The phrase “capotes are flapped at them” is a New York Times crossword clue whose answer is TOROS , the Spanish word for “bulls.”

What the clue means

  • In Spanish bullfighting, a capote is the large, often pink-and-yellow cape that bullfighters use at the start of the fight.
  • These capes are literally flapped or waved in front of the bulls (toros) to provoke and guide their movements in the ring.

Crossword-specific context

  • A crossword help site explicitly lists the answer to the clue “Capotes are flapped at them” (NYT, January 2, 2026) as TOROS.
  • A crossword archive of that same NYT puzzle likewise shows the completed entry for the clue “Capotes are flapped at them” as TOROS.

Why “TOROS” fits perfectly

  • The clue is using “capotes” in the bullfighting sense, not as the surname of writer Truman Capote or other slang meanings.
  • “Flapped at them” describes what happens to the bulls in the ring: bullfighters flap the capes at the toros , so the wordplay and surface meaning line up neatly.

Answer for the post title “capotes are flapped at them”: TOROS.

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