The New York Times Crossword · 36-Down · 8 letters
Pitching staff? The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed September 10, 2026
Answer · 8 letters
AD AGENCY
In the grid: ADAGENCY · no spaces
AD AGENCY answers the business sense of pitching: presenting ideas to win a client's approval. The clue initially suggests baseball pitchers, but its question mark points to a different kind of team that makes pitches.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →Keep staff, change the meaning of pitching
Staff still means a group of people working together. The misleading word is pitching: an advertising team pitches a proposed campaign or its services to a prospective client. The answer names the business employing that team, not a particular baseball position.
Eight cells, two ordinary words
Write ADAGENCY in the grid, but read it as AD AGENCY: two letters plus six. Do not look for a single eight-letter job title. The plural-looking idea of a staff can be represented by a singular collective business name, which is why the answer does not need an S.
References behind this explanation
These references support the meaning or background; they are not publisher endorsements.
Where this clue appeared
36-Down in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for September 10, 2026.
Browse selected The New York Times Crossword clues →Related reviewed clues
Solve the next clue here.
Paste another clue, add the letters you trust, and keep solving without returning to search.
This independently written explanation is for learning and clue analysis. Crossword Clue Tutor is not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times Crossword or its publisher.