“Make hard to read, in a way” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.ENCODE is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Make hard to read, in a way”. It was last seen in the puzzle of November 13, 2025, where it runs at 46 Down and fills 6 squares. It crosses 6 other entries in that grid — those are listed below and are the quickest way to confirm the letters you already have.