Staring at a grid on a Tuesday morning is a specific kind of torture when the answer is right there, dancing just out of reach of your brain. You see it. Send off NYT crossword. You think you know it. Is it "Adieu"? Maybe "Eject"? It's the kind of clue that makes you question if you actually know English or if the editor, Will Shortz (or the current editorial team), is just messing with you today.
Crosswords are basically psychological warfare disguised as a hobby. When a clue like "Send off" pops up, the difficulty doesn't come from the word itself. It comes from the fact that "send off" is a linguistic chameleon. In English, we use it for funerals, soccer penalties, and mailing packages. This ambiguity is exactly why it’s a staple in the New York Times crossword—it fits everywhere and nowhere all at once.
The Most Common Answers for Send Off
If you're stuck right now, let’s be real: you probably need a four or five-letter word. Most often, the answer is ADIEU. It’s the classic, fancy way to say goodbye that crossword constructors absolutely adore because of that high vowel count. If you see three or four vowels in a row, it's almost certainly French.
But wait. What if the grid is looking for something more aggressive?
If the clue is leaning toward sports, you’re likely looking at EJECT. We’ve all seen a referee point toward the locker rooms after a particularly nasty slide tackle. In the context of the NYT, "Send off" frequently refers to this forced exit. It’s a literal sending off the field. Then there is EXILE, which is a much more permanent and dramatic version of a send-off. It’s rare, but in a Saturday puzzle, nothing is off the table.
Sometimes, the answer is just SHIP. It’s boring. It’s literal. It’s exactly the kind of "hide in plain sight" answer that makes you want to throw your phone across the room when you finally realize it. You aren't saying goodbye to a person; you're putting a box in the mail.
Why "Send Off" is a Constructor’s Best Friend
Constructors like Joel Fagliano or Robyn Weintraub use clues like this because they act as "hinge" points. A hinge point is a clue that can have multiple meanings, allowing the constructor to pivot the difficulty of the surrounding words. If they want to make a section harder, they’ll use "Send off" to mean something obscure like VALEDICTION. If they need to ease up on a Monday, it’ll be BYE.
The NYT crossword isn't just a test of vocabulary; it's a test of flexibility. If you get married to the idea that "send off" means "to mail something," you'll never see FAREWELL or BON VOYAGE.
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Did you know that the word "send-off" (with the hyphen) often implies a celebration? A party. A toast. If the clue has a slightly celebratory vibe—maybe "Party for a retiree"—the answer could be ROAST or FETE. The nuance matters. A "send off" without a hyphen is often a verb, while "send-off" with a hyphen is almost always a noun. Pay attention to that. It’s the difference between finishing the puzzle in ten minutes or staring at it until your coffee gets cold.
Decoding the Vowel Heavy Answers
Vowels are the currency of the crossword world. Words like ADIEU and ALOHA are the "glue" that holds the rest of the grid together.
- ADIEU: The go-to. If you have an A and an I, just pencil it in.
- ALOHA: Common if the theme has anything to do with islands or warmth.
- VALE: This is the Latin root. You’ll see it in harder, late-week puzzles. It’s short, it’s annoying, and it’s very "crossword-ese."
The Literal vs. Figurative Trap
Honestly, the biggest mistake people make is overthinking. You're looking for a deep, metaphorical meaning when the constructor was just thinking about a post office. MAIL is a perfectly valid answer for "Send off." So is POST.
Then you have the "punny" side of the NYT. If there’s a question mark at the end—Send off?—everything changes. Now, the answer might be EMIT. Think about a radio tower sending off a signal. Or maybe SMELL, if something is sending off an odor. The question mark is the constructor’s way of saying, "I'm lying to you, but only a little bit."
It’s about the "Aha!" moment. That split second where the synapses fire and you realize "Send off" isn't about people or packages, but about light or sound. BEAM. GLOW. RAYS. These are all "sent off" by a source.
How to Solve It When You're Stuck
Stop looking at the clue. Seriously. If you’ve been staring at 42-Across for five minutes and all you have is _ _ E _ T, you're going to keep thinking of "spent" or "agent."
Look at the "crosses." The vertical words (if the clue is horizontal) are your best friends. In the NYT puzzle, the crosses are often more straightforward than the tricky clues. If you can solve a simple three-letter word like ERA or REO (a classic crossword car), that E or R will give you the anchor you need.
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Let's say you find the cross is JAY. Suddenly, that J in the middle of your "send off" clue makes EJECT look a lot more likely than ADIEU.
Another pro tip: check the tense. "Send off" is present tense. If the clue was "Sent off," the answer would be MAILED or EJECTED. The NYT is very strict about tense agreement. If the clue is a verb, the answer is a verb. If the clue is a plural noun, the answer is a plural noun. Always.
Real-World Examples from Recent Puzzles
In a recent Tuesday puzzle, the answer was FIRE. Think about a boss giving someone the "send off" in the worst way possible. In a Saturday puzzle from last year, the answer was GODSPEED. That’s a long one, usually reserved for the "marquee" slots in the grid.
- DISMISS: Often used in educational or formal contexts.
- OUST: Used a lot in political themes.
- EXPEL: Common in school-themed puzzles.
Each of these carries a different "weight." You wouldn't use OUST for a friendly goodbye, just like you wouldn't use ALOHA for a dictator being removed from power. The "flavor" of the rest of the puzzle will tell you which one to pick.
The Evolutionary Language of Crosswords
Language changes. Twenty years ago, a "send off" clue might have pointed toward TELEX or CABLE. You don't see those much anymore because, well, it's 2026 and nobody knows what a telex is unless they’re a history buff.
Today, you’re more likely to see UPLOAD as a "send off" of data. The NYT has been getting much more "modern" with its fill. They want to appeal to younger solvers who use words like DMED or TEXT. If "Send off" refers to a digital message, SEND itself could be part of the answer, though usually, constructors try to avoid using the clue word in the answer.
Final Tactics for Your Grid
When you encounter "send off" in the NYT crossword, don't panic. Take a breath.
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First, look at the length. If it’s short (4-5 letters), try ADIEU, EJECT, or SHIP. If it’s medium (6-8 letters), think about DISMISS, EXILE, or POSTED. If it’s long, you’re looking at VALEDICTION or FAREWELL.
Second, check for that question mark. If it’s there, think outside the box. Is it a signal? A smell? A light?
Third, use the crosses. Don't let one clue ruin your morning. The NYT crossword is a conversation between you and the constructor. Sometimes they’re being a bit of a jerk, but there’s always a logic to it.
The best way to get better is to just keep doing them. You'll start to recognize the patterns. You'll see "Send off" and your brain will automatically list five possibilities before you even look at the grid. That’s the "crossword brain" kicking in.
Next time you're stuck, remember that the answer is likely simpler than you think. It's usually a word you use every day, just dressed up in a way that makes it look like a stranger.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Puzzle:
- Always check the tense of the clue; "send off" is present, so the answer must be too.
- Pay attention to the presence or absence of a hyphen; it changes the word from a verb to a noun.
- If the clue has a question mark, look for non-human meanings like signals or odors.
- Prioritize solving the "crosses" to get anchor letters before guessing a multi-meaning clue.
- Keep a mental list of "crossword-ese" favorites like ADIEU and ALOHA for quick fills.