A big one might be challenging to work with

Crossword Answer — March 05, 2026

Answer

NYT Crossword

Thursday, March 05, 2026

By Hanh Huynh

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Replay technique, informally
  2. 6"Baby ___" (2008 comedy)
  3. 10"Fiddlesticks!"
  4. 13Woodworking machine
  5. 14Burden
  6. 15A big one might be challenging to work with
  7. 16Sewing/cooking class, informally
  8. 17User of the Force
  9. 18Mrs. in Spain
  10. 19Remove from power
  11. 20Boarding pass info
  12. 21Like cabernet sauvignon vis-à-vis white zinfandel
  13. 23Restaurant booking, for short
  14. 24"Shoulda listened to me!"
  15. 26Rang out
  16. 27Carrier based in Ben Gurion Airport
  17. 29Milan's La ___
  18. 32Dole (out)
  19. 33Gomez's cousin on 1960s TV
  20. 35Bring shame upon
  21. 37"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; ___ for the arrow that flieth by day": Psalms
  22. 38Always there
  23. 39Lead-in to determined or destined
  24. 40Otolaryngologist, for short
  25. 42Estrange
  26. 44N.B.A. great ___ Archibald
  27. 46Wrath
  28. 47Cabernet sauvignon et zinfandel
  29. 49Golf gimme
  30. 51Center of a Scrabble board
  31. 55Puma's pad?
  32. 57D.O.J. bigwigs, in brief
  33. 59Bass, e.g.
  34. 60CVS Health subsidiary
  35. 61Law enforcer in Leicester
  36. 63Decide to deal with at a later time
  37. 65Labor Day follower: Abbr.
  38. 66With 68-Across, long-shot candidates ... or a hint to six squares in this puzzle
  39. 68See 66-Across
  40. 69Prefix with -logue
  41. 70"You just made that up!"
  42. 71Feature of the Cyclops
  43. 72You might be asked for your "last four" of this, in brief
  44. 73With 58-Down, "Bugonia" actress
  45. 74Dips a toe in, say

Down

  1. 1This might be ground-breaking
  2. 2San Diego suburb
  3. 3Person reached by dialing 0: Abbr.
  4. 4Comes face to face with
  5. 5Choreograph
  6. 6Magic power
  7. 7Freshly
  8. 8Stuff that's slung
  9. 9Parenthetical remark
  10. 10"That's enough out of you!"
  11. 11Accept the terms of
  12. 12Pack rat
  13. 13Summer vacation locale
  14. 20Letter in support, informally
  15. 22"Blitzkrieg Bop" band
  16. 25Approximate no.
  17. 26Winning hit at Wimbledon, maybe
  18. 28Endures
  19. 30Media sales agent, in brief
  20. 31Be on one's back
  21. 34Face card's value, often
  22. 36One-named artist who sang the U.S. national anthem at the Paris Olympics closing ceremony
  23. 38Real genius
  24. 39Org. often concerned with fund-raising
  25. 41Super Mario Bros. platform
  26. 42Performs at a Thunderbirds show
  27. 43Lists of starters
  28. 45Packed it in
  29. 46Big Dutch bank
  30. 48Leif, to Eric the Red
  31. 50"Deadwood" actor McShane
  32. 52Typewriter feature
  33. 53Spots where pins are dropped?
  34. 54Pee Wee of baseball
  35. 56Serve, as soup
  36. 58See 73-Across
  37. 61Pack it in?
  38. 62Gumbo ingredient
  39. 64Enemy of Wonder Woman
  40. 67Bocce player's skill
  41. 68Trendy

