The New York Times Crossword · 37-Across · 9 letters
CVS rival ... or a phonetic hint to the answers on this puzzle’s perimeter The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed September 8, 2026
Answer · 9 letters
WALGREENS
WALGREENS answers the pharmacy clue and sounds like “wall greens.” The perimeter entries sit along the grid's outer edges and can also name green shades. The brand name therefore links the literal CVS rival to the placement and alternate meanings of those entries.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →Two halves of one clue
The first half identifies the retail name. The second tells you to hear it differently: wall greens. That explains why the theme material is at the edges rather than simply anywhere in the grid. One example is JADE: its clue names a gem, while the entry also names a green shade.
Keep the brand's spelling
A phonetic hint changes how you hear an entry, not how you spell it in the grid. WALGREENS has nine letters and one L. Writing the two-word sound-alike as WALLGREENS adds an extra L and would require ten squares.
References behind this explanation
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Where this clue appeared
37-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for September 8, 2026.
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