Pulls the chain of, so to speak Crossword Clue
Looking for the answer to “Pulls the chain of, so to speak” from the New York Times crossword of January 18, 2026? It has 6 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, JANUARY 18, 2026
Tap a tile to see one letter, or show the whole answer.
TEASES is the answer to “Pulls the chain of, so to speak”. It means to make fun of.
Hints
Three clues to the answer, gentle first. Open one at a time.
Hint 1 Meaning
To make fun of.
Hint 2 Anagram
Its letters, scrambled: AETSES.
Hint 3 Another clue
It has also been clued as “Builds up anticipation for, like a new movie”.
More clues from the New York Times (January 18, 2026)
Across
- 1. Bit of regal headwear6 letters, starts with DDIADEM
- 7. Singer Horne4 letters, starts with LLENA
- 11. Develops alopecia8 letters, starts with GGOESBALD
- 19. Total6 letters, starts with EENTIRE
- 20. 2022 World Series champ5 letters, starts with AASTRO
- 22. College town nicknamed "A2"8 letters, starts with AANNARBOR
- 23. Like the Gospel of Mark, sequentially?12 letters, starts with AAFTERMATTHEW
- 25. Concert lineups8 letters, starts with SSETLISTS
- 26. Matriarch of six of the 12 tribes of Israel4 letters, starts with LLEAH
- 27. Make a choice3 letters, starts with OOPT
- 28. Trouble3 letters, starts with WWOE
- 30. 1982 film whose name is a security program4 letters, starts with TTRON
- 31. Text that says "Congratulations! You've won a MacBook Pro," probably4 letters, starts with SSCAM
- 33. Prepare for a mechanic's certification exam?15 letters, starts with RREVIEWTHEENGINE
- 40. Pulsates6 letters, starts with TTHROBS
- 42. Rock's Plastic ___ Band3 letters, starts with OONO
- 43. Central parts of planets5 letters, starts with CCORES
- 44. Hairdresser's supply3 letters, starts with DDYE
- 45. Molecule that might be modeled with Twizzlers and gummies in biology class3 letters, starts with DDNA
- 46. Soft shots, in tennis5 letters, starts with DDINKS
- 48. Meditative chants3 letters, starts with OOMS
- 49. Plant used in pickling4 letters, starts with DDILL
- 50. H.S. exam whose highest score is 363 letters, starts with AACT
- 53. Source of income for a website6 letters, starts with AADSALE
- 55. Half of a popular social media app3 letters, starts with TTIK
- 57. Discontinued iPods designed to fit into watch pockets5 letters, starts with NNANOS
- 58. Original people to move into Cancún's peninsula?20 letters, starts with TTHESETTLERSOFYUCATAN
- 63. Affectionate term for una madre4 letters, starts with MMAMI
- 64. Designation for the Louisville Bats and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp3 letters, starts with AAAA
- 65. Preceder of Peacock and White in the game Clue3 letters, starts with MMRS
- 66. "Big" comic protagonist4 letters, starts with NNATE
- 67. "Don't look at me for help" … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme21 letters, starts with SSOUNDSLIKEAYOUPROBLEM
- 75. Dove's dwelling4 letters, starts with CCOTE
- 76. Wii remote batteries3 letters, starts with AAAS
- 77. Sloth in 2002's "Ice Age"3 letters, starts with SSID
- 78. Sensation before a migraine, medically4 letters, starts with AAURA
- 79. Gets married while wearing protective gear?20 letters, starts with UUNITESINSHININGARMOR
- 85. Quarrels5 letters, starts with SSPATS
- 86. Itty-bitty3 letters, starts with WWEE
- 87. Japanese craft that literally translates to "tray planting"6 letters, starts with BBONSAI
- 88. "This Is your brain on drugs," e.g., for short3 letters, starts with PPSA
- 89. Best-selling romance author Jimenez4 letters, starts with AABBY
- 90. One of 2,214 for Babe Ruth3 letters, starts with RRBI
- 92. "Shrek!" author William5 letters, starts with SSTEIG
- 94. Common item at a checkout line, informally3 letters, starts with MMAG
- 96. #1 spot in London?3 letters, starts with LLOO
- 97. Honkers without horns5 letters, starts with GGEESE
- 99. It might come with a shell3 letters, starts with OOAR
- 100. Go over again6 letters, starts with RREREAD
- 103. List of restaurant offerings for kids not yet three years old?15 letters, starts with TTWOANDAHALFMENU
- 107. Kerfuffle4 letters, starts with TTODO
- 108. Oodles4 letters, starts with GGOBS
- 109. Someone who might issue a travel warning?3 letters, starts with RREF
- 110. "Roger that!"3 letters, starts with YYEP
- 112. Name that means "pink" in Spanish4 letters, starts with RROSA
- 114. Relative of a husky8 letters, starts with MMALAMUTE
- 118. Wedding planner's aid?12 letters, starts with VVENUEDIAGRAM
- 122. "5 stars"8 letters, starts with IILOVEDIT
- 123. It might raise a bunch of dough5 letters, starts with YYEAST
- 124. Stab of pain6 letters, starts with TTWINGE
- 125. Values8 letters, starts with AASSESSES
- 126. Businesses offering mud masks4 letters, starts with SSPAS
- 127. Pulls the chain of, so to speak6 letters, starts with TTEASES
Down
- 1. Word on either side of "or no"4 letters, starts with DDEAL
- 2. Overrun6 letters, starts with IINFEST
