The New York Times Crossword · 51-Down · 4 letters
Things that drivers sometimes leave behind? The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed September 20, 2026
Answer · 4 letters
TEES
TEES fits because the drivers are golfers using driver clubs, not motorists. A golfer may leave a tee behind after the opening shot, and the plural wording requires the four-letter plural TEES.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →Switch from the road to the golf course
The surface reading suggests motorists forgetting objects. The question mark points elsewhere: a driver is also the long golf club commonly used for a tee shot. That setting turns the objects left behind into TEES.
Use the clue's plural and four cells
One ball support is a TEE, but things calls for the plural TEES. A tee may remain in or near the teeing area after a shot, especially if it breaks or the player does not retrieve it. The crossings confirm this four-letter plural rather than an item left in a car.
References behind this explanation
- September 20 NYT clue and answer
- Independent clue-and-answer reference
- USGA Rule 6: playing a hole and the teeing area
These references support the meaning or background; they are not publisher endorsements.
Where this clue appeared
51-Down in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for September 20, 2026.
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