This clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, May 16, 2026 (13 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.
How to read this clue
This is a fill-in-the-blank clue: the answer completes the phrase, title or quotation.
A clue in quotation marks is something a person might say. Look for another way of saying it, or the reply it suggests.
Answer length: 5 squares
First letter
N _ _ _ _
First and last letters
N _ _ _ S
Show the answer
About the answer
NEEDS as a word: (archaic) Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably; A surname.
NEEDS has been an answer 4 times in the NYT Crossword and Mini since December 7, 2025.
Other clues with the same answer
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