Crossword clue

“Start to escalate”

This clue appeared as 45-Down in the NYT Crossword on Monday, February 23, 2026. The answer has 6 letters.

Answer · 6 lettersFirst appearance
HEATUP
Letters6
Starts withH
Ends withP
Vowels3

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Crossword
Feb 23, 20266 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Start to escalate” ran in the NYT Crossword on February 23, 2026 as 45-Down. Its answer is a 6-letter word that starts with H and ends with P, with 3 vowels, which often points to a phrase, a name or a borrowed word.

See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for February 23, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

More clues from this puzzle

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FAQ

What is the answer to the “Start to escalate” clue?+

The answer is HEATUP (6 letters), from the NYT Crossword of February 23, 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 February 23, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.