Word before beer or after square

Latest answer — April 27, 2026

2 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, April 27, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Paths for lobbed tennis balls
  2. 5Tribe of Arizona
  3. 9Flinch, say
  4. 14Short blast from a horn
  5. 15Actor McGregor of "Trainspotting"
  6. 16Han Solo's response to Leia's "I love you"
  7. 17Singer's recovery period
  8. 19"Catch my drift?"
  9. 20Shop
  10. 21Spot for a soak
  11. 23Dear ___ (letter start)
  12. 24Pumice or basalt
  13. 29Chemical that speeds up a fruit's aging process
  14. 32Film director Coen
  15. 33"Our Lips ___ Sealed" (hit by the Go-Go's)
  16. 34Youngest woman ever elected to Congress, familiarly
  17. 36Betraying surprise, in a way
  18. 39Spinoff of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"
  19. 44Big name in microprocessors
  20. 45"Who's Who in the Cast" blurb
  21. 46Tie-breaking periods, for short
  22. 47How a picture book may be read at bedtime
  23. 50___ of hand (magician's skill)
  24. 53Congressional history
  25. 56Palindrome akin to "Aha!"
  26. 57Work well together
  27. 58Florida's ___-Dade County
  28. 62Jousting weapon
  29. 65Device worn by a video gamer ... or a hint to 17-, 24-, 39- and 53-Across
  30. 68Basic piano chord
  31. 69Notes of indebtedness
  32. 70Gets eyes on
  33. 71Sends frisky messages
  34. 72Strong soapmaking solutions
  35. 73Like bourbon

Down

  1. 1Four-wheelers, in brief
  2. 2Word before beer or after square
  3. 3Pixar film with the Oscar-winning song "Remember Me"
  4. 4"Feed a cold, ___ a fever" (dubious medical advice)
  5. 5That girl
  6. 6Have debts
  7. 7Many an Olive Garden entree
  8. 8Sounding good, as a musical instrument
  9. 918-wheeler
  10. 10Barely get (by)
  11. 11Snack with celery, peanut butter and raisins
  12. 12"Peanuts" or "Pickles"
  13. 13Do some booty-shaking
  14. 18Spinks who defeated Muhammad Ali
  15. 22One-eighth of a byte
  16. 25Titular Shakespearean king
  17. 26Remove outer parts from, as a photo
  18. 27Burn until black
  19. 28Prego alternative
  20. 29Sitar virtuoso Shankar
  21. 30Tehran's land
  22. 31Grammy-winning a cappella group famous for their Christmas albums
  23. 35Chicago slugger
  24. 37"Late Night" host Meyers
  25. 38"Hey! Over here!"
  26. 40Place to purchase pastrami
  27. 41North Carolina university
  28. 42Catchall category: Abbr.
  29. 43Sport on a horse
  30. 48Sheepskin boot brand
  31. 49Role for Mike Myers in the Austin Powers movies
  32. 51Columnist Bombeck
  33. 52Doubling-down assertion
  34. 53Battery measure
  35. 54Chicago airport
  36. 55"The Jetsons" boy
  37. 59On the waves
  38. 60Gentle and submissive
  39. 61___-bitsy
  40. 63Garfield in the funny pages, e.g.
  41. 64Magazine bigwigs, in brief
  42. 66Gradation of color
  43. 67Letter before tee

The answer to “Word before beer or after square” in the New York Times crossword is ROOT — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 27, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 2-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.

“Word before beer or after square” answer

ROOT (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 ROOT.

Why the answer is ROOT

ROOT is the 4-letter solution that fits "Word before beer or after square" in the NYT Crossword crossword on April 27, 2026 (2-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does ROOT mean?

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

(noun)

  • the part of a plant which attaches it to the ground or to a support, typically underground, conveying water and nourishment to the rest of the plant via numerous branches and fibres
  • the basic cause, source, or origin of something
  • a number or quantity that when multiplied by itself, typically a specified number of times, gives a specified number or quantity

When else has “Word before beer or after square” 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.

April 27, 2026 (most recent) → ROOT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Word before beer or after square”?

The answer is ROOT, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 27, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Word before beer or after square”?

4 letters: ROOT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on April 27, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 2-Down.

Can “Word before beer or after square” 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 April 27, 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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