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“Defeat decisively, in sports headlines”

The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “Defeat decisively, in sports headlines”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Saturday, February 7, 2026 puzzle.

Published · Down · 5 letters

Hints first

Letters 5
First letter S
Last letter K
S ? ? ? K

A 5-letter down entry from the Saturday puzzle

The Answer

S P A N K

The answer to “Defeat decisively, in sports headlines” is SPANK

Letters 5
Direction Down
Published Feb 7, 2026

Letter analysis: the 5-letter answer

Vowels, consonants, and crossword construction notes
Unique 5 of 5 positions
Vowels 1 20% of word
Consonants 4 non-vowels
First letter S starts with

The clue “Defeat decisively, in sports headlines” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Saturday, February 7, 2026 as a down entry. The verified answer is SPANK — a 5-letter word that begins with S and ends with K.

This answer contains 1 vowel and 4 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 SPANK

SPANK has been used as the answer for these Newsday Crossword clues

More clues from the February 7, 2026 puzzle

Saturday Newsday Crossword
View full puzzle
They're not particular 15 ℓ · D End of the Unknown Soldier inscription 3 ℓ · D Supporter of Notre Dame's reconstruction 14 ℓ · D 1890s inventor out to "out-Eiffel Eiffel" 6 ℓ · D Cog. __ 3 ℓ · D Big aspirations 5 ℓ · A Hollywood power player? 6 ℓ · A Cheerful-sounding sobriquet 5 ℓ · D Tracking target 4 ℓ · D De-escalate? 5 ℓ · D It inspired the spray gun 8 ℓ · D Logical starting points 6 ℓ · D First run 3 ℓ · D Maori celebratory dance 4 ℓ · A Sew up a situation 5 ℓ · D Word from the Greek for "ship" 6 ℓ · D "Feliz ano __!" (Rio 1/1 wish) 4 ℓ · A Seussical frequent singer 6 ℓ · D Their looks are deceiving 5 ℓ · D Oaf's handlers 5 ℓ · A

Frequently asked questions about “Defeat decisively, in sports headlines”

What is the answer to “Defeat decisively, in sports headlines” in the Newsday Crossword?

The verified answer is SPANK — a 5-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Defeat decisively, in sports headlines”?

The answer SPANK contains 5 letters.

Was “Defeat decisively, in sports headlines” 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.

Defeat decisively, in sports headlines — Newsday Crossword Clue Answer | Newsday Crossword Answers