“Essence of the matter” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.NUB is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Essence of the matter”. It was last seen in the puzzle of January 23, 2026, where it runs at 4 Down and fills 3 squares. It crosses 3 other entries in that grid — those are listed below and are the quickest way to confirm the letters you already have.