Quick Answer
Clue: “___ Max”
Answer: HBO
Length: 3 letters
Position: 1-Across
The New York Times crossword clue “___ Max” has the 3-letter answer HBO, completing the familiar name “HBO Max.”
Why “HBO” Is the Right NYT Answer
- “HBO Max” (now simply branded again as HBO Max after a brief “Max” phase) is the subscription streaming service built around HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery content. When a clue shows “___ Max” and the grid wants three letters, HBO is the only widely known brand that fits cleanly.
- Crossword editors like this kind of pop‑culture blank: it’s short, current, and instantly recognizable to most solvers who stream TV.
What “HBO” Means in Plain English
- HBO stands for Home Box Office, a premium television network that pioneered modern pay TV in the United States. Its programming—series, films, and specials—also anchors the HBO Max streaming platform, which is why the combined name “HBO Max” is so prominent.
- For crossword purposes, you only need to know HBO as the big TV/streaming brand that naturally precedes “Max.”
Crossword-Specific Help: Pattern, Crossings, and Variants
- At 1-Across, the pattern is H‑B‑O, so even with just H or O from crossings you can quickly infer HBO. Three-letter media brands with a strong cultural footprint (HBO, TCM, AMC, MTV) are staple entries, and HBO is among the most common.
- You may also see HBO clued as “Network behind ‘Succession,’” “Premium cable channel,” or “Home Box Office, briefly.”
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- When you see “___ Max” or “___ Go” in a modern puzzle, think of TV and streaming brands first, not people’s names.
- Check length: a 3-letter slot plus a TV/streaming vibe makes HBO a prime candidate, especially when crossings give you H or B.
Keeping a mental list of 3-letter channels (HBO, TBS, TNT, AMC, MTV) will speed up many media-themed clues.