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Replay technique, informally — Answer: SLOMO
  2. 6. "Baby ___" (2008 comedy) — Answer: MAMA
  3. 10. "Fiddlesticks!" — Answer: BAH
  4. 13. Woodworking machine — Answer: SHAPER
  5. 14. Burden — Answer: ONUS. Hint: Think of a responsibility that can weigh you down! ⚖️
  6. 15. A big one might be challenging to work with — Answer: EGO
  7. 16. Sewing/cooking class, informally — Answer: HOMEEC
  8. 17. User of the Force — Answer: JEDI
  9. 18. Mrs. in Spain — Answer: SRA
  10. 19. Remove from power — Answer: OVERT
  11. 20. Boarding pass info — Answer: ROW
  12. 21. Like cabernet sauvignon vis-à-vis white zinfandel — Answer: DRIER
  13. 23. Restaurant booking, for short — Answer: RES
  14. 24. "Shoulda listened to me!" — Answer: SEE
  15. 26. Rang out — Answer: PEALED
  16. 27. Carrier based in Ben Gurion Airport — Answer: ELAL
  17. 29. Milan's La ___ — Answer: SCALA
  18. 32. Dole (out) — Answer: METE
  19. 33. Gomez's cousin on 1960s TV — Answer: ITT
  20. 35. Bring shame upon — Answer: DISH
  21. 37. "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; ___ for the arrow that flieth by day": Psalms — Answer: NOR
  22. 38. Always there — Answer: EVE
  23. 39. Lead-in to determined or destined — Answer: PRE
  24. 40. Otolaryngologist, for short — Answer: ENT
  25. 42. Estrange — Answer: ALI
  26. 44. N.B.A. great ___ Archibald — Answer: NATE
  27. 46. Wrath — Answer: IRE. Hint: Feeling a bit fiery? 🔥
  28. 47. Cabernet sauvignon et zinfandel — Answer: VINS
  29. 49. Golf gimme — Answer: TAPIN
  30. 51. Center of a Scrabble board — Answer: STAR
  31. 55. Puma's pad? — Answer: INSOLE
  32. 57. D.O.J. bigwigs, in brief — Answer: AGS
  33. 59. Bass, e.g. — Answer: ALE
  34. 60. CVS Health subsidiary — Answer: AETNA
  35. 61. Law enforcer in Leicester — Answer: CON
  36. 63. Decide to deal with at a later time — Answer: TABLE
  37. 65. Labor Day follower: Abbr. — Answer: TUE
  38. 66. With 68-Across, long-shot candidates ... or a hint to six squares in this puzzle — Answer: DARK
  39. 68. See 66-Across — Answer: HORSES
  40. 69. Prefix with -logue — Answer: EPI
  41. 70. "You just made that up!" — Answer: LIAR
  42. 71. Feature of the Cyclops — Answer: ONEEYE
  43. 72. You might be asked for your "last four" of this, in brief — Answer: SSN
  44. 73. With 58-Down, "Bugonia" actress — Answer: EMMA
  45. 74. Dips a toe in, say — Answer: TESTS

Down

  1. 1. This might be ground-breaking — Answer: SHOVEL
  2. 2. San Diego suburb — Answer: LAMESA
  3. 3. Person reached by dialing 0: Abbr. — Answer: OPER
  4. 4. Comes face to face with — Answer: MEETS
  5. 5. Choreograph — Answer: ORC
  6. 6. Magic power — Answer: MOJO
  7. 7. Freshly — Answer: ANEW
  8. 8. Stuff that's slung — Answer: MUD
  9. 9. Parenthetical remark — Answer: ASIDE
  10. 10. "That's enough out of you!" — Answer: BESILENT
  11. 11. Accept the terms of — Answer: AGREETO
  12. 12. Pack rat — Answer: HOARDER
  13. 13. Summer vacation locale — Answer: SHORE
  14. 20. Letter in support, informally — Answer: REC
  15. 22. "Blitzkrieg Bop" band — Answer: RAM
  16. 25. Approximate no. — Answer: EST
  17. 26. Winning hit at Wimbledon, maybe — Answer: PAS
  18. 28. Endures — Answer: LIV
  19. 30. Media sales agent, in brief — Answer: ADREP
  20. 31. Be on one's back — Answer: LIE
  21. 34. Face card's value, often — Answer: TEN
  22. 36. One-named artist who sang the U.S. national anthem at the Paris Olympics closing ceremony — Answer: HER
  23. 38. Real genius — Answer: EINSTEIN
  24. 39. Org. often concerned with fund-raising — Answer: PTA
  25. 41. Super Mario Bros. platform — Answer: NES
  26. 42. Performs at a Thunderbirds show — Answer: AVIATES
  27. 43. Lists of starters — Answer: LINEUPS
  28. 45. Packed it in — Answer: ATE
  29. 46. Big Dutch bank — Answer: ING
  30. 48. Leif, to Eric the Red — Answer: SON
  31. 50. "Deadwood" actor McShane — Answer: IAN
  32. 52. Typewriter feature — Answer: TABSET
  33. 53. Spots where pins are dropped? — Answer: ALLEYS
  34. 54. Pee Wee of baseball — Answer: REESE
  35. 56. Serve, as soup — Answer: LADLE
  36. 58. See 73-Across — Answer: STONE
  37. 61. Pack it in? — Answer: CRAM
  38. 62. Gumbo ingredient — Answer: OKRA
  39. 64. Enemy of Wonder Woman — Answer: ARES
  40. 67. Bocce player's skill — Answer: AIM
  41. 68. Trendy — Answer: HOT

The answer to “A big one might be challenging to work with” in the New York Times crossword is EGO — a 3-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on March 5, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 15-Across. If it's the entry standing between you and a clean grid, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, plus links to the day's other clues if more than one square is giving you trouble.

“A big one might be challenging to work with” answer

EGO (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 EGO.

Why the answer is EGO

EGO is the 3-letter solution that fits "A big one might be challenging to work with" in the NYT Crossword crossword on March 5, 2026 (15-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “A big one might be challenging to work with” 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 before, and what the answer was each time — handy if you landed here from a puzzle on another date.

March 5, 2026 (this puzzle) → EGO. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on March 5, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for March 5, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Thursday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “A big one might be challenging to work with”?

The answer is EGO, a 3-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 5, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “A big one might be challenging to work with”?

3 letters: EGO.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on March 5, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 15-Across.

Can “A big one might be challenging to work with” 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 March 5, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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