NY Times Crossword

April 22, 2026

Hoang-Kim Vu  

 

IT'S EARTH DAY! 

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle

 

What do the following groups of words have in common?

 

1. DAUB

    INSTRUCTOR 

    ENCOURAGE

 

2. Ax

    Is able to 

    Paint container

    Bathroom, slangily 

 

3. SHEESH

    PULLUP

    REAPPEAR

    TEAMMATE

 

Answers:

 

1. Each of he words can be reduced to a synonym of itself:

    DAUB - DAB

    INSTRUCTOR - TUTOR 

    ENCOURAGED - URGED  

 

2. All four clues can be answered with CAN - re-using the word. 

 

3. Each word recycles the same letters: 

    SHEESH

    PULLUP (a palindrome)

    REAPPEAR  

    TEAMMATE