LA Times Crossword · 1-Across · 4 letters
Breaks down LA Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed September 5, 2026
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Meaning cue
Think of what someone may do when overcome with emotion.
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Answer
Why it fits
SOBS uses breaks down in its emotional sense: someone loses composure and cries. The clue is not asking about machinery failing or a person analyzing information; the four-letter grammar points to the crying verb.
Continue this puzzleVirginie-Occidentale et Californie →What narrows the clue
The phrasal verb has several senses, and this answer selects an emotional reaction.
Answer meaning
To sob is to cry with short, convulsive breaths; sobs is the third-person singular present form.
Where this clue appeared
1-Across in LA Times Crossword puzzle for September 4, 2026.
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