This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, May 16, 2026 (48 Across). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Saturday puzzles are the hardest of the week and themeless, so clues are often deliberately misleading.
Answer length: 4 squares
First letter
N _ _ _
First and last letters
N _ _ A
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About the answer
NOVA as a word: (astronomy) Any sudden brightening of a previously inconspicuous star; (uncountable) Smoked Nova Scotia salmon.
NOVA has been an answer 6 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since November 30, 2025.
Other clues with the same answer
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