This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Sunday, July 19, 2026 (88 Across). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Sunday puzzles are large (21 by 21) and themed, about as hard as a Wednesday or Thursday.
How to read this clue
This is a fill-in-the-blank clue: the answer completes the phrase, title or quotation.
Answer length: 5 squares
First letter
M _ _ _ _
First and last letters
M _ _ _ R
Show the answer
About the answer
MATER as a word: (British, slang, now chiefly archaic or humorous) Mother; (anatomy) A meninx; the dura mater, arachnoid mater, or pia mater of the brain.
MATER has been an answer once in the NYT Crossword and Mini puzzles we have on file, which go back to October 23, 2025.
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