“Rubs the wrong way” crossword clue
Answer
I
R
K
S
••••IRKS
Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.IRKS is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Rubs the wrong way”. It was last seen in the puzzle of June 23, 2025, where it runs at 5 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. This exact clue has run 2 times in NYT puzzles, first on June 23, 2025.
Crossing entries
Jun 23, 2025 grid4AClassic dog name4 ltrs›13ABra or purse part5 ltrs›15ACan it!10 ltrs›19A__ Juan, Puerto Rico3 ltrs›
Every appearance
2 puzzlesDatePuzzlePositionAnswer
Sep 27, 2025NYT Crossword10 Down••••••CHAFESJun 23, 2025NYT Crossword5 Down••••IRKSOther answers for this clue
Across all puzzles we index••••IRKS4 ltrs
••••••CHAFES6 ltrs
Clues repeat across publications with different fills. If your grid needs a different length, one of these usually fits.
Back to the full Jun 23, 2025 answer list, or browse the puzzle archive.