What is the answer to the NYT Mini Crossword clue "Takes the L" from October 16, 2026?

Crossword clue

“Takes the L”

This clue appeared as 1-Down in the NYT Mini Crossword on Friday, October 16, 2026. The answer has 5 letters.

Answer · 5 lettersFirst appearance

LOSES

Letters5

Starts withL

Ends withS

Vowels2

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Mini
Oct 16, 20265 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Takes the L” ran in the NYT Mini Crossword on October 16, 2026 as 1-Down. Its answer is a 5-letter word that starts with L and ends with S.

See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Mini Crossword page for October 16, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

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FAQ

What is the answer to the “Takes the L” clue?+

The answer is LOSES (5 letters), from the NYT Mini Crossword of October 16, 2026.

Where has this clue appeared?+

We have seen it 1 time in the NYT Mini.

How do I find other NYT Mini answers?+

Open the full list of answers for October 16, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Mini Crossword hub.