Maligns Crossword Clue
Looking for the answer to “Maligns” from the New York Times crossword of September 20, 2026? It has 8 letters. Flip the tiles one at a time, try a hint first, or look through the rest of that puzzle.
Crossword answer
NEW YORK TIMES, SEPTEMBER 20, 2026
Tap a tile to see one letter, or show the whole answer.
ASPERSES is the answer to “Maligns”. It means to spread false charges against.
Hints
Three clues to the answer, gentle first. Open one at a time.
Hint 1 Meaning
To spread false charges against.
Hint 2 Anagram
Its letters, scrambled: SRSPSAEE.
Hint 3 Another clue
It starts with A and ends with S.
More clues from the New York Times (September 20, 2026)
Across
- 1. Special-ordered6 letters, starts with CCUSTOM
- 7. Sections of a circle's circumference4 letters, starts with AARCS
- 11. NASCAR stat that varies widely by venue7 letters, starts with LLAPTIME
- 18. Banderas of 2024's "Babygirl"7 letters, starts with AANTONIO
- 20. Coaster feature, maybe4 letters, starts with LLOOP
- 21. Assembles in proper order8 letters, starts with CCOLLATES
- 22. Mar, as a reputation7 letters, starts with TTARNISH
- 23. See 25-Across4 letters, starts with FFOUR
- 24. Maligns8 letters, starts with AASPERSES
- 25. With 23-Across, March Madness tournament round8 letters, starts with SSWEETTWO
- 27. Mouths (off)6 letters, starts with SSPOUTS
- 29. Pact that preceded the U.S.M.C.A.5 letters, starts with NNAFTA
- 30. Burnable bog stuff4 letters, starts with PPEAT
- 31. Burnt chimney stuff4 letters, starts with SSOOT
- 33. High-speed Olympic sport4 letters, starts with LLUGE
- 34. See 37-Across3 letters, starts with TTWO
- 35. One who might have perfect pitch?5 letters, starts with AADMAN
- 37. With 34-Across, full extent of something15 letters, starts with WWHOLETHREEYARDS
- 43. "Holy moly!"3 letters, starts with GGOD
- 45. Defensive player who keeps an eye on the QB, in football lingo3 letters, starts with SSPY
- 46. Red-coated cheese4 letters, starts with EEDAM
- 47. "___ funny!"3 letters, starts with TTOO
- 48. Bigwig7 letters, starts with HHOTSHOT
- 52. Own (up)4 letters, starts with FFESS
- 55. It's off the wall!8 letters, starts with RRICOCHET
- 57. "Red" or "1989," to Swifties3 letters, starts with EERA
- 58. Buck ___, first African American coach in Major League Baseball5 letters, starts with OONEIL
- 60. Extremely soft, in music: Abbr.3 letters, starts with PPPP
- 62. See 64-Across5 letters, starts with TTHREE
- 63. Chew the fat3 letters, starts with YYAK
- 64. With 62-Across, Beatles classic with the lyric "Will you still need me / Will you still feed me"10 letters, starts with WWHENIMFOUR
- 67. Noted exile isle4 letters, starts with EELBA
- 69. Energy-efficient bulb, for short3 letters, starts with LLED
- 71. ___ orange, tree whose fruit has a brainlike appearance5 letters, starts with OOSAGE
- 72. Native Nebraskans5 letters, starts with OOTOES
- 75. See 78-Across3 letters, starts with SSIX
- 76. Author who purportedly drew inspiration from a filing cabinet labeled "O-Z"4 letters, starts with BBAUM
- 78. With 75-Across, "So very appreciated!"10 letters, starts with TTHANKSATEN
- 81. Hold up3 letters, starts with RROB
- 83. Narnia or Neverland5 letters, starts with RREALM
- 86. Give it a whirl3 letters, starts with TTRY
- 87. Violinmaker of Cremona5 letters, starts with AAMATI
- 88. Letters from your folks?3 letters, starts with DDNA
- 89. "So cool!"8 letters, starts with RREALNEAT
- 92. Follower of John in the New Testament4 letters, starts with AACTS
- 94. Chef with "New New Orleans"-style cooking7 letters, starts with LLAGASSE
- 96. Greatest guy?3 letters, starts with AALI
- 97. See 101-Across4 letters, starts with ZZERO
- 98. Vent3 letters, starts with AAIR
- 100. Part of SCOTUS3 letters, starts with TTHE
- 101. With 97-Across, Vegas casino machine15 letters, starts with NNINEARMEDBANDIT
- 107. No-cash deal5 letters, starts with TTRADE
- 111. Lay off3 letters, starts with CCAN
- 112. Culprit, in police lingo4 letters, starts with PPERP
- 113. Modern pentathlon equipment4 letters, starts with EEPEE
- 115. Metaphor for a too-hot room4 letters, starts with OOVEN
- 116. Actress Christine whose last name sounds like a pair of musical notes5 letters, starts with LLAHTI
- 118. Ill will6 letters, starts with MMALICE
- 120. Number written above and to the right of another number … as seen five times in this puzzle?8 letters, starts with EEXPONENT
- 122. Weigh down, and then some8 letters, starts with OOVERLOAD
- 124. Number with a 120-Across, mathematically4 letters, starts with BBASE
- 126. Armand of "American Gangster"7 letters, starts with AASSANTE
- 127. Many mailbox stuffers8 letters, starts with LLOCALADS
- 128. Zest4 letters, starts with EELAN
