Words to live by

Latest answer — February 09, 2026

48 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, February 09, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1The slightest bit
  2. 5Mariner's septet
  3. 9Picket line crosser
  4. 13Like a situation with only bad outcomes
  5. 15St. Louis's Gateway ___ National Park
  6. 16Voice above tenor
  7. 17Thanksgiving boatful
  8. 18Spanish cat
  9. 19Nutritionist's plan
  10. 20Main drag through Sin City
  11. 23"Fancy meeting you here!"
  12. 24Apply, as a new skill
  13. 25Indigenous Southwestern people
  14. 28Body part that can serve as a pencil holder
  15. 30"Delicious!"
  16. 31Trireme implement
  17. 32Valuable bit in a prospector's pan
  18. 37Like sudokus with very few given digits, generally
  19. 38"Nope, not for me"
  20. 39Online "haha"
  21. 40Steep-walled canyon
  22. 41Hoarse voice
  23. 42Hockey player who typically plays the entire game
  24. 44Explosive-sounding TV channel
  25. 45Crow's call
  26. 46Punk-inspired music genre
  27. 47Minor disruption in the proceedings
  28. 49[Their typo, not mine!]
  29. 51Be a passenger
  30. 55Question to a scaredy-cat ... to which the final parts of 20-, 32- and 42-Across would answer "Yes!"
  31. 58"You have a point there"
  32. 60Lake on Ohio's northern border
  33. 61Nine-member musical group
  34. 62Lack of difficulty
  35. 63Pimples
  36. 64Like a lot
  37. 65Amazed
  38. 66From ___ to riches
  39. 67Water pitcher

Down

  1. 1___-Saxon
  2. 2Scroll read during a bat mitzvah ceremony
  3. 3Overflowing (with)
  4. 4Apportioned
  5. 5Long stories
  6. 6Wipe clean
  7. 7"America's Got Talent" segments
  8. 8Track-and-field event with a 16-pound ball
  9. 9British novelist Jones
  10. 10Portable writing surface
  11. 11Devoured
  12. 12Spam spewer
  13. 14Bill who says "Science rules!" in the intro to his TV show
  14. 21Sanskrit word for "teacher"
  15. 22"Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of ___"
  16. 26Massive
  17. 27Pick from the menu
  18. 29Tiny hill dweller
  19. 30Bellow
  20. 32Measurement around the waist
  21. 33Resident of Muscat
  22. 34Something that's beyond help
  23. 35Luminesce
  24. 36India's smallest state by area
  25. 37What students abide by when they don't cheat
  26. 40Precious stone
  27. 42Period before starting more school
  28. 43Georgia ___ (Atlanta school)
  29. 45Pool player's stick
  30. 48Words to live by
  31. 49Taking to court
  32. 50Some frozen drinks
  33. 52"No need to remind me!"
  34. 53Outdoor John?
  35. 54"Come in"
  36. 56Oceanic predator
  37. 57All ___ day's work
  38. 58Drink served by the Mad Hatter
  39. 59Like the fish in poke

The answer to “Words to live by” in the New York Times crossword is CREED — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 9, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 48-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include MOTTO. 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.

“Words to live by” answer

CREED (5 letters) — most recent; also seen as MOTTO

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 CREED.

Why the answer is CREED

CREED is the 5-letter solution that fits "Words to live by" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 9, 2026 (48-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does CREED mean?

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

(noun)

  • a system of religious belief; a faith

Other answers for “Words to live by”

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

  • February 9, 2026 (most recent) → CREED
  • May 5, 2025 → MOTTO

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Words to live by”?

The answer is CREED, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 9, 2026. Other answers for this clue include MOTTO.

How many letters is the answer to “Words to live by”?

5 letters: CREED. Earlier fills for this clue have also been MOTTO (5).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on February 9, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 48-Down. Earlier appearances: May 5, 2025 → MOTTO.

Can “Words to live by” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides CREED, New York Times has also used MOTTO 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 February 9, 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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