What is the answer to the NYT Crossword clue "On the ___ (free)" from September 12, 2026?

Crossword clue

“On the ___ (free)”

This clue appeared as 22-Across in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The answer has 5 letters.

Answer · 5 lettersFirst appearance

LOOSE

Letters5

Starts withL

Ends withE

Vowels3

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Crossword
Sep 12, 20265 letters→

About this clue

The clue “On the ___ (free)” ran in the NYT Crossword on September 12, 2026 as 22-Across. Its answer is a 5-letter word that starts with L and ends with E, with 3 vowels, which often points to a phrase, a name or a borrowed word.

See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for September 12, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

More clues from this puzzle

1ALight décor10 letters 11ALast place?4 letters 15APop-up with an envelope icon10 letters 16ARound figure4 letters 17AWinner's circle?10 letters 18ATake two4 letters 19AHyperfixated6 letters 20A"Thick ___ Brick" (1972 Jethro Tull album)3 letters

FAQ

What is the answer to the “On the ___ (free)” clue?+

The answer is LOOSE (5 letters), from the NYT Crossword of September 12, 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 September 12, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.