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Daily Newsday Crossword

“Has painful muscles”

The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “Has painful muscles”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Monday, February 23, 2026 puzzle.

Published · Down · 5 letters

Hints first

Letters 5
First letter A
Last letter S
A ? ? ? S

A 5-letter down entry from the Monday puzzle

The Answer

A C H E S

The answer to “Has painful muscles” is ACHES

Letters 5
Direction Down
Published Feb 23, 2026

Letter analysis: the 5-letter answer

Vowels, consonants, and crossword construction notes
Unique 5 of 5 positions
Vowels 2 40% of word
Consonants 3 non-vowels
First letter A starts with

The clue “Has painful muscles” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Monday, February 23, 2026 as a down entry. The verified answer is ACHES — a 5-letter word that begins with A and ends with S.

This answer contains 2 vowels and 3 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 ACHES

ACHES has been used as the answer for these Newsday Crossword clues
“Has sore muscles” May 19, 2026 “Sore subjects” Feb 14, 2026 “Could use a massage” Jan 28, 2026 “Has sore muscles” Jan 26, 2026 “Yearnings” Oct 12, 2025 “Has sore muscles” Apr 29, 2025 “Needs a massage” Jan 22, 2025

More clues from the February 23, 2026 puzzle

Monday Newsday Crossword
View full puzzle
Voice of Apple devices 4 ℓ · D Resort with hot tubs 3 ℓ · D Stolen property 4 ℓ · D Little kids 4 ℓ · D Makes a mistake 4 ℓ · D Course of mixed greens 5 ℓ · A __-addressed stamped envelope 4 ℓ · A Adjust, as auto wheels 5 ℓ · D Nary a __ (no one) 4 ℓ · D Master's or doctorate 6 ℓ · D Declare void 5 ℓ · D Lower limb 3 ℓ · D Jacket's sleeve 3 ℓ · D Airport safety agency: Abbr. 3 ℓ · A Opponent 3 ℓ · D Foldaway bed 3 ℓ · A Racetrack runners 6 ℓ · D Biblical ark builder 4 ℓ · A "For goodness __!" 5 ℓ · D Newspaper's opinion pieces 6 ℓ · A

Frequently asked questions about “Has painful muscles”

What is the answer to “Has painful muscles” in the Newsday Crossword?

The verified answer is ACHES — a 5-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Monday, February 23, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Has painful muscles”?

The answer ACHES contains 5 letters.

Was “Has painful muscles” 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.

Has painful muscles — Newsday Crossword Clue Answer | Newsday Crossword Answers