“Paula of "American Idol"” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.ABDUL is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Paula of "American Idol"”. It was last seen in the puzzle of February 23, 2026, where it runs at 6 Across and fills 5 squares. It crosses 5 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 23, 2026.