This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, April 18, 2026 (21 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.
Answer length: 8 squares
First letter
S _ _ _ _ _ _ _
First and last letters
S _ _ _ _ _ _ D
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About the answer
SAFEWORD as a word: (chiefly BDSM) A word used in (especially sadomasochistic) sexual practices to unambiguously indicate that a participant actually desires the activity to cea...; (chiefly BDSM) To stop a sex act by using a safeword.
SAFEWORD has been an answer 2 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since April 18, 2026.
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