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“Make a mess of”

The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “Make a mess of”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Thursday, February 19, 2026 puzzle.

Published · Down · 5 letters

Hints first

Letters 5
First letter B
Last letter H
B ? ? ? H

A 5-letter down entry from the Thursday puzzle

The Answer

B O T C H

The answer to “Make a mess of” is BOTCH

Letters 5
Direction Down
Published Feb 19, 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 B starts with

The clue “Make a mess of” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Thursday, February 19, 2026 as a down entry. The verified answer is BOTCH — a 5-letter word that begins with B and ends with H.

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 BOTCH

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

More clues from the February 19, 2026 puzzle

Thursday Newsday Crossword
View full puzzle
Point-of-view lead-in 4 ℓ · D Last president with a mustache 4 ℓ · D Leveling wedge 4 ℓ · D Starting point 5 ℓ · D Batman alias 5 ℓ · D Artistic judgment 5 ℓ · A End-of-list abbr. 3 ℓ · D Go toe-to-toe 3 ℓ · D Crude qty. 3 ℓ · A Dele 7 ℓ · D It means "distant" 4 ℓ · D Purple puree base 4 ℓ · D Provide 4 ℓ · A Monetary gain 5 ℓ · D Bard's title starter 4 ℓ · D Shots to swing 6 ℓ · A Possible kite catcher 4 ℓ · A Chew (out) 4 ℓ · D Fuel from wood chips, e.g. 7 ℓ · A

Frequently asked questions about “Make a mess of”

What is the answer to “Make a mess of” in the Newsday Crossword?

The verified answer is BOTCH — a 5-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Make a mess of”?

The answer BOTCH contains 5 letters.

Was “Make a mess of” 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.

Make a mess of — Newsday Crossword Clue Answer | Newsday Crossword Answers