Where idols go head-to-head? Crossword Clue
Looking for the answer to “Where idols go head-to-head?” from the New York Times crossword of January 4, 2026? It has 5 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 4, 2026
Tap a tile to see one letter, or show the whole answer.
TOTEM is the answer to “Where idols go head-to-head?”. It means a natural object serving as the emblem of a family or clan.
Hints
Three clues to the answer, gentle first. Open one at a time.
Hint 1 Meaning
A natural object serving as the emblem of a family or clan.
Hint 2 Anagram
Its letters, scrambled: OMTTE.
Hint 3 Another clue
It has also been clued as “Emblem with an Ojibwe name”.
More clues from the New York Times (January 4, 2026)
Across
- 1. It protects the heart7 letters, starts with RRIBCAGE
- 8. Egyptian god of the underworld6 letters, starts with OOSIRIS
- 14. Dr.'s order?3 letters, starts with AAMA
- 17. Substances found in cured meats and explosives8 letters, starts with NNITRATES
- 18. Theme park with attractions like The Count's Splash Castle and Oscar's Rusty Rotten Rockets11 letters, starts with SSESAMEPLACE
- 21. High marks8 letters, starts with AAPLUSSES
- 22. "That's enough bickering!"12 letters, starts with SSTOPITYOUTWO
- 24. Valletta's land5 letters, starts with MMALTA
- 25. Sci-fi protagonist who says "I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life"3 letters, starts with NNEO
- 27. Max's opposite3 letters, starts with MMIN
- 28. Morpheus, to 25-Across6 letters, starts with MMENTOR
- 29. Good ol' boy5 letters, starts with BBUBBA
- 31. Actor Thomas ___ Church5 letters, starts with HHADEN
- 34. Stares stupidly5 letters, starts with GGAWKS
- 35. General who crossed the Rubicon6 letters, starts with CCAESAR
- 37. Snubs7 letters, starts with IIGNORES
- 39. Ultimate end, to Aristotle5 letters, starts with TTELOS
- 40. TV E.T.3 letters, starts with AALF
- 41. Secondary list of options7 letters, starts with SSUBMENU
- 43. ___ Veronese, "The Wedding at Cana" painter5 letters, starts with PPAOLO
- 45. Queen ___ Land (region of Antarctica claimed by Norway)4 letters, starts with MMAUD
- 47. Classification that anyone can donate to6 letters, starts with TTYPEAB
- 48. Got off4 letters, starts with AALIT
- 49. With warts and all4 letters, starts with AASIS
- 53. Pesto ingredients8 letters, starts with PPINENUTS
- 55. Made less angry now8 letters, starts with PPLACATED
- 58. Ozone no-no, for short3 letters, starts with CCFC
- 59. The dash in many an emoticon4 letters, starts with NNOSE
- 60. It's a "tyrannical discipline," said Sylvia Plath6 letters, starts with PPOETRY
- 61. Titular role in a 2024 Disney prequel6 letters, starts with MMUFASA
- 63. Derived from gold5 letters, starts with AAURIC
- 66. Steals, informally7 letters, starts with FFILCHES
- 67. Something a bug produces5 letters, starts with EERROR
- 68. Certain Army noncom6 letters, starts with SSGTMAJ
- 70. Points to a church?6 letters, starts with SSPIRES
- 71. What the 7 may mean in 7/114 letters, starts with JJULY
- 73. Brewed beverage3 letters, starts with AALE
- 74. Perseveres8 letters, starts with PPUSHESON
- 76. Certain drink + what that drink has a lot of = women's lifestyle website8 letters, starts with PPOPSUGAR
- 80. "Horsefeathers!"4 letters, starts with PPISH
- 82. "Fiddlesticks!"4 letters, starts with DDRAT
- 83. Combine using heat without melting, as particles6 letters, starts with SSINTER
- 85. Make a lot, say?4 letters, starts with PPAVE
- 86. Famed firefighter Red5 letters, starts with AADAIR
- 88. "All right, but that's not my opinion"7 letters, starts with SSAYSYOU
- 90. L.A.P.D. unit?3 letters, starts with LLOS
- 91. The Lamb5 letters, starts with JJESUS
- 93. Devoted effort to looking attractive7 letters, starts with PPREENED
- 96. Leaning6 letters, starts with AASLANT
- 98. Bandage brand5 letters, starts with CCURAD
- 99. Possessed, biblically5 letters, starts with HHADST
- 100. Word before winner or after Wonder5 letters, starts with BBREAD
- 101. Brick homes6 letters, starts with AADOBES
- 103. Buffalo's home: Abbr.3 letters, starts with NNYS
- 104. "Sprechen ___ Deutsch?"3 letters, starts with SSIE
- 106. Eponym of element 965 letters, starts with CCURIE
- 109. They'll get there eventually12 letters, starts with LLATEBLOOMERS
- 113. Like the cultivation of land8 letters, starts with AAGRARIAN
- 115. Country whose border shape is the world's roundest11 letters, starts with SSIERRALEONE
- 116. Zero8 letters, starts with GGOOSEEGG
- 117. Co.'s $$ head3 letters, starts with CCFO
- 118. Steal for ransom6 letters, starts with KKIDNAP
- 119. Whence the phrase "wear one's heart on one's sleeve"7 letters, starts with OOTHELLO
Down
- 1. Kelly of morning TV4 letters, starts with RRIPA
- 2. "Come on and let loose for a while!"9 letters, starts with IITLLBEFUN
