01
Direct definition · 5 lettersShow the answer and explanation →
Beginning
Meaning cue
Often used for the start of a season, event, or condition.
A different practice route each day
Clue Clinic · August 17, 2026
Today's set is organized by how each clue works, with the largest round focused on meaning warm-up. Reveal any answer immediately or use its tailored cue first.
3 meaning warm-up · 1 language tricks · 2 short forms · 1 knowledge clues
Meaning warm-up
Direct definitions and familiar senses to establish the day's solving rhythm.
02
Direct definition · 6 lettersShow the answer and explanation →
Made less sharp
Meaning cue
The answer can describe a blade, sound, or sensation that lost intensity.
03
Direct definition · 4 lettersShow the answer and explanation →
Tiny amount
Meaning cue
Its name comes from a small letter of the Greek alphabet.
Language tricks
Punctuation, double meanings, and clue turns that reward a second look.
04
Wordplay · 4 lettersOpen the answer and unpack the wordplay →
Prepared to drive, in golf
What to notice
The ball has been placed on its small peg before the shot.
Short forms
Abbreviations, informal usage, and compact entries whose form is part of the solve.
05
Informal usage · 4 lettersOpen the answer and decode the shorthand →
Do perfectly, informally
Form cue
A performer who gets everything right is said to do this.
06
Abbreviation · 3 lettersOpen the answer and decode the shorthand →
Computer's central part, briefly
Form cue
The three-letter initialism names the central processing unit.
Knowledge clues
Names, titles, places, and facts where one precise detail confirms the fill.
07
Name or title · 5 lettersOpen the answer and verify the reference →
One-named singer of “Hello”
Identity cue
The English singer released this chart-topping ballad in 2015.