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Daily Newsday Crossword

“Contraction candidate”

The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “Contraction candidate”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Thursday, February 12, 2026 puzzle.

Published · Down · 3 letters

Hints first

Letters 3
First letter N
Last letter T
N ? T

A 3-letter down entry from the Thursday puzzle

The Answer

N O T

The answer to “Contraction candidate” is NOT

Letters 3
Direction Down
Published Feb 12, 2026

Letter analysis: the 3-letter answer

Vowels, consonants, and crossword construction notes
Unique 3 of 3 positions
Vowels 1 33% of word
Consonants 2 non-vowels
First letter N starts with

The clue “Contraction candidate” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Thursday, February 12, 2026 as a down entry. The verified answer is NOT — a 3-letter word that begins with N and ends with T.

This answer contains 1 vowel and 2 consonants. The Newsday Crossword is published daily by Newsday on Long Island and edited by Stan Newman, whose Saturday Stumper is widely considered one of the toughest mainstream crosswords in print.

Other clues with the answer NOT

NOT has been used as the answer for these Newsday Crossword clues
“"Ready or __..."” Apr 29, 2026 “"Ready or __, here..."” Feb 9, 2026 “"Ready or __..."” Jan 14, 2026 “"Ready or __..."” Jan 7, 2026 “__ half bad” Oct 23, 2025 “Word in eight Commandments” Sep 7, 2025 “DO __ DISTURB” Aug 5, 2025 “"I should say __!"” Mar 23, 2025 “"Like it" alternative” Feb 27, 2025 “It often precedes "half bad"” Feb 6, 2025

More clues from the February 12, 2026 puzzle

Thursday Newsday Crossword
View full puzzle
Hi-fi system 6 ℓ · D Verbal shrug 3 ℓ · D Unimportant ornament 7 ℓ · D Safe to drink 7 ℓ · D Moon shot program 6 ℓ · D "Away with you!" 4 ℓ · A Came upon 3 ℓ · A Austrian topography 4 ℓ · A Salon service 4 ℓ · D Juvenile rebuttal 5 ℓ · D SAT takers 3 ℓ · D Poorly founded 7 ℓ · D Important span 3 ℓ · D Salmon serving 3 ℓ · D Fix permanently 6 ℓ · D Salon service 4 ℓ · A Wise words 6 ℓ · D ...on feet 10 ℓ · A Needle holes 4 ℓ · A Temperate 4 ℓ · A

Frequently asked questions about “Contraction candidate”

What is the answer to “Contraction candidate” in the Newsday Crossword?

The verified answer is NOT — a 3-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Contraction candidate”?

The answer NOT contains 3 letters.

Was “Contraction candidate” an across or down clue?

This clue ran as a Down entry.

Is this site affiliated with Newsday?

No. This is an independent fan reference site — we are not affiliated with Newsday. The Newsday Crossword is a trademark of its respective owner. We solve and verify each Newsday Crossword puzzle manually before publishing the answer key.

Contraction candidate — Newsday Crossword Clue Answer | Newsday Crossword Answers