- 3. Name of Ohio State's buckeye mascot6 letters, starts with BBRUTUS
- 4. Wrinkly fruits7 letters, starts with CCASABAS
- 5. Parts of many online handles3 letters, starts with AATS
- 6. Davis of "Thelma & Louise"5 letters, starts with GGEENA
- 7. "___ quam videri" (North Carolina's motto)4 letters, starts with EESSE
- 8. 1940s spy grp.3 letters, starts with OOSS
- 9. Ready … or a word after ready3 letters, starts with SSET
- 10. Chemist's variant6 letters, starts with IISOMER
- 11. Violent seizure, as of property6 letters, starts with RRAPINE
- 12. "Sign me up"4 letters, starts with IIMIN
- 13. He scattered his brother's remains across the land and usurped his throne3 letters, starts with SSET
- 14. Soothing goo7 letters, starts with AALOEGEL
- 15. Hawaiian for "long mountain"8 letters, starts with MMAUNALOA
- 16. Intermission follower on Broadway6 letters, starts with AACTTWO
- 17. War zone for Rambo, informally3 letters, starts with NNAM
- 19. Poe's "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon ___"3 letters, starts with PPYM
- 20. Wicket and Teebo of Endor, e.g.5 letters, starts with EEWOKS
- 23. Hosp. areas3 letters, starts with OORS
- 26. "I'm flattered!"5 letters, starts with OOHGEE
- 30. Believing his friend and ally had too much power, he led a party of conspirators to put an end to him6 letters, starts with BBRUTUS
- 32. State capital that's closest to the U.S. Capitol9 letters, starts with AANNAPOLIS
- 33. Like five Across answers by five Down answers in this puzzle, literally and figuratively13 letters, starts with DDOUBLECROSSED
- 35. Kids' summer getaway4 letters, starts with CCAMP
- 36. Kyrgyzstani mountain range4 letters, starts with AALAI
- 37. Urchins4 letters, starts with IIMPS
- 38. Fans out6 letters, starts with SSPLAYS
- 39. Where idols go head-to-head?5 letters, starts with TTOTEM
- 42. Small part in a gig4 letters, starts with BBYTE
- 44. British isle3 letters, starts with AAIT
- 46. It's in your jeans5 letters, starts with DDENIM
- 48. Plot divisions5 letters, starts with AACRES
- 50. Traumatize4 letters, starts with SSCAR
- 51. "Assuming that's true …"4 letters, starts with IIFSO
- 52. He led his brother to his demise by endangering his nephew4 letters, starts with SSCAR
- 54. "Not gonna lie …"5 letters, starts with NNOCAP
- 56. First enactors of democracy9 letters, starts with AATHENIANS
- 57. Fencing contests5 letters, starts with DDUELS
- 60. Chemistry lab dropper5 letters, starts with PPIPET
- 62. Prepare quickly, as eggs for breakfast5 letters, starts with FFRYUP
- 63. Chop-chop4 letters, starts with AASAP
- 64. Wrinkly fruit4 letters, starts with UUGLI
- 65. GPS lines: Abbr.4 letters, starts with RRTES
- 66. Programming language that's also a musical key6 letters, starts with FFSHARP
- 69. He sold out his master in exchange for silver5 letters, starts with JJUDAS
- 71. Baby in a pouch4 letters, starts with JJOEY
- 72. Pandemonium6 letters, starts with UUPROAR
- 75. Title for a guru3 letters, starts with SSRI
- 76. Survivor's affliction, for short4 letters, starts with PPTSD
- 77. Elf portrayed by Cate Blanchett in "The Fellowship of the Ring"9 letters, starts with GGALADRIEL
- 78. Big name in makeup4 letters, starts with AAVON
- 79. Music score squiggle4 letters, starts with RREST
- 81. Disagrees (with)8 letters, starts with HHASABEEF
- 84. Ixnays from Irkutsk5 letters, starts with NNYETS
- 87. Obnoxious fratty sort, colloquially7 letters, starts with DDUDEBRO
- 89. Possible scenario, to a coder7 letters, starts with UUSECASE
- 91. 2011 Lady Gaga hit5 letters, starts with JJUDAS
- 92. Steamy6 letters, starts with EEROTIC
- 94. Paired chips with dips?6 letters, starts with RRHYMED
- 95. Touch lightly, as a gas pedal6 letters, starts with EEASEON
- 97. Floral victory symbol6 letters, starts with LLAUREL
- 98. Lead-in to Tech3 letters, starts with CCAL
- 100. Spawned5 letters, starts with BBEGOT
- 102. Camera inits.3 letters, starts with SSLR
- 103. ___ me tangere (Latin warning)4 letters, starts with NNOLI
- 105. Jafar's parrot in "Aladdin"4 letters, starts with IIAGO
- 107. Driven by envy toward his comrades, he fabricated events that led to their downfall4 letters, starts with IIAGO
- 108. Official lang. of Liberia3 letters, starts with EENG
- 110. Acorn, in the future3 letters, starts with OOAK
- 111. Messenger ___3 letters, starts with RRNA
- 112. Birth month of most Virgos: Abbr.3 letters, starts with SSEP
- 114. "Ruh-___!" (cry from Astro on "The Jetsons")3 letters, starts with RROH
Fresh clues from recent puzzles
Questions
What is the answer to “Where idols go head-to-head?”?
TOTEM, 5 letters: a natural object serving as the emblem of a family or clan.
When was “Where idols go head-to-head?” last seen in a crossword?
In the New York Times crossword of January 4, 2026.
How many letters does the answer have?
5 letters, starting with T.