“Midwest city whose name becomes a Southwest city if you move the first letter to the end” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.AMES is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Midwest city whose name becomes a Southwest city if you move the first letter to the end”. It was last seen in the puzzle of January 18, 2026, where it runs at 113 Down 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.