Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German

Editorially verified for the Oct 13, 2026

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A figure-ground illusion illustrating how the mind organizes visual patterns.

Clue explainedFact checked

A gestalt is a whole perceived as more than just a collection of separate parts; the clue gives the German word for “form” or “configuration.” Gestalt psychology explored how people naturally organize what they see into complete patterns. For example, we can recognize a familiar shape even when parts of its outline are missing, because we perceive the overall form rather than isolated marks.

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, October 13, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1___ classic ("The Rocky Horror Picture Show" or "Pulp Fiction," e.g.)
  2. 5Spongy wetlands
  3. 9Titleholder
  4. 14Engrave
  5. 15Dirt pie ingredient
  6. 16Greek goddesses of the seasons
  7. 17Optional mission in a video game
  8. 19Gradually eat away
  9. 20Selfless sort
  10. 21Shindig for someone to announce whether they're having a boy or a girl
  11. 22-
  12. 23Lie next to
  13. 25Show on which Tina Fey and Seth Meyers have worked as head writers, in brief
  14. 26Tropical cocktail with bananas, strawberries, rum and coconut cream
  15. 31Go downhill fast
  16. 34Feedbag contents
  17. 36Shindig for someone settling into a new home
  18. 37-
  19. 40Flips, say
  20. 42Skirt, as an issue
  21. 43Jennifer who wrote "A Visit From the Goon Squad"
  22. 45Auction unit
  23. 46Cowboy's kerchief
  24. 48Show stoppers?
  25. 51Goes bad
  26. 52Shindig for someone who's about to tie the knot
  27. 56-
  28. 60Like a dish of veal or chicken dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, then fried in butter
  29. 62Surfers ride them
  30. 63Lunchroom
  31. 64Wolf in "The Jungle Book"
  32. 65Initials on a map until 1991
  33. 66Shindig for the cast and crew after filming is done ... with a hint to entering this answer and three others in the grid
  34. 67-
  35. 68Boxing stats
  36. 69Jazz singer Sylvia

Down

  1. 1___ Millan, celebrity dog trainer
  2. 2Handy
  3. 3High-def flat screen, for short
  4. 4"Ay, ___ the rub"
  5. 5Broth that might come from a dissolved cube
  6. 6Magnetite and bauxite
  7. 7Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German
  8. 8Barfly
  9. 9Spotted African sprinters
  10. 10Car's honker
  11. 11Longtime Yankee slugger, familiarly
  12. 12Earned
  13. 13Member of a jury
  14. 18Ke Huy ___, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" actor
  15. 21Boss, in Britain
  16. 24Major Iraqi port city
  17. 27Adversary
  18. 28Quiet period
  19. 29Scandinavian capital
  20. 30Toward sunset
  21. 31Mop, as the deck
  22. 32Polynesian brew
  23. 33Smooth out, as a wrinkled shirt
  24. 35Talent broker
  25. 38Mediocre, in modern slang
  26. 39"'Tis entirely likely"
  27. 41Those going along with others' unhealthy habits
  28. 44Item worn with a hazmat suit
  29. 47Negative connector
  30. 49"Curses!"
  31. 50Fibrous connecting tissues
  32. 53Second-largest city in Northern Ireland
  33. 54"Take me ___"
  34. 55Bounds
  35. 56Substitute
  36. 57Ceremonial Maori dance
  37. 58Done
  38. 59Mark left by a whip
  39. 61"Should that be true ..."
  40. 63Word before "one's losses" or "both ways"

The answer to “Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German” in the New York Times crossword is GESTALT — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 13, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 7-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.

“Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German” answer

GESTALT (7 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 GESTALT.

What does GESTALT mean?

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

(noun)

  • an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts

When else has “Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German” 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.

October 13, 2026 (most recent) → GESTALT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German”?

The answer is GESTALT, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 13, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German”?

7 letters: GESTALT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 13, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 7-Down.

Can “Whole that's greater than the sum of its parts, from the German” 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 October 13, 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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