“Great Leap Forward leader” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.MAO is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Great Leap Forward leader”. It was last seen in the puzzle of February 16, 2025, where it runs at 37 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. This exact clue has run 2 times in NYT puzzles, first on February 16, 2025.