2. 6"Mamma Mia" group
  3. 10Spaces, as between teeth
  4. 14Author Joyce Carol ___
  5. 15Devices for keyless entry
  6. 16Amo, amas, ___
  7. 17"Sleepless in Seattle" or "Legally Blonde," informally
  8. 19Actress Dunham or Waithe
  9. 20Call from an ump
  10. 21Group of connected PCs
  11. 22Like some columns and bonds
  12. 23Methodical way for something to be built
  13. 27"This place is fire"
  14. 30Sidney who directed "12 Angry Men" and "The Wiz"
  15. 31Japanese camera giant
  16. 32"The Lion King" villain
  17. 34Soph., jr. and sr.
  18. 37Slogan encouraging the use of seatbelts
  19. 41Swiss peak
  20. 42Enormous
  21. 43New England state with the slogan "The Way Life Should Be"
  22. 44Used, as a chair
  23. 47Shaggy hairstyle
  24. 48Simple game requiring steady hands
  25. 52Improvise, as a speech
  26. 53When a plane is due, for short
  27. 54Used to be
  28. 57College figure
  29. 58Suddenly feels repulsed by a romantic partner ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across
  30. 62Pole on a sailboat
  31. 63Tradition for many high school seniors
  32. 64Fasten, as a ship's rope
  33. 65In addition
  34. 66Levelheaded
  35. 67"Goodie" on classic radio

Down

  1. 12017 Pixar film set in Mexico
  2. 2Third-largest Hawaiian island
  3. 3Going ___ (fighting)
  4. 4Part of a min.
  5. 5Chiding sound
  6. 6Insurance company whose mascot is a duck
  7. 7Sound effect for a bop on the head
  8. 8Eng. channel
  9. 9Request
  10. 10Aplenty
  11. 11Bag of hotel room freebies, say
  12. 12Feel a suddenly overwhelming fear
  13. 13Serving of pancakes
  14. 18Move like a fairy
  15. 22Tech giant founded in 1911
  16. 23Voting group
  17. 24Skating locale
  18. 25Play loudly, as from a speaker
  19. 26Traditional circular dwelling
  20. 27Ancient Peruvian
  21. 28Cash drawer
  22. 29Plays hooky
  23. 32Shocks into silence
  24. 33Part of a gearwheel
  25. 35Nevada city near Lake Tahoe
  26. 36Bit of a staircase
  27. 38Flapjack franchise
  28. 39Reassurance after a loud crash, say
  29. 40Puts a limit on
  30. 45Resembling
  31. 46Spot for three men in a nursery rhyme
  32. 47Exam for a future doc
  33. 48Culinary personality Lakshmi
  34. 49Best imaginable
  35. 50Wyoming's Grand ___ National Park
  36. 51"Hi, you know who this is"
  37. 54Undomesticated
  38. 55Smoothie "superfood"
  39. 56Scottish terrier breed
  40. 58Rte. finder
  41. 59Long time in history
  42. 60Network for "Succession" and "The Wire"
  43. 61Slithery fish

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. "The ___ is clear!" — Answer: COAST
  2. 6. "Mamma Mia" group — Answer: ABBA
  3. 10. Spaces, as between teeth — Answer: GAPS
  4. 14. Author Joyce Carol ___ — Answer: OATES
  5. 15. Devices for keyless entry — Answer: FOBS
  6. 16. Amo, amas, ___ — Answer: AMAT
  7. 17. "Sleepless in Seattle" or "Legally Blonde," informally — Answer: CHICKFLICK
  8. 19. Actress Dunham or Waithe — Answer: LENA
  9. 20. Call from an ump — Answer: OUT
  10. 21. Group of connected PCs — Answer: LAN
  11. 22. Like some columns and bonds — Answer: IONIC
  12. 23. Methodical way for something to be built — Answer: BRICKBYBRICK
  13. 27. "This place is fire" — Answer: ITSLIT
  14. 30. Sidney who directed "12 Angry Men" and "The Wiz" — Answer: LUMET
  15. 31. Japanese camera giant — Answer: NIKON
  16. 32. "The Lion King" villain — Answer: SCAR. Hint: This character is known for his cunning ways and a very memorable song about being in the shadows. 🦁
  17. 34. Soph., jr. and sr. — Answer: YRS
  18. 37. Slogan encouraging the use of seatbelts — Answer: CLICKITORTICKET
  19. 41. Swiss peak — Answer: ALP. Hint: A snowy mountain in Switzerland might fit this tiny peak 🏔️
  20. 42. Enormous — Answer: HUGE
  21. 43. New England state with the slogan "The Way Life Should Be" — Answer: MAINE
  22. 44. Used, as a chair — Answer: SATON
  23. 47. Shaggy hairstyle — Answer: MOPTOP
  24. 48. Simple game requiring steady hands — Answer: PICKUPSTICKS
  25. 52. Improvise, as a speech — Answer: ADLIB
  26. 53. When a plane is due, for short — Answer: ETA
  27. 54. Used to be — Answer: WAS. Hint: Think of how we refer to something in the past! 🕰️
  28. 57. College figure — Answer: DEAN
  29. 58. Suddenly feels repulsed by a romantic partner ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across — Answer: GETSTHEICK
  30. 62. Pole on a sailboat — Answer: MAST
  31. 63. Tradition for many high school seniors — Answer: PROM
  32. 64. Fasten, as a ship's rope — Answer: BELAY
  33. 65. In addition — Answer: ALSO. Hint: Another way to say “too” in a sentence 😄
  34. 66. Levelheaded — Answer: SANE. Hint: Think of a state of mind that's clear and rational! 🧠
  35. 67. "Goodie" on classic radio — Answer: OLDIE

