Hopeless from the start, for short NYT Crossword Clue

By Emre Parlak / February 22, 2026

Crossword Answer

1 ? D

2 ? O

3 ? A

Hint

Interactive Solver for Hopeless from the start, for short Crossword Clue

Drag letters from the pool into “Your Answer”, then reorder them to match the solution.

Your Answer 3 Letter

Current guess: —

Letter Pool

Need a helpful nudge?

Unlock the puzzle's secrets with Daze's progressive hints!

Hint 1

hint

Reveal Hint

Think of a medical term that suggests there's no chance for revival.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

??? stands for 'Dead on Arrival,' indicating something that is unsuccessful or beyond saving right from the outset.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The clue 'Hopeless from the start, for short' refers to the phrase 'Dead on Arrival,' which is abbreviated as '???.' This term is often used to describe something that has no chance of success right from the beginning.

Hint 4

another clue

Reveal Hint

___ good turn, Like a nonstarter, informally, Doomed from the get-go, for short, Classic 1950 film noir, Not viable from the start, for short

NYT Crossword February 22 2026 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

1 ? A
2 ? B
3 ? A
4 ? T
5 ? E
6 ? C
7 ? A
8 ? N
9 ? V
10 ? A
11 ? S
12 ? A
13 ? C
14 ? I
15 ? D
16 ? I
17 ? C
18 ? L
? O
? C
? A
? T
19 ? E
20 ? A
? T
? B
? E
? S
? T
21 ? F
? O
? R
? E
? M
? E
22 ? N
23 ? P
? R
? E
? T
? A
? X
24 ? D
? E
? A
? T
? H
? O
25 ? N
? T
? H
? E
? N
? I
? L
? E
26 ? H
? A
? L
? T
27 ? T
28 ? I
? E
29 ? B
? A
? A
30 ? E
? D
? I
? T
? E
? D
31 ? A
? T
? A
? L
32 ? E
? O
? F
? T
33 ? W
34 ? O
35 ? C
? I
? T
? I
36 ? E
? S
37 ? M
? A
? B
38 ? I
? L
? L
? S
39 ? A
? N
? O
? N
40 ? F
? R
? I
41 ? T
? R
42 ? A
43 ? F
44 ? A
? N
? S
45 ? P
? I
? E
? S
46 ? D
? O
47 ? A
48 ? I
? A
? N
49 ? D
? A
? N
? G
? E
50 ? R
51 ? O
? U
? S
? L
? I
52 ? A
53 ? I
54 ? S
? O
? N
? S
55 ? O
? T
? T
56 ? R
? I
? G
57 ? A
? P
? P
? T
58 ? R
? B
? I
? S
59 ? S
60 ? I
? N
? E
? S
61 ? A
? T
? L
62 ? A
63 ? N
? T
? A
64 ? M
? O
? E
? T
65 ? O
? I
? L
66 ? W
? H
? E
? R
? E
? T
? H
67 ? E
68 ? W
69 ? I
? L
? D
? T
? H
70 ? I
? N
? G
? S
71 ? A
72 ? R
73 ? E
74 ? L
? A
? Y
75 ? L
? I
? C
? K
76 ? R
? E
? N
? A
? M
? E
? D
77 ? D
78 ? E
79 ? C
? O
? R
80 ? P
? L
? I
? E
81 ? M
82 ? O
? O
? N
83 ? I
? I
? I
84 ? A
? D
? O
85 ? T
86 ? H
? E
? A
? G
? E
87 ? O
88 ? F
? I
? N
? N
? O
89 ? C
90 ? E
? N
? C
? E
91 ? M
? M
? M
92 ? O
? A
? R
93 ? M
? E
? M
? O
94 ? A
? L
? O
? E
95 ? P
? C
? P
96 ? T
? C
97 ? M
98 ? I
? N
? R
? I
99 ? E
100 ? A
? R
? S
101 ? M
? A
102 ? R
103 ? T
? H
? E
104 ? P
? R
? I
? N
? C
105 ? E
? O
? F
? T
? I
106 ? D
107 ? E
108 ? S
109 ? C
? A
? R
? E
110 ? E
? R
111 ? A
? L
? I
112 ? P
? S
? I
113 ? N
? O
? N
? O
114 ? T
? H
? E
? G
? R
? E
115 ? A
? T
? E
? S
116 ? C
117 ? A
118 ? P
? E
119 ? R
120 ? H
? O
? N
? D
? A
121 ? R
? O
? T
? A
? T
? E
? D
122 ? B
? E
? A
? N
? I
? E
123 ? E
? A
? R
? N
? E
? R
124 ? N
? O
? L
? E
? S
? S
125 ? E
? S
? T
? O
? P
? S
126 ? H
? E
? E
? D
? S

