Scuff up, say NYT Crossword Clue

By Date: AUG 26, 2026 Follow on Google

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Clue

The most common and recent 3-letter answer for "Scuff up, say" is MAR.
The word 'mar' means to damage or spoil something, which aligns with 'scuff up' as both involve causing harm or imperfection. The word 'say' in the clue suggests that 'mar' is an example of what 'scuff up' could mean.
This clue was last seen in the NYT Crossword on August 26, 2026.
Mar means to impair the appearance or quality of something.
Spoil the appearance of, Disfigure, Nick, e.g., Scribble on, say, Month when National Reading Month is celebrated: Abbr.

3-letter answer to Scuff up, say in NYT Crossword August 26 2026 is MAR

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The clue tells you the shape of the answer

  • An abbreviated answer gets signalled in the clue, either by an abbreviation, an “Abbr.” tag, or a phrase like “for short” or “briefly.”
  • A question mark at the end means wordplay, not a definition.
  • Quotation marks usually mean somebody says it out loud, unless the clue names a title.
  • Square brackets usually mean the answer is a sound or a gesture rather than words.
  • Tense, number and degree always agree.

The day of the week is a difficulty setting

Monday is nearly literal. Puns arrive Wednesday. Thursday is the trick day, where rebus squares hold several letters in one box. Friday and Saturday are almost always themeless and wide open, with Saturday the hardest of the week.

Sunday confuses people. At 21×21 it’s nearly twice the area of a weekday grid, but it’s edited to roughly Wednesday or Thursday difficulty. Long isn’t the same as hard.