This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 (5 Down). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Tuesday puzzles are a step up from Monday but still mostly straightforward.
How to read this clue
The question mark warns of wordplay. Expect a pun or a second meaning rather than a straight definition.
Answer length: 4 squares
First letter
P _ _ _
First and last letters
P _ _ S
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About the answer
PADS as a word: (fandom slang, neologism) Initialism of post-Avatar depression syndrome (“a feeling of depression brought upon by watching the 2009 epic science fiction film....
PADS has been an answer 3 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since December 1, 2025.
Other clues with the same answer
More clues from this puzzle
- Address ending that's not .com, .org or .gov (1 Down)
- Reach great heights in life (2 Down)
- Like black and white (3 Down)
- Numbered in a tournament bracket (4 Down)
- Regret (6 Down)
- Middle-earth foe (7 Down)
- ___ Territory, 1861-89 (8 Down)
- Ho-hum feeling (9 Down)
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