26 Down

NYT Daily ? September 13, 2025

Fine

Answer:

AOKAY

Hint:

Think of a casual way to say everything is perfect, often used in text messages or informal speech. It starts with a letter that also means "excellent."

Explanation:

The clue "Fine" is a homophone hint—it sounds like the letter "F." Pair that with "A-OK," a casual term meaning everything is perfect or in order, and you get "AOKAY" (A-OK + the "ay" sound of "F"). It’s a playful twist where the answer spells out how you’d phonetically say "F" plus "A-OK."

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General solving tip

If the clue shows an abbreviation (org., dept., inits.), the answer usually does too. Mirror the clue's form with initials or a shortened form.

More tips → General Hints