The New York Times Crossword · 17-Across · 5 letters
Dutch Caribbean isle The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 30, 2026
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Identity cue
Think of the five-letter island near Curaçao, off the coast of Venezuela.
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Answer
Why this is the right reference
ARUBA fits the five-letter island named by the clue. It lies in the southern Caribbean and has a constitutional relationship with the Netherlands, explaining “Dutch Caribbean.”
Continue this puzzle"Aladdin" villain →Reference to identify
The combination of Dutch political association and Caribbean location identifies a short island name.
Who or what the answer is
Aruba is a Caribbean island and constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Where this clue appeared
17-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for August 30, 2026.
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