- 129. Iced tea request7 letters, starts with NNOSUGAR
- 130. Clumsy7 letters, starts with AAWKWARD
- 131. Move fast, as a cloud4 letters, starts with SSCUD
- 132. Road trip stopovers6 letters, starts with MMOTELS
Down
- 1. Pampering place for a Persian6 letters, starts with CCATSPA
- 2. Not impressed6 letters, starts with UUNAWED
- 3. Watch via Hulu, say6 letters, starts with SSTREAM
- 4. Online forum qualifiers such as /j ("joking") or /s ("sarcastic")8 letters, starts with TTONETAGS
- 5. "I'll deal with this right now!"4 letters, starts with OONIT
- 6. Keeps hydrated, as vegetables in the produce aisle5 letters, starts with MMISTS
- 7. Sitcom character from Melmac3 letters, starts with AALF
- 8. Aussie animals4 letters, starts with RROOS
- 9. Item6 letters, starts with CCOUPLE
- 10. Alfalfa shoot6 letters, starts with SSPROUT
- 11. Stockholder's setback4 letters, starts with LLOSS
- 12. Weisshorn or Finsteraarhorn3 letters, starts with AALP
- 13. Not merely enough to go around10 letters, starts with PPLENTYMORE
- 14. Island containing Kiribati's capital6 letters, starts with TTARAWA
- 15. "Don't pay any mind to this"14 letters, starts with IITSFORTHEBIRDS
- 16. Zoom, e.g.4 letters, starts with MMEET
- 17. Feminine pronoun in Florence4 letters, starts with EESSA
- 19. "Would you look at that!"5 letters, starts with OOHWOW
- 21. Wedding reception hiree7 letters, starts with CCATERER
- 26. Partner of aahs4 letters, starts with OOOHS
- 28. "So-o-o gross!"3 letters, starts with UUGH
- 32. A-one9 letters, starts with TTOPFLIGHT
- 36. With nary a chance5 letters, starts with NNOHOW
- 38. Ingredient in some hair relaxers3 letters, starts with LLYE
- 39. Make a long story short, say4 letters, starts with EEDIT
- 40. Individually4 letters, starts with EEACH
- 41. Female rabbit3 letters, starts with DDOE
- 42. Elbow-bender3 letters, starts with SSOT
- 44. Popular singer of the Hawaiian folk song "Pearly Shells"5 letters, starts with DDONHO
- 48. "Sup!"3 letters, starts with HHEY
- 49. Sonicare competitor5 letters, starts with OORALB
- 50. Reschedule, so to speak14 letters, starts with TTAKEARAINCHECK
- 51. Things that drivers sometimes leave behind?4 letters, starts with TTEES
- 53. Letters on a lip balm tube3 letters, starts with SSPF
- 54. Scare stiff5 letters, starts with SSPOOK
- 56. Some old Disney collectibles4 letters, starts with CCELS
- 59. Arriving by4 letters, starts with IINAT
- 61. Tables9 letters, starts with PPUTSASIDE
- 65. Stiller's comedic partner5 letters, starts with MMEARA
- 66. Incur a cellphone surcharge, perhaps4 letters, starts with RROAM
- 68. Electrical impulse transmitters5 letters, starts with AAXONS
- 70. Face off4 letters, starts with DDUEL
- 73. Catchall abbr.4 letters, starts with EETAL
- 74. Priced to be, as bail5 letters, starts with SSETAT
- 77. Fortified wine from Spain10 letters, starts with MMANZANILLA
- 79. Home of NoHo and SoHo3 letters, starts with NNYC
- 80. "Catch ya in the morn!"5 letters, starts with NNIGHT
- 82. Main squeeze, in newer slang3 letters, starts with BBAE
- 84. Lascivious look4 letters, starts with LLEER
- 85. Old-timey teacher4 letters, starts with MMARM
- 89. Sped or bled ... or led3 letters, starts with RRAN
- 90. ___ Lilly (Mounjaro maker)3 letters, starts with EELI
- 91. Pointe shoe accessories7 letters, starts with TTOEPADS
- 93. Amy who wrote "Saving Fish From Drowning"3 letters, starts with TTAN
- 95. Balloon pilot, say8 letters, starts with AAERONAUT
- 99. Worth a pick?4 letters, starts with RRIPE
- 102. Stick to simple and unprocessed foods, say6 letters, starts with EEATRAW
- 103. State with only three counties: Abbr.3 letters, starts with DDEL
- 104. Illegal offerings6 letters, starts with BBRIBES
- 105. High-level H.S. class with derivatives6 letters, starts with AAPCALC
- 106. Star football player?5 letters, starts with TTEXAN
- 108. Get even for6 letters, starts with AAVENGE
- 109. Kind of insurance for bridges6 letters, starts with DDENTAL
- 110. Types in6 letters, starts with EENTERS
- 114. Surrey's Derby town5 letters, starts with EEPSOM
- 116. Singer/dancer/actress Falana4 letters, starts with LLOLA
- 117. Say for sure4 letters, starts with AAVOW
- 118. Org. supporting sobriety checkpoints4 letters, starts with MMADD
- 119. Father of five sons in the Bible4 letters, starts with EESAU
- 121. ___ buco4 letters, starts with OOSSO
- 123. Adornment on a boathouse wall3 letters, starts with OOAR
- 125. Heel, e.g.3 letters, starts with EEND
Fresh clues from recent puzzles
Questions
What is the answer to “Maligns”?
ASPERSES, 8 letters: to spread false charges against.
When was “Maligns” last seen in a crossword?
In the New York Times crossword of September 20, 2026.
How many letters does the answer have?
8 letters, starting with A.