“Close by” crossword clue
Answer
N
E
A
R
••••NEAR
Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.NEAR is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Close by”. It was last seen in the puzzle of February 16, 2026, where it runs at 41 Across and fills 4 squares. It crosses 4 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 2 times in NYT puzzles, first on February 16, 2026.
Crossing entries
Feb 16, 2026 grid29DPinot ___4 ltrs›34DSomething to noodle on4 ltrs›37DGlitterati8 ltrs›42DOne of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean7 ltrs›
Every appearance
2 puzzlesDatePuzzlePositionAnswer
Jul 5, 2026NYT Crossword80 Across••••NEARFeb 16, 2026NYT Crossword41 Across••••NEAROther answers for this clue
Across all puzzles we index••••NEAR4 ltrs
••••••NEARTO6 ltrs
••••••ONHAND6 ltrs
Clues repeat across publications with different fills. If your grid needs a different length, one of these usually fits.
Back to the full Feb 16, 2026 answer list, or browse the puzzle archive.