Word with pan, pump or paint
Latest answer — August 19, 2026
36 Across
Scroll down for rest of crossword answers
Clue explained
OIL can follow each word to make familiar compounds: pan oil, pump oil, and paint oil. The clue asks for the shared word rather than one particular kind of oil.
- Clue type:
- Cross-reference
NYT Crossword
This clue's Wednesday, August 19, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “Word with pan, pump or paint” in the New York Times crossword is OIL — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 19, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 36-Across. 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 with pan, pump or paint” answer
OIL (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 OIL.
What does OIL mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of OIL is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(noun)
- a viscous liquid derived from petroleum, especially for use as a fuel or lubricant
- oil paint
- information or facts
When else has “Word with pan, pump or paint” 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 19, 2026 (most recent) → OIL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Word with pan, pump or paint”?
The answer is OIL, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 19, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Word with pan, pump or paint”?
3 letters: OIL.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 19, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 36-Across.
Can “Word with pan, pump or paint” 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 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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