This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Friday, September 18, 2026 (42 Across). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Friday puzzles are themeless and hard, with clues that are vague on purpose.
Answer length: 4 squares
First letter
F _ _ _
First and last letters
F _ _ N
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About the answer
FERN as a word: Any of a group of some twenty thousand species of vascular plants classified in the division Pteridophyta that lack seeds and reproduce by shedding spores to...; A female given name.
FERN has been an answer 3 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since February 5, 2026.
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