- 3. Add electronically, in a way6 letters, starts with AATTACH
- 4. Like a really big fan7 letters, starts with DDIEHARD
- 5. Go wrong3 letters, starts with EERR
- 6. Bad thing not to get (especially at the office?)4 letters, starts with MMEMO
- 7. The Cinnamon Dolce or the Blonde Vanilla, at Starbucks5 letters, starts with LLATTE
- 8. "Silentium ___ aureum" ("Silence is golden")3 letters, starts with EEST
- 9. High degree3 letters, starts with NNTH
- 10. "Is it time to rethink this relationship?"7 letters, starts with AAREWEOK
- 11. Hilarious thing3 letters, starts with GGAS
- 12. Like George H.W. Bush, but not George W. Bush7 letters, starts with OONETERM
- 13. Starters' followers7 letters, starts with EENTREES
- 14. Businesses whose employees work standing up6 letters, starts with SSALONS
- 15. Carry in5 letters, starts with BBRING
- 16. "Chiseled" features3 letters, starts with AABS
- 17. Destiny in life3 letters, starts with LLOT
- 18. Hippocratic oath followers, for short3 letters, starts with DDRS
- 21. "Stop! That hurts!"4 letters, starts with OOWOW
- 24. Car financing figs.4 letters, starts with AAPRS
- 29. List shortener3 letters, starts with EETC
- 32. "Hidden Figures" co-star Janelle5 letters, starts with MMONAE
- 34. Breathable fabric used in mosquito nets5 letters, starts with VVOILE
- 35. ___ child5 letters, starts with IINNER
- 36. What a bad student might play5 letters, starts with HHOOKY
- 37. Menzel of Broadway5 letters, starts with IIDINA
- 38. Guitar string material5 letters, starts with NNYLON
- 39. Fish traditionally in the British dish "pie and mash"4 letters, starts with EEELS
- 41. What kitsch exhibits8 letters, starts with BBADTASTE
- 46. ___ Lama5 letters, starts with DDALAI
- 47. Part of a bedtime routine5 letters, starts with SSTORY
- 49. Healthy, fiber-rich snack7 letters, starts with DDATEBAR
- 50. Where some bills originate4 letters, starts with AATMS
- 51. Former transportation secretary Elaine4 letters, starts with CCHAO
- 52. Chinese competitor of Amazon4 letters, starts with TTEMU
- 54. Loses freshness6 letters, starts with SSTALES
- 56. "In that case …"4 letters, starts with IIFSO
- 57. Grp. that Sweden joined in 20244 letters, starts with NNATO
- 59. Vegas7 letters, starts with SSINCITY
- 60. Sensation5 letters, starts with SSMASH
- 61. Removes from the top of one's profile, as an Instagram post6 letters, starts with UUNPINS
- 62. Hearts or spades, but not diamonds8 letters, starts with CCARDGAME
- 68. .........4 letters, starts with DDOTS
- 69. Classic Orson Welles protagonist4 letters, starts with KKANE
- 70. Ameliorates5 letters, starts with EEASES
- 71. Via5 letters, starts with UUSING
- 72. Feature of undermixed batter4 letters, starts with LLUMP
- 73. Greek god whose name becomes a flower if you move the first letter to the end4 letters, starts with EEROS
- 74. Golden Globe nominee Rooney4 letters, starts with MMARA
- 79. "V," to a violinist5 letters, starts with UUPBOW
- 80. Padmé Amidala's home planet in "Star Wars"5 letters, starts with NNABOO
- 81. "If only!"5 letters, starts with IIWISH
- 82. Steel girder5 letters, starts with IIBEAM
- 83. Bête ___5 letters, starts with NNOIRE
- 84. Images that can rip off human creators, perhaps5 letters, starts with AAIART
- 85. Pretzel topper4 letters, starts with SSALT
- 90. Trees with heart-shaped leaves7 letters, starts with RREDBUDS
- 91. Creature, cutesily7 letters, starts with BBEASTIE
- 93. Candies that crack with a crunch7 letters, starts with TTOFFEES
- 95. Last of the 13 original colonies to be founded7 letters, starts with GGEORGIA
- 97. Some lawn ornaments6 letters, starts with GGNOMES
- 98. Part of E.N.T.3 letters, starts with EEAR
- 100. Kicked oneself for4 letters, starts with RRUED
- 101. Prettifies6 letters, starts with AADORNS
- 102. 500 mg 2x/day, e.g.6 letters, starts with DDOSAGE
- 104. Source of a natural sweetener5 letters, starts with AAGAVE
- 105. Last name shared by three actors on "Schitt's Creek"4 letters, starts with LLEVY
- 106. Russian denials5 letters, starts with NNYETS
- 111. The Panthers of the A.C.C.4 letters, starts with PPITT
- 113. Midwest city whose name becomes a Southwest city if you move the first letter to the end4 letters, starts with AAMES
- 114. Not around, informally3 letters, starts with MMIA
- 115. Hirt and Hirschfeld3 letters, starts with AALS
- 116. Día de ___ Reyes Magos3 letters, starts with LLOS
- 117. They're often depicted with green skin, for short3 letters, starts with EETS
- 119. Something much needed after an all-nighter3 letters, starts with NNAP
- 120. Today preceder3 letters, starts with UUSA
- 121. Leave speechless3 letters, starts with AAWE
Fresh clues from recent puzzles
Questions
What is the answer to “Pulls the chain of, so to speak”?
TEASES, 6 letters: to make fun of.
When was “Pulls the chain of, so to speak” last seen in a crossword?
In the New York Times crossword of January 18, 2026.
How many letters does the answer have?
6 letters, starting with T.