For the New York Times crossword clue “Lock combinations” (or “Lock combinations?”) the primary published answer is COIFS.

What the clue means

  • In this clue, “lock” is used in the sense of a hair lock , not a door lock.
  • “Combinations” points to ways of arranging or styling those locks, i.e., hairstyles or coifs.

So the wordplay is: combinations of locks (of hair) = COIFS.

Extra crossword details

  • The clue “Lock combinations?” appeared in a New York Times crossword dated December 17, 2025.
  • Some solver databases list both DOS (3 letters) and COIFS (5 letters) as associated answers, but COIFS is the one explicitly explained as “lock combinations” = hairstyles.

Quick SEO-style notes

  • If searching, useful phrases include “lock combinations nyt” and “Lock combinations? NYT crossword clue COIFS”.
  • Several crossword helper sites now surface this clue and confirm COIFS as the intended solution for the NYT puzzle.

TL;DR: The answer you want for “lock combinations (NYT)” is COIFS.

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