The New York Times Crossword · 47-Across · 9 letters
Request for assistance from a higher-up? The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed September 19, 2026
Answer · 9 letters
GOD HELP ME
In the grid: GODHELPME · no spaces
GOD, HELP ME is literally a request for assistance addressed to the highest possible higher-up. The question mark marks the playful reading of higher-up as a divine authority rather than a senior manager, and the grid removes the punctuation and spaces for nine letters.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →Why the higher-up is not a manager
In ordinary workplace language, a higher-up is a senior person. The clue's question mark asks for a second reading: someone literally higher than any earthly superior. GOD HELP ME is therefore both an appeal and the answer to the clue's disguised question.
Turn the spoken plea into nine cells
Say the answer as a direct request: “God, help me.” Crosswords omit the comma and both spaces, leaving GODHELPME. The three-word cadence and the question mark are stronger signals than a simple synonym, while the crossing letters confirm the exact wording.
References behind this explanation
These references support the meaning or background; they are not publisher endorsements.
Where this clue appeared
47-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for September 19, 2026.
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