85 Across

NYT Daily • August 3, 2025

Cosmic explosion

Answer:

NOVA

Hint:

["Here’s a helpful hint for the clue \"Cosmic explosion\" with the answer \"NOVA\":\n\n**\"A star's sudden bright outburst, often seen in the night sky.\"**\n\nThis hint:\n- Narrows the focus to a stellar event (rather than a general cosmic explosion).\n- Uses \"bright outburst\" to suggest a temporary, dramatic phenomenon.\n- Avoids repeating \"explosion\" or directly naming the answer.\n\nIt guides the solver toward the concept without giving away \"nova\" outright."]

Explanation:

The clue **"Cosmic explosion"** leads to the answer **"NOVA"** through a straightforward astronomical reference. - **Definition:** A **nova** is a sudden, bright explosion of a star, caused by the ignition of nuclear fusion on its surface. This fits the description of a "cosmic explosion." - **Wordplay:** There is no additional wordplay or pun in this clue—it relies purely on the direct meaning of the term in astronomy. Thus, the answer is derived from the literal definition of a nova as a stellar explosion.