This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, April 4, 2026 (29 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.
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: 3 squares
First letter
E _ _
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About the answer
ELS as a word: Obsolete form of else. [(postpositive, used only with indefinite or interrogative pronouns) Other; in addition to previously mentioned items.]; Initialism of Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
ELS has been an answer 10 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since December 29, 2025.
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