Down

  1. 1. 2017 Pixar film set in Mexico — Answer: COCO
  2. 2. Third-largest Hawaiian island — Answer: OAHU
  3. 3. Going ___ (fighting) — Answer: ATIT
  4. 4. Part of a min. — Answer: SEC
  5. 5. Chiding sound — Answer: TSK
  6. 6. Insurance company whose mascot is a duck — Answer: AFLAC
  7. 7. Sound effect for a bop on the head — Answer: BOINK
  8. 8. Eng. channel — Answer: BBC
  9. 9. Request — Answer: ASK. Hint: It’s what you do when you politely seek information or help. 🙋
  10. 10. Aplenty — Answer: GALORE
  11. 11. Bag of hotel room freebies, say — Answer: AMENITYKIT
  12. 12. Feel a suddenly overwhelming fear — Answer: PANIC
  13. 13. Serving of pancakes — Answer: STACK
  14. 18. Move like a fairy — Answer: FLIT
  15. 22. Tech giant founded in 1911 — Answer: IBM
  16. 23. Voting group — Answer: BLOC. Hint: Think of a united front of people with a common goal! 🗳️
  17. 24. Skating locale — Answer: RINK
  18. 25. Play loudly, as from a speaker — Answer: BLARE
  19. 26. Traditional circular dwelling — Answer: YURT
  20. 27. Ancient Peruvian — Answer: INCA
  21. 28. Cash drawer — Answer: TILL
  22. 29. Plays hooky — Answer: SKIPSCLASS
  23. 32. Shocks into silence — Answer: STUNS
  24. 33. Part of a gearwheel — Answer: COG
  25. 35. Nevada city near Lake Tahoe — Answer: RENO. Hint: This city is known as 'The Biggest Little City in the World' and is a popular destination for gaming and entertainment! 🎰
  26. 36. Bit of a staircase — Answer: STEP
  27. 38. Flapjack franchise — Answer: IHOP
  28. 39. Reassurance after a loud crash, say — Answer: IMOK
  29. 40. Puts a limit on — Answer: CAPS
  30. 45. Resembling — Answer: AKINTO
  31. 46. Spot for three men in a nursery rhyme — Answer: TUB
  32. 47. Exam for a future doc — Answer: MCAT
  33. 48. Culinary personality Lakshmi — Answer: PADMA
  34. 49. Best imaginable — Answer: IDEAL
  35. 50. Wyoming's Grand ___ National Park — Answer: TETON
  36. 51. "Hi, you know who this is" — Answer: ITSME
  37. 54. Undomesticated — Answer: WILD
  38. 55. Smoothie "superfood" — Answer: ACAI
  39. 56. Scottish terrier breed — Answer: SKYE
  40. 58. Rte. finder — Answer: GPS
  41. 59. Long time in history — Answer: ERA
  42. 60. Network for "Succession" and "The Wire" — Answer: HBO
  43. 61. Slithery fish — Answer: EEL

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 3 May 2026NYT Crossword 2 May 2026NYT Crossword 1 May 2026NYT Crossword 30 April 2026NYT Crossword 29 April 2026NYT Crossword 28 April 2026NYT Crossword 27 April 2026

The answer to “Used to be” in the New York Times crossword is WAS — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 4, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 54-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.

“Used to be” answer

WAS (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 WAS.

Why the answer is WAS

Think of how we refer to something in the past! 🕰️

When else has “Used to be” 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.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on May 4, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for May 4, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Monday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Used to be”?

The answer is WAS, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 4, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Used to be”?

3 letters: WAS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 4, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 54-Across. Earlier appearances: March 23, 2026 → WAS.

Can “Used to be” 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 4, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

Crossword Clues

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