Crossword clue

“Reason why”

This clue appeared as 56-Across in the NYT Crossword on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. The answer has 9 letters.

Answer · 9 lettersFirst appearance
RATIONALE
Letters9
Starts withR
Ends withE
Vowels5

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Crossword
Oct 28, 20259 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Reason why” ran in the NYT Crossword on October 28, 2025 as 56-Across. Its answer is a 9-letter word that starts with R and ends with E, with 5 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 October 28, 2025, 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 “Reason why” clue?+

The answer is RATIONALE (9 letters), from the NYT Crossword of October 28, 2025.

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 October 28, 2025, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.