This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, May 16, 2026 (36 Down). 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
Z _ _ _
First and last letters
Z _ _ C
Show the answer
About the answer
ZINC as a word: A chemical element (symbol Zn) with an atomic number of 30, a blue-silvery metal that is slightly brittle at room temperature and tarnishes slightly in moist...; (countable) A single atom of this element.
ZINC has been an answer 2 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since February 13, 2026.
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