What is the answer to the NYT Crossword clue "Fish that may return to the ocean to spawn" from April 9, 2026?

Crossword clue

“Fish that may return to the ocean to spawn”

This clue appeared as 49-Down in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The answer has 3 letters.

Answer · 3 lettersFirst appearance

EEL

Letters3

Starts withE

Ends withL

Vowels2

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Crossword
Apr 9, 20263 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Fish that may return to the ocean to spawn” ran in the NYT Crossword on April 9, 2026 as 49-Down. Its answer is a 3-letter word that starts with E and ends with L.

See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for April 9, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

More clues from this puzzle

1AStart issuing stock, in Wall Street lingo5 letters 6ALive the single man's life, slangily6 letters 12APart of some box sets3 letters 15APungent5 letters 16AStick (to)6 letters 17AJoey of kid-lit3 letters 18AOne with thick skin, notably5 letters 19ACustomizable Asian-fusion dish10 letters

FAQ

What is the answer to the “Fish that may return to the ocean to spawn” clue?+

The answer is EEL (3 letters), from the NYT Crossword of April 9, 2026.

Where has this clue appeared?+

We have seen it 1 time in the NYT Crossword.

How do I find other NYT Crossword answers?+

Open the full list of answers for April 9, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.