Quick Answer
Clue: ““___ the scoop …””
Answer: HERES
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number & direction: 2-Down in the NYT Mini Crossword for January 22, 2026
The New York Times crossword clue ““___ the scoop …”” is answered with HERES.
Why “HERES” Is the Right NYT Answer
- The full phrase is “Here’s the scoop …,” a common way to introduce inside information or news, so the missing word must be HERE’S.
- Because crosswords typically drop apostrophes, the entry is written as HERES to fit neatly into the five available squares at 2-Down.
What “HERES” Means in Plain English
- In normal writing, this would be “Here’s,” a contraction of “here is,” as in “Here’s the scoop: the big news is coming.”
- In crossword form, HERES simply represents that spoken phrase without punctuation, a standard convention for contractions.
Crossword-Specific Help and Patterns
- In the grid, HERES appears as H E R E S, so you might see it as H E R _ S or _ERES before crossings are complete.
- This kind of clue quotes plus a blank almost always asks for the missing word in a familiar expression, and HERES is a frequent answer for toast openers and sayings like “Here’s the thing …” or “Here’s looking at you.”
- Crossings from 1-Down CHAMP, 3-Down ORCAS, and nearby across entries confirm each letter, quickly locking in H-E-R-E-S at 2-Down.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- When you see a clue in quotes with a blank (“___ the scoop …”, “___ looking at you!”), think of common spoken phrases and drop punctuation to fit the grid.
For 5-letter patterns like H_E_R or HER_S in a quote context, HERES should be high on your mental list of candidates.
