The New York Times Crossword · 16-Across · 8 letters
Summer meteor shower named for a mythological hero The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 25, 2026
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Identity cue
Use the eight-letter plural name of the August shower associated with the constellation named after Medusa's slayer.
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Answer
Why this is the right reference
PERSEIDS fits because this prominent summer meteor shower appears to radiate from Perseus, directly connecting the astronomical event to the hero named in the clue.
Continue this puzzleOne-named Senegalese American singer with the #1 hits "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter" →Reference to identify
The season, astronomical category, and mythological naming clue point to a specific annual shower rather than a constellation alone.
Who or what the answer is
The Perseids are an annual meteor shower whose apparent radiant lies in the constellation Perseus, named for the Greek mythological hero.
Where this clue appeared
16-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for August 25, 2026.
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