The “Contrast” clue in the New York Times crossword most recently referred to the 15-letter answer SET IN OPPOSITION in the January 6, 2026 puzzle.

Quick Scoop

  • In the January 6, 2026 NYT crossword, the across entry for the clue “Contrast” is SET IN OPPOSITION, spanning 15 letters.
  • This clue/answer pair sits in a themed puzzle where other long across entries also use “NO / IT / ON” letter chunks as part of a visual wordplay pattern, making the grid feel extra clever for regular solvers.
  • Helper sites and answer archives list SETINOPPOSITION as the primary solution for the most recent appearance of the “Contrast” clue in the NYT, confirming it as the canonical fill for that date.

What “Contrast” Is Getting At

  • The clue uses “contrast” in its verb/noun sense of “set one thing against another to highlight differences,” which aligns directly with the definition of the phrase “set in opposition.”
  • Dictionary-style glosses for “contrast” often include “opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared,” which is exactly what the entry embodies in phrase form.

Mini Forum-Style Take

“Long themers like SET IN OPPOSITION are classic NYT-style phrases: super literal, dictionary-clean, and perfect for a midweek or late-week theme slot.”

  • Puzzle blogs that recap NYT grids highlight this entry as one of the marquee across answers, tying into a theme where letter sequences repeat in multiple long entries.
  • General NYT-crossword commentary points out that such themers balance accessibility (a familiar phrase) with grid flash (15 letters neatly spanning the row).

Other Possible “Contrast” Answers (Across Puzzles)

  • Answer archives show that “Contrast” has had many shorter answers in various crosswords, including THAN, COMPARE, DIFFER, and DISTINCTION, though these are not tied to this specific January 2026 NYT grid.
  • The 2026-01-06 puzzle is notable because SET IN OPPOSITION is the 100% match in those archives, flagged explicitly as the NYT answer on that date.

HTML Table of Key Facts

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Item</th>
      <th>Detail</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Clue text</td>
      <td>"Contrast" [web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Answer</td>
      <td>SET IN OPPOSITION (15 letters) [web:3][web:5][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Publication</td>
      <td>New York Times Crossword [web:3][web:5][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Most recent date used</td>
      <td>January 6, 2026 [web:3][web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Meaning</td>
      <td>To place things against each other to highlight differences [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Other recorded fills for similar clue</td>
      <td>THAN, DISTINCTION, COMPARE, DIFFER, AGAINST, JUXTAPOSITION, COMPARISON, etc. (other puzzles/dates) [web:5]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR: In the latest NYT crossword where the clue is simply “Contrast,” the long, theme-worthy answer you’re looking for is SET IN OPPOSITION.