NYT Crossword

Focus of some physicists

Archive answer — August 25, 2026

9 Down

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Clue explained

“ATOM” is the published 4-letter fill for 9 Down. Use the crossing letters in the grid below to verify how it fits.

Clue type:
Crossword fill

NYT Crossword

This clue’s Tuesday, August 25, 2026 appearance

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Crossword solution grid

Select a square to hide or reveal its letter in the 15 by 15 crossword grid.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

40 clues
  1. 1Sharpened point of a quill pen
  2. 4One-named Senegalese American singer with the #1 hits "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter"
  3. 8South Asian royals
  4. 13Actress Longoria
  5. 14Free-spirited style, informally
  6. 15*6th
  7. 16Summer meteor shower named for a mythological hero
  8. 18Paradise
  9. 19Musical flutter
  10. 20Billion years, astronomically
  11. 22___ skirt
  12. 23"Miracle on Ice" foe, for short
  13. 24Smart set
  14. 26To, informally
  15. 27"___ it!" (shout in a game of tag)
  16. 28*2nd
  17. 30Arouses, as an appetite
  18. 32Captivate
  19. 34*1st
  20. 36Settled on the ground, say
  21. 38Something told with two hands?
  22. 39Bluish-silver Christmas trees, maybe
  23. 42Hosp. recovery area
  24. 46Great divide
  25. 47Moon believed to have a subsurface ocean
  26. 49Gamer's "off-line"
  27. 50Kool-Aid competitor
  28. 51*3rd
  29. 53McEntire of country music
  30. 54Some Monopoly properties: Abbr.
  31. 56Drink in a sippy cup, to a toddler
  32. 57Commence
  33. 58Mexican beer brand
  34. 60"I'd love to go"
  35. 62*7th
  36. 63Bygone Russian leader
  37. 64Pad
  38. 65Baker's glassware brand
  39. 66"Thing with feathers that perches in the soul," per Emily Dickinson
  40. 67"Y"-sounding pair of letters, in Spanish

Down

36 clues
  1. 1*8th
  2. 2Allen who was the 2001 N.B.A. M.V.P.
  3. 3One known for the morning grind?
  4. 4Second-born son in the Bible
  5. 5___ pond
  6. 6"Wowza!"
  7. 7Tiny biting insect
  8. 8Creature sometimes trained for bomb detection
  9. 9Focus of some physicistsATOM
  10. 10*5th
  11. 11Desert quality
  12. 12Epitomes of slowness
  13. 15Symbols of fair weather
  14. 17Mirror-and-prism camera, for short
  15. 21Arrival of symptoms
  16. 25"Man, that's hardly fair!"
  17. 28Fullness, in hairstyling
  18. 29"The Little Mermaid" prince
  19. 31Shades
  20. 33*4th
  21. 35Kelly of morning TV
  22. 37Neon ___ (aquarium fish)
  23. 39Like someone emerging from freezing cold water, typically
  24. 40Raceway speed setter
  25. 41Mull over
  26. 43Reason to go into penalty kicks
  27. 44Like the paths of 45-Down, as visually depicted in this puzzle
  28. 45Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent
  29. 46Flirt with, in a way
  30. 48"Are you sure?"
  31. 52Spellbinds
  32. 53Sunburned, perhaps
  33. 55Reasonable
  34. 57Reveal
  35. 59Black-and-white wedding rental
  36. 61Gullible sort

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Every clue links to a dedicated answer page. Use the list below to scan the complete fill without opening the interactive board.

Across

  1. 1. Sharpened point of a quill pen

    Answer: NIB

  2. 4. One-named Senegalese American singer with the #1 hits "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter"

    Answer: AKON

  3. 8. South Asian royals

    Answer: RAJAS

  4. 13. Actress Longoria

    Answer: EVA

  5. 14. Free-spirited style, informally

    Answer: BOHO

  6. 15. *6th

    Answer: SATURN

  7. 16. Summer meteor shower named for a mythological hero

    Answer: PERSEIDS

  8. 18. Paradise

    Answer: UTOPIA

  9. 19. Musical flutter

    Answer: TRILL

  10. 20. Billion years, astronomically

    Answer: AEON

  11. 22. ___ skirt

    Answer: MIDI

  12. 23. "Miracle on Ice" foe, for short

    Answer: USSR

  13. 24. Smart set

    Answer: MENSA

  14. 26. To, informally

    Answer: TIL

  15. 27. "___ it!" (shout in a game of tag)

    Answer: NOT

  16. 28. *2nd

    Answer: VENUS

  17. 30. Arouses, as an appetite

    Answer: WHETS

  18. 32. Captivate

    Answer: ENAMOR

  19. 34. *1st

    Answer: MERCURY

  20. 36. Settled on the ground, say

    Answer: ALIT

  21. 38. Something told with two hands?

