What is the answer to the NYT Crossword clue "Bees, but not birds" from January 22, 2026?

Crossword clue

“Bees, but not birds”

This clue appeared as 12-Down in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The answer has 7 letters.

Answer · 7 lettersFirst appearance

INSECTS

Letters7

Starts withI

Ends withS

Vowels2

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Crossword
Jan 22, 20267 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Bees, but not birds” ran in the NYT Crossword on January 22, 2026 as 12-Down. Its answer is a 7-letter word that starts with I and ends with S.

See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for January 22, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

More clues from this puzzle

1APurchase of ice cream or cream ale4 letters 5ACognac label letters4 letters 9AEscapade5 letters 14AGoddess depicted with cow's horns4 letters 15A"Hey, look who's here!"4 letters 16AFilm without much wardrobe, informally5 letters 17AWatch sound4 letters 18AHappens10 letters

FAQ

What is the answer to the “Bees, but not birds” clue?+

The answer is INSECTS (7 letters), from the NYT Crossword of January 22, 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 January 22, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.