NYT Midi Crossword · 14-Across · 4 letters
Shade of light brown, from the French NYT Midi Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed October 1, 2026
Answer · 4 letters
ECRU
ECRU fits 14-Across because the French word écru describes unbleached textile and, by extension, its pale beige color. Crossword fill omits the accent, leaving four letters.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →The color comes from untreated cloth
Larousse defines French écru first for cloth or yarn that has not been bleached or dyed, then for the whitish-beige color of those materials. The clue asks for the color sense; it is not asking you to name a particular fabric.
Drop the accent in the grid
In French the word is written écru, with an acute accent on the first letter. The four-square crossword answer is E-C-R-U. The clue's wording 'from the French' points to the origin, while 'shade of light brown' selects the borrowed color term.
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Where this clue appeared
14-Across in NYT Midi Crossword puzzle for October 1, 2026.
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