Up the ___ NYT Crossword Clue

By Date: SEP 3, 2026 Follow on Google

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Clue

The most common and recent 4-letter answer for "Up the ___" is ANTE.
The phrase 'up the ante' is commonly used in poker to mean increasing the stakes or raising the bet. In a broader sense, it means to increase the level of risk or commitment in any situation. The blank in the clue indicates a missing word that completes this well-known idiom.
This clue was last seen in the NYT Crossword on September 03, 2026.
Ante is a stake put up by a player in poker before receiving cards.
Initial cost, Poker player's buy-in, Buy-in at the start of a poker hand, First chip in the hand, Kitty feed

4-letter answer to Up the ___ in NYT Crossword September 3 2026 is ANTE

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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.