Crossword clue

“In need of tightening, maybe”

This clue appeared as 51-Down in the NYT Crossword on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. The answer has 5 letters.

Answer · 5 lettersFirst appearance
SLACK
Letters5
Starts withS
Ends withK
Vowels1

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Crossword
Oct 7, 20265 letters→

About this clue

The clue “In need of tightening, maybe” ran in the NYT Crossword on October 7, 2026 as 51-Down. Its answer is a 5-letter word that starts with S and ends with K, with only 1 vowel, so think abbreviations or consonant clusters.

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

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FAQ

What is the answer to the “In need of tightening, maybe” clue?+

The answer is SLACK (5 letters), from the NYT Crossword of October 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 October 7, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.