What is the answer to the NYT Crossword clue "Smurf elder" from January 7, 2026?

Crossword clue

“Smurf elder”

This clue appeared as 53-Across in the NYT Crossword on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The answer has 4 letters.

Answer · 4 lettersFirst appearance

PAPA

Letters4

Starts withP

Ends withA

Vowels2

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Crossword
Jan 7, 20264 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Smurf elder” ran in the NYT Crossword on January 7, 2026 as 53-Across. Its answer is a 4-letter word that starts with P and ends with A.

See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for January 7, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

More clues from this puzzle

1AActress Pinkett Smith of "Girls Trip"4 letters 5AGets better5 letters 10A"Great" animals4 letters 14ASuper-cool4 letters 15ASubject of 2001 bankruptcy headlines5 letters 16A"That's crazy!," on the internet4 letters 17AWing woman?10 letters 19ANot right4 letters

FAQ

What is the answer to the “Smurf elder” clue?+

The answer is PAPA (4 letters), from the NYT Crossword of January 7, 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 7, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.