This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Thursday, January 15, 2026 (69 Across). The answer is hidden below until you want it. Thursday puzzles often have a trick, such as a rebus (several letters in one square) or answers that bend the rules.
Answer length: 5 squares
First letter
T _ _ _ _
First and last letters
T _ _ _ E
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About the answer
TEASE as a word: (transitive) To poke fun at, either cruelly or affectionately in a playful way; (transitive) To provoke or disturb; to annoy.
TEASE has been an answer 7 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since January 15, 2026.
Other clues with the same answer
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