The “symbol next to a tainted record” that’s been trending in today’s puzzles and forum talk is an asterisk – the little star “*” people stick beside a result that isn’t entirely clean or straightforward.

What that symbol means

In sports and record-keeping, an asterisk often signals “there’s a catch here.”

It usually points to a footnote that explains why a record is controversial, unusual, or achieved under special conditions.

  • It can indicate a rule change (like season length or equipment) affected the record.
  • It can hint that a performance is suspected of being unfair or “tainted,” so readers are nudged to read the explanation before judging it.

Why the asterisk feels “tainted”

Over time, the asterisk picked up a cultural meaning that goes beyond dry stats.

People now use it metaphorically whenever an achievement has a shadow over it, even outside sports and into areas like politics or public reputation.

  • Saying “He’s a champion, but with an asterisk” implies the win technically counts, yet isn’t fully respected.
  • This is why crosswords and forum jokes frame it as “symbol next to a tainted record” – it’s become shorthand for success that comes with a built-in doubt.

Mini “Quick Scoop” on the crossword angle

The specific phrase “symbol next to a tainted record” is also the clue in the January 3, 2026 New York Times Mini crossword, where the 8‑letter answer is ASTERISK.

Puzzle-helper sites spell this out directly and even define the asterisk as a star-shaped character used in printing or to mark special notes.

In forums and puzzle chats today, people are treating this clue as a neat little nod to how that tiny “*” can quietly rewrite the story of a record.

TL;DR: The symbol next to a tainted record is an asterisk – a small star that flags a record as needing a skeptical footnote, technically valid but permanently side‑eyed.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.