“__ to the core (evil)”
The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “__ to the core (evil)”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Tuesday, January 20, 2026 puzzle.
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The Answer
The answer to “__ to the core (evil)” is ROTTEN
Letter analysis: the 6-letter answer
Vowels, consonants, and crossword construction notesThe clue “__ to the core (evil)” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 as a down entry. The verified answer is ROTTEN — a 6-letter word that begins with R and ends with N.
This answer contains 2 vowels 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 ROTTEN
ROTTEN has been used as the answer for these Newsday Crossword cluesMore clues from the January 20, 2026 puzzle
Tuesday Newsday CrosswordFrequently asked questions about “__ to the core (evil)”
What is the answer to “__ to the core (evil)” in the Newsday Crossword?
The verified answer is ROTTEN — a 6-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “__ to the core (evil)”?
The answer ROTTEN contains 6 letters.
Was “__ to the core (evil)” 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.