The New York Times Crossword · 14-Across · 6 letters
Mama Morton of "Chicago," for one The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed October 8, 2026
Answer · 6 letters
MATRON
MATRON is the category for Mama Morton, the prison authority figure in Chicago. “For one” asks for her role type rather than her name.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →The role is in the character's credited name
Concord Theatricals, the show's licensing publisher, lists the character as Matron "Mama" Morton. Its script introduces her in the jail scene as the keeper of the keys. That context selects the prison-authority sense of MATRON; it does not refer to a hospital supervisor or merely to an older woman.
Why the clue ends with 'for one'
'For one' treats Mama Morton as an example of a category. MORTON would repeat her surname, while MAMA would give her nickname; neither supplies the role being requested. MATRON has six letters and names that role. Recognizing an example-to-category clue is useful even when the named character is unfamiliar.
References behind this explanation
- Concord Theatricals character list for Chicago
- Chicago script excerpt: Mama Morton's jail introduction
These references support the meaning or background; they are not publisher endorsements.
Where this clue appeared
14-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for September 2, 2026.
Browse selected The New York Times Crossword clues →More selected clues from The New York Times Crossword · September 2, 2026
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