Across

Ease up Crossword Clue

Setting for a landscape Crossword Clue

12A

Like pickles, but not cucumbers Crossword Clue

18A

Turn up Crossword Clue

20A

If all goes perfectly Crossword Clue

21A

Certain head jurors Crossword Clue

23A

Like some 401(k) contributions Crossword Clue

24A

The Ten Plagues Crossword Clue

26A

Freeze Crossword Clue

27A

Bolo, e.g. Crossword Clue

29A

Farmyard call Crossword Clue

30A

Print-ready Crossword Clue

31A

Sodom and Gomorrah Crossword Clue

37A

Literary fairy queen Crossword Clue

38A

Outpouring of Pandora’s box Crossword Clue

40A

Part of T.G.I.F.: Abbr. Crossword Clue

41A

Singsong syllable Crossword Clue

43A

Season ticket holders, presumably Crossword Clue

45A

Shoofly desserts Crossword Clue

46A

Hopeless from the start, for short Crossword Clue

48A

Janis ___, “At Seventeen” singer Crossword Clue

49A

Samson and Delilah Crossword Clue

55A

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Mel Crossword Clue

56A

Fix Crossword Clue

57A

Calendar notation: Abbr. Crossword Clue

58A

Diamond stats Crossword Clue

59A

Certain trig functions Crossword Clue

61A

So-called “Hollywood of the South” Crossword Clue

64A

Big name in bubbly Crossword Clue

65A

Painter’s medium Crossword Clue

66A

Noah’s Ark Crossword Clue

74A

Nonclerical Crossword Clue

75A

Get the better of Crossword Clue

76A

Like Constantinople, in 1930 Crossword Clue

77A

Interior style Crossword Clue

81A

Europa, Ganymede or Callisto vis-à-vis Jupiter Crossword Clue

83A

The third Crossword Clue

85A

Garden of Eden Crossword Clue

92A

Crew need Crossword Clue

93A

Get the ___ (finally become aware) Crossword Clue

94A

Ingredient in some gels Crossword Clue

95A

Designated H.M.O. doctor, in brief Crossword Clue

96A

Vintage film channel Crossword Clue

98A

Letters on a crucifix Crossword Clue

99A

Word with rabbit or all Crossword Clue

101A

Sully Crossword Clue

103A

Moses Parting the Red Sea Crossword Clue

109A

Rush uncontrolledly Crossword Clue

111A

Most common last name in Somalia Crossword Clue

112A

Pressure meas. Crossword Clue

114A

Jonah and the Whale Crossword Clue

119A

Title woman in a 1965 Beach Boys hit Crossword Clue

121A

Took turns Crossword Clue

122A

Brimless topper Crossword Clue

123A

One bringing home the bacon Crossword Clue

124A

Surprisingly enough Crossword Clue

125A

Bars, legally Crossword Clue

126A

Follows Crossword Clue

Down

Leader of the pack Crossword Clue

2006 mockumentary about a Kazakh journalist Crossword Clue

High-speed travel option Crossword Clue

Squealer’s activity Crossword Clue

H, to Hera Crossword Clue

West Pointer Crossword Clue

Thoroughly enjoyed, with “up” Crossword Clue

Org. with the Nuggets and Nets Crossword Clue

Screen Crossword Clue

10D

Rubbish receptacle Crossword Clue

11D

Weasel with a black-tipped tail Crossword Clue

12D

Where the coxswain sits Crossword Clue

13D

Unity Crossword Clue

14D

In a fury Crossword Clue

15D

Blue material Crossword Clue

16D

Counterfeit Crossword Clue

17D

Whoop it up Crossword Clue

22D

___ Stark, “Game of Thrones” patriarch Crossword Clue

25D

Gullible sort Crossword Clue

28D

Hypotheticals Crossword Clue

32D

Besides Crossword Clue

33D

Part of a trunk Crossword Clue

34D

First-year law student, informally Crossword Clue

35D

“___ Fan Tutte” Crossword Clue

36D

Mathematician Paul Crossword Clue

42D

___ on a log (celery-stick snack studded with raisins) Crossword Clue

43D

Confidence Crossword Clue

44D

What may be right but not left? Crossword Clue

45D

New Yorkie, say Crossword Clue

47D

Delegate Crossword Clue

49D

Pull to open Crossword Clue

50D

Dilapidated Crossword Clue

51D

Moonfish Crossword Clue

52D

Yankees nickname until 2016 Crossword Clue

53D

“My eye!” Crossword Clue

54D

Wielder of a red lightsaber Crossword Clue

60D

“Casablanca” role Crossword Clue

63D

Approaching Crossword Clue

64D

1964’s Nobel Peace laureate, for short Crossword Clue

65D

Common bridge bid, informally Crossword Clue

67D

Spanish “she” Crossword Clue

68D

Kristen of “Bridesmaids” Crossword Clue

69D

Slushy brand Crossword Clue

70D

Press Crossword Clue

71D

Protein-building acid, informally Crossword Clue

72D

Treat again, as a sprain Crossword Clue

73D

Actress Falco Crossword Clue

77D

Clammy Crossword Clue

78D

“Heeere’s Johnny!” announcer Crossword Clue

79D

Measure against Crossword Clue

80D

Tree branch or power line, for a bird Crossword Clue

81D

One making an impression? Crossword Clue

82D

