31 Down

NYT Daily • August 21, 2025

Boot

Answer:

HEAVEHO

Hint:

Think of what sailors might shout when lifting something heavy together.

Explanation:

"Boot" here isn’t about footwear—it’s a nautical term meaning to kick someone off a ship. The answer "HEAVEHO" plays on the phrase "heave ho," a sailor’s chant when pulling or lifting, which also sounds like the act of forcefully removing (or "booting") someone. The spelling tweak from "heave ho" to "HEAVEHO" keeps it tight for crossword style.

More Clues from This Puzzle

1 Across

4 letters

50 things on the Argo

5 Across

5 letters

Units equal to nine inches

10 Across

5 letters

Needing more salt, perhaps

15 Across

4 letters

Swiss-born artist whose name sounds like an art medium