“Strain” crossword clue
Answer
I
L
K
•••ILK
Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.ILK is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Strain”. It was last seen in the puzzle of November 30, 2025, where it runs at 3 Down and fills 3 squares. It crosses 3 other entries in that grid — those are listed below and are the quickest way to confirm the letters you already have.
Crossing entries
Nov 30, 2025 grid1APost-vacation pile4 ltrs›12A___ guisado (Caribbean stew)5 ltrs›17APuzzle type that was the Oxford Dictionaries' 2005 U.K. "word of the year"6 ltrs›
Other answers for this clue
Across all puzzles we index•••ILK3 ltrs
••••••WRENCH6 ltrs
•••••••TENSION7 ltrs
••••••STRESS6 ltrs
Clues repeat across publications with different fills. If your grid needs a different length, one of these usually fits.
Back to the full Nov 30, 2025 answer list, or browse the puzzle archive.