Verbal hesitations

Latest answer — August 19, 2026

26 Down

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Clue explained

ERS represents the verbal hesitation “ers,” the sounds a speaker may make while searching for words. The plural form refers to multiple such hesitations.

Clue type:
Word form
A speaker pausing uncertainly during a conversation.

NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 19, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Sahara-esque
  2. 5Exams for high school jrs.
  3. 10Private sleeping accommodations?
  4. 14"Didn't you get the ___?"
  5. 15Wipe from one's memory, so to speak
  6. 16Section in a textbook
  7. 17"___ She Lovely" (Stevie Wonder hit)
  8. 18Deceptive move in fencing
  9. 19Depend (on)
  10. 20Natural pillow filling
  11. 23Graffiti, to some
  12. 24Three unnamed things, in shorthand
  13. 25Quinceañeras, e.g.
  14. 28Lifted
  15. 30Services for senior citizens
  16. 34Hybrid tennis attire
  17. 36Word with pan, pump or paint
  18. 37___ Minor
  19. 38Unofficial vote
  20. 41President who was a heavyweight wrestling champion in college
  21. 44"___ got it!"
  22. 45Cats and dogs, for example
  23. 48Old West outlaw who left behind poetic messages after some robberies
  24. 51Excludes
  25. 53Mount ___ Health System
  26. 54Immature high score initials on an arcade game
  27. 56Something to trust
  28. 57Hides one's central point, in a way ... with a doubly homophonic hint to 20-, 30-, 38- and 48-Across
  29. 62They offer support
  30. 64Speak at a political convention, perhaps
  31. 65Field
  32. 66Facility
  33. 672008 film about a solitary trash-compacting robot
  34. 68Semiaquatic relative of a weasel
  35. 69Blue No. 1 and Yellow No. 6
  36. 70Fall bloom
  37. 71Cave wall hangings?

Down

  1. 1Female friends from Fuenlabrada
  2. 2Some vacation destinations
  3. 3"My mood is pretty low"
  4. 4Top three sights in Fiji?
  5. 5Like eyes during an allergy attack
  6. 6"Bless you!" elicitor
  7. 7___ Minor
  8. 8Something that's pitched
  9. 9"Family Guy" creator MacFarlane
  10. 10Set of courses offered
  11. 11Miserable rating
  12. 12"___ death do us part"
  13. 13What a parent might compare a messy bedroom to
  14. 21Put forth
  15. 22Drop the ball
  16. 26Verbal hesitations
  17. 27Neptune's territory
  18. 29Situations one might no longer put effort into
  19. 31Drop
  20. 32Drop
  21. 33North Carolina university
  22. 35Chicago paper, with "the"
  23. 39___ Max, singer of the 2018 hit "Sweet but Psycho"
  24. 40Not taut
  25. 41Longtime "American Dad!" airer
  26. 422001 biopic starring Will Smith
  27. 43The "Beyhive" for Beyoncé, e.g.
  28. 46Country bordering Chad and Benin
  29. 47Lecture attendee
  30. 49___ royale (Champagne cocktail)
  31. 50Rat (on)
  32. 52They can be well-done
  33. 55See-through
  34. 58Part of the Corn Belt
  35. 59Important stretches
  36. 60The word "salary" derives from the Latin for this
  37. 61What a shepherd may shepherd
  38. 62Bouncy part of a trampoline
  39. 63"A drop of golden sun," in song

The answer to “Verbal hesitations” in the New York Times crossword is ERS — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 19, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 26-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include UHS, and UMS. 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.

“Verbal hesitations” answer

ERS (3 letters) — most recent; also seen as UHS, UMS

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 ERS.

Other answers for “Verbal hesitations”

New York Times has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides ERS, it has also been UHS, and UMS. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Verbal hesitations”?

The answer is ERS, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 19, 2026. Other answers for this clue include UHS, and UMS.

How many letters is the answer to “Verbal hesitations”?

3 letters: ERS. Earlier fills for this clue have also been UHS (3), UMS (3).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 19, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 26-Down. Earlier appearances: December 10, 2025 → UHS; June 18, 2025 → UMS.

Can “Verbal hesitations” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides ERS, New York Times has also used UHS, and UMS for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for August 19, 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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