23 Across

NYT Daily • August 6, 2025

___ Lingus

Answer:

AER

Hint:

"Here’s a helpful hint for the clue "___ Lingus": "This three-letter word is the start of an airline's name, derived from the Irish word for 'air.'" This hint guides the solver by: - Mentioning the length of the answer ("three-letter word"). - Referencing the context (an airline).

Explanation:

The clue "___ Lingus" leads to the answer "AER" through the following reasoning: 1. Partial Name Completion: The blank in the clue suggests that the answer is the missing word that completes a well-known phrase or name. In this case, "Aer Lingus" is the name of the national airline of Ireland. 2.