“Russian ruler of old” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.TSAR is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Russian ruler of old”. It was last seen in the puzzle of August 12, 2025, where it runs at 10 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 August 12, 2025.