“Borderline” crossword clue
Answer
M
A
R
G
I
N
A
L
••••••••MARGINAL
Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.MARGINAL is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Borderline”. It was last seen in the puzzle of May 16, 2026, where it runs at 33 Down and fills 8 squares. It crosses 8 other entries in that grid — those are listed below and are the quickest way to confirm the letters you already have. This exact clue has run 3 times in NYT puzzles, first on May 18, 2025.
Crossing entries
May 16, 2026 grid33ASpa service, in brief4 ltrs›36ACup holders5 ltrs›38APractical types who are often perfectionists, it's said6 ltrs›39ADon't start with me!14 ltrs›44ACut out7 ltrs›48ACold-smoked lox4 ltrs›50AGulf of ___, waters that abut Djibouti and Somaliland4 ltrs›53ARomp4 ltrs›
Every appearance
3 puzzlesDatePuzzlePositionAnswer
May 16, 2026NYT Crossword33 Down••••••••MARGINALMay 16, 2026NYT Crossword33 Down••••••••MARGINALMay 18, 2025NYT Crossword57 Down•••••VERGEOther answers for this clue
Across all puzzles we index••••••••MARGINAL8 ltrs
•••••VERGE5 ltrs
Clues repeat across publications with different fills. If your grid needs a different length, one of these usually fits.
Back to the full May 16, 2026 answer list, or browse the puzzle archive.