    Answer: TIME

  22. 39. Bluish-silver Christmas trees, maybe

    Answer: SPRUCES

  23. 42. Hosp. recovery area

    Answer: POSTOP

  24. 46. Great divide

    Answer: CHASM

  25. 47. Moon believed to have a subsurface ocean

    Answer: TITAN

  26. 49. Gamer's "off-line"

    Answer: IRL

  27. 50. Kool-Aid competitor

    Answer: HIC

  28. 51. *3rd

    Answer: EARTH

  29. 53. McEntire of country music

    Answer: REBA

  30. 54. Some Monopoly properties: Abbr.

    Answer: AVES

  31. 56. Drink in a sippy cup, to a toddler

    Answer: WAWA

  32. 57. Commence

    Answer: BEGIN

  33. 58. Mexican beer brand

    Answer: TECATE

  34. 60. "I'd love to go"

    Answer: ITSADATE

  35. 62. *7th

    Answer: URANUS

  36. 63. Bygone Russian leader

    Answer: TSAR

  37. 64. Pad

    Answer: MAT

  38. 65. Baker's glassware brand

    Answer: PYREX

  39. 66. "Thing with feathers that perches in the soul," per Emily Dickinson

    Answer: HOPE

  40. 67. "Y"-sounding pair of letters, in Spanish

    Answer: ELS

Down

  1. 1. *8th

    Answer: NEPTUNE

  2. 2. Allen who was the 2001 N.B.A. M.V.P.

    Answer: IVERSON

  3. 3. One known for the morning grind?

    Answer: BARISTA

  4. 4. Second-born son in the Bible

    Answer: ABEL

  5. 5. ___ pond

    Answer: KOI

  6. 6. "Wowza!"

    Answer: OHDAMN

  7. 7. Tiny biting insect

    Answer: NOSEEUM

  8. 8. Creature sometimes trained for bomb detection

    Answer: RAT

  9. 9. Focus of some physicists

    Answer: ATOM

  10. 10. *5th

    Answer: JUPITER

  11. 11. Desert quality

    Answer: ARIDITY

  12. 12. Epitomes of slowness

    Answer: SNAILS

  13. 15. Symbols of fair weather

    Answer: SUNS

  14. 17. Mirror-and-prism camera, for short

    Answer: SLR

  15. 21. Arrival of symptoms

    Answer: ONSET

  16. 25. "Man, that's hardly fair!"

    Answer: AWCMON

  17. 28. Fullness, in hairstyling

    Answer: VOLUME

  18. 29. "The Little Mermaid" prince

    Answer: ERIC

  19. 31. Shades

    Answer: HUES

  20. 33. *4th

    Answer: MARS

  21. 35. Kelly of morning TV

    Answer: RIPA

  22. 37. Neon ___ (aquarium fish)

    Answer: TETRA

  23. 39. Like someone emerging from freezing cold water, typically

    Answer: SHIVERY

  24. 40. Raceway speed setter

    Answer: PACECAR

  25. 41. Mull over

    Answer: SITWITH

  26. 43. Reason to go into penalty kicks

    Answer: TIEGAME

  27. 44. Like the paths of 45-Down, as visually depicted in this puzzle

    Answer: ORBITAL

  28. 45. Celestial "wanderers" ... or what this puzzle's circled letters represent

    Answer: PLANETS

  29. 46. Flirt with, in a way

    Answer: CHATUP

  30. 48. "Are you sure?"

    Answer: THATSO

  31. 52. Spellbinds

    Answer: AWES

  32. 53. Sunburned, perhaps

    Answer: RED

  33. 55. Reasonable

    Answer: SANE

  34. 57. Reveal

    Answer: BARE

  35. 59. Black-and-white wedding rental

    Answer: TUX

  36. 61. Gullible sort

    Answer: SAP

The answer to “Focus of some physicists” in the NYT Crossword is ATOM — a 4-letter word. It appears in our available data for August 25, 2026 at 9-Down. Below you can reveal the fill one letter at a time, check the full puzzle, and open every related clue page.

“Focus of some physicists” answer

ATOM(4 letters)

Prefer a nudge first? Use the letter tiles above to hide and reveal individual characters, or use the focused grid to confirm the crossing letters.

Why does ATOM fit?

ATOM is the published 4-letter answer at 9-Down. The highlighted path in the puzzle shows exactly where the entry sits.

When else has “Focus of some physicists” appeared?

The same clue can return on another date, sometimes with a different fill. These are the matching appearances in the recent published records available through the Answers API.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Focus of some physicists”?

The answer is ATOM.

How many letters are in the answer?

4 letters: ATOM.

When did this clue appear?

It appears in the NYT Crossword for August 25, 2026 at 9-Down.

Can this clue have a different answer?

Yes. Crossword clues may be reused with a different fill depending on the grid. Recent matching appearances are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day’s answers?

Open the NYT answers page for August 25, 2026 for the full grid and every clue.

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