The New York Times Crossword · 15-Across · 5 letters
Wipe from one’s memory, so to speak The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 19, 2026
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Form cue
A modern prefixed verb describes wishing an image could be removed from memory.
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Answer
How the short form works
UNSEE is a playful modern verb for undoing the mental effect of seeing something. “So to speak” acknowledges that a memory cannot literally be wiped like a surface.
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“So to speak” marks a figurative, conversational use rather than a literal action.
Expanded meaning
To erase the memory of something seen, usually in the expression “can’t unsee.”
Where this clue appeared
15-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for August 19, 2026.
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