Crossword clue
“They might be foiled”
This clue appeared as 40-Across in the NYT Crossword on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. The answer has 5 letters.
Answer · 5 lettersFirst appearance
PLOTSLetters5
Starts withP
Ends withS
Vowels1
Where this clue has appeared
About this clue
The clue “They might be foiled” ran in the NYT Crossword on January 21, 2026 as 40-Across. Its answer is a 5-letter word that starts with P and ends with S, with only 1 vowel, so think abbreviations or consonant clusters.
See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for January 21, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.
More clues from this puzzle
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FAQ
What is the answer to the “They might be foiled” clue?+
The answer is PLOTS (5 letters), from the NYT Crossword of January 21, 2026.
Where has this clue appeared?+
We have seen it 1 time in the NYT Crossword.
How do I find other NYT Crossword answers?+
Open the full list of answers for January 21, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.