The New York Times Crossword · 38-Across · 11 letters
Italian hero? The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 22, 2026
Decode the turn
Reveal the answer now—or spot the trick first.
What to notice
Picture an eleven-letter long-roll sandwich with a classic red-sauced Italian-American filling.
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Answer
How the trick resolves
The question mark signals wordplay: “hero” is a regional name for a long sandwich, not a celebrated person. An Italian-style example is a MEATBALL SUB, entered as MEATBALLSUB.
Continue this puzzleLeader in a robe called a kasaya →The turn in the clue
The question mark tells the solver to reinterpret “hero” as food rather than a person.
The answer in plain English
A meatball sub is a long-roll sandwich filled with meatballs, usually with tomato sauce and often cheese.
Where this clue appeared
38-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for August 21, 2026.
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