This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, January 8, 2026 (32 Across). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Thursday puzzles often have a trick, such as a rebus (several letters in one square) or answers that bend the rules.
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: 5 squares
First letter
G _ _ _ _
First and last letters
G _ _ _ E
Show the answer
About the answer
GENIE as a word: (mythology) A fictional magical being that is typically bound to obey the commands of a mortal possessing its container; (Islam) A jinn, a being descended from the jann, normally invisible to the human eye, but who may also appear in animal or human form.
GENIE has been an answer 5 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since January 8, 2026.
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