22 Down

NYT Daily • September 9, 2025

Body part that might be blue

Answer:

IRIS

Hint:

["This colored ring around the pupil controls how much light enters your eye and can sometimes appear a different shade in certain lighting."]

Explanation:

This clue plays on the double meaning of "blue" to hint at the iris. In anatomy, the iris is the colored part of the eye, which can sometimes appear blue. The word "blue" also subtly nods to the phrase "feeling blue," but here it’s purely about the eye’s pigment—making "iris" the straightforward answer.

More Clues from This Puzzle

23 Across

9 letters

“No problem!”

20 Across

4 letters

Bit of writing of Nathaniel Hawthorne

56 Across

20 letters

“And switching gears …”

9 Down

7 letters

Club with dinner and dancing