Woman honored in John Lennon’s “Woman” Crossword Clue

86D

Where boaters hang with bowlers Crossword Clue

87D

Hyatt alternative Crossword Clue

88D

Spore-producing plant Crossword Clue

89D

Transport (around) Crossword Clue

90D

Castle in “Hamlet” Crossword Clue

97D

Heart of the matter Crossword Clue

98D

Subject for van Gogh Crossword Clue

99D

Aurora’s counterpart in Greek mythology Crossword Clue

100D

Lit Crossword Clue

102D

Big name in movie theaters Crossword Clue

104D

First-year West Pointer Crossword Clue

105D

Olympic blades Crossword Clue

106D

“No man is an island” writer Crossword Clue

107D

Was over Crossword Clue

108D

Glides high Crossword Clue

109D

Middle: Abbr. Crossword Clue

110D

Noted Art Deco designer Crossword Clue

115D

Clue Analysis

The 3-letter answer to “Hopeless from the start, for short” in the NYT Crossword February 22 2026 is DOA.

We have got you covered! If you want to test your brain first, use our hint features to reveal letters or have fun with our interactive solver. Otherwise, grab the full answer right here!

Solving the crossword is a blast, but a little help never hurts! We provide lightning-fast answers every day. You can reveal letters one by one or grab the full answer in a hurry. For a fun challenge, try our interactive solver; it’s a game within a game where you unscramble letters to find the word!

Do not forget to dive into our FAQ section, where we explain the “why” behind the answer and track its history in previous puzzles. It is the perfect way to sharpen your crossword skills!

Finished today’s crossword already? Check this link for upcoming puzzles: NYT Crossword Answers Today

You can start solving clues on the official New York Times website, as well as on its mobile apps. Simply install the app on your Android or iOS device. The direct download links are below:

Get It on Google Play Store (Android)
Get It on App Store (iOS)
Play Online on NYT Website

Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

At Daze Puzzle, we understand that every clue is a puzzle within a larger puzzle. Our team of dedicated human experts and puzzle lovers solves these challenges daily to help you succeed. Below, we answer common questions about this specific clue.

A: The most common and recent 3-letter answer for "Hopeless from the start, for short" is DOA.

A: The clue 'Hopeless from the start, for short' refers to the phrase 'Dead on Arrival,' which is abbreviated as 'DOA.' This term is often used to describe something that has no chance of success right from the beginning.

A: This clue was last seen in the NYT Crossword on February 22, 2026.

A: DOA stands for 'Dead on Arrival,' indicating something that is unsuccessful or beyond saving right from the outset.

A: ___ good turn, Like a nonstarter, informally, Doomed from the get-go, for short, Classic 1950 film noir, Not viable from the start, for short

Today's Crossword Answers

Want more help on other popular crossword puzzles? Try it now!

Hopeless from the start, for short NYT Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

Interactive Solver for Hopeless from the start, for short Crossword Clue

Unlock the puzzle's secrets with Daze's progressive hints!

Hint 1

Hint 2

Hint 3

Hint 4

Across

Down

Clue Analysis

Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

Q1: What is the most likely answer for the crossword clue "Hopeless from the start, for short"?

Q2: Why is "DOA" the answer to the clue "Hopeless from the start, for short"?

Q3: In which puzzle was the clue "Hopeless from the start, for short" last seen?

Q4: What does the word "DOA" mean in this context?

Q5: What are some other crossword clues that share the same answer?

Today's Crossword Answers

Hopeless from the start, for short NYT Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

Interactive Solver for Hopeless from the start, for short Crossword Clue

Unlock the puzzle's secrets with Daze's progressive hints!

Hint 1

Hint 2

Hint 3

Hint 4

NYT Crossword February 22 2026 Answers

Across

Down

Clue Analysis

Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

Q1: What is the most likely answer for the crossword clue "Hopeless from the start, for short"?

Q2: Why is "DOA" the answer to the clue "Hopeless from the start, for short"?

Q3: In which puzzle was the clue "Hopeless from the start, for short" last seen?

Q4: What does the word "DOA" mean in this context?

Q5: What are some other crossword clues that share the same answer?

Today's Crossword Answers

Crossword Clue Solver