June 12, 2026 Daily / 19A / 4 letters
Puzzle clues NYT Crossword
"Empire of the ___" (1977 sci-fi film with an approval rating of 5% on Rotten Tomatoes) NYT Crossword Clue
Use the hint first, then reveal the answer only if you need it.
Hint
The blank is doing most of the work here. Look for a 4-letter entry that completes the phrase naturally.
How to solve it
Read the clue type first
For the clue: "Empire of the ___" (1977 sci-fi film with an approval rating of 5% on Rotten Tomatoes), first identify whether the wording is direct, referential, abbreviated, or playful. This one is best treated as a fill-in-the-blank.
- The blank is doing most of the work here. Look for a 4-letter entry that completes the phrase naturally.
- The answer slot has 4 letters, which narrows the clue to a specific grid shape.
- This clue appears at 19A in the NYT Crossword, so check the Down crossings for confirmation.
Reveal Answer Hide Answer
ANTS
Explanation
Why This Answer Fits
ANTS is the 4-letter answer for the clue: "Empire of the ___" (1977 sci-fi film with an approval rating of 5% on Rotten Tomatoes). The answer supplies the missing word or phrase in the clue, so reading the clue aloud with the answer inserted is the quickest check. In this NYT Crossword, it appears at 19A, so the crossing entries help verify the exact spelling.
- Grid entry: ANTS in the grid.
- Answer pattern: _ _ _ _.
- Clue type: Fill-in-the-blank.
- ANTS has 4 letters, matching the required slot for 19A.
Answer history
Other NYT Crossword Clues Using ANTS
We have not seen many previous NYT clues for this answer yet.
View all ANTS clues Position 19A
Answer length 4
Puzzle type Daily
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History
Clue History
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