“Heart of the matter” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.MEAT is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Heart of the matter”. It was last seen in the puzzle of September 21, 2025, where it runs at 20 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 September 21, 2025.