The answer to "Bottom of the barrel" in the NYT Crossword is WORST — five letters for the least desirable of the bunch, the dregs of the lot.
Why WORST?
"Bottom of the barrel" is an everyday idiom for whatever is left after all the good stuff is gone — the least desirable options, the lowest quality. The NYT used the clue exactly this way on September 17, 2024, where 9-Across resolved to WORST. Constructors love idioms like this because they test whether you recognize the saying, not just a dictionary definition, and the answer is always shorter and plainer than the clue sounds.
But watch out for the literal trap hiding inside this clue. A barrel also has an actual bottom, where sediment settles — and that sediment has its own crossword-famous name: DREGS. The NYT has used DREGS for this clue family in other puzzles, and LEES (wine sediment) shows up in the same neighborhood. The deciding factor is always your grid: with five open letters, both WORST and DREGS fit, so the crosses break the tie. This is a classic constructor double-play — the figurative idiom versus the literal sediment — and knowing both meanings turns a coin flip into a confident fill.
Solving Tip: Let the Crosses Pick the Meaning
When you see an idiom clue with two lives — a figurative meaning and a literal one — start filling the crossing answers before committing. One confirmed letter is often enough: a W in the first slot locks in WORST, while a D points to DREGS. Also watch the clue's exact wording: "Bottom-of-the-barrel material" leans literal (DREGS), while plain "Bottom of the barrel" has leaned figurative (WORST) in recent puzzles. Keep a mental shelf of these dual-meaning idioms — "bottom of the barrel," "bottom of the ninth," "cream of the crop" — and you'll spot the pattern the next time a constructor tries to split your attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the answer to "Bottom of the barrel" in the NYT Crossword? WORST, with five letters. It most recently appeared on September 17, 2024, as 9-Across in the Tuesday puzzle.
Is DREGS also a correct answer for this clue? Yes, in the right puzzle. DREGS is the literal answer — the sediment that settles at the bottom of a barrel — and the NYT has used it for this clue family before. LEES (four letters, the sediment in wine) is another related answer. Letter count and crossing letters always decide which one your grid wants.
When did "Bottom of the barrel" last appear in the NYT Crossword? September 17, 2024, in the Tuesday crossword, with the answer WORST.
How do I get faster at solving idiom clues? Read the clue for its plain-English meaning first, not its dictionary definition. Idioms like "bottom of the barrel" resolve into simple superlatives (WORST, BEST, LEAST). Then do a quick second pass: is there a literal reading too? That two-step habit — idiom first, literal second — cracks most phrase clues in seconds.
[…] Bottom of the Barrel NYT Crossword Clue Explained […]
[…] Bottom of the Barrel NYT Crossword Clue Explained […]