The New York Times Crossword · 48-Across · 5 letters
Toothbrush handle? The New York Times Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed September 12, 2026
Answer · 5 letters
ORAL B
In the grid: ORALB · no spaces
ORALB reads handle as a name attached to a toothbrush. It is not asking for a grip or shaft. The brand is written Oral-B outside the grid, but its hyphen is omitted from the five-letter crossword fill.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →Switch from an object part to a name
A toothbrush literally has a handle, but handle can also mean a name. That alternative sense redirects the clue from the part you hold to the brand on the product. Oral-B's own product catalogue confirms the toothbrush connection.
Five letters after removing the hyphen
The everyday brand spelling is Oral-B. In the grid, the punctuation does not occupy a cell, leaving O-R-A-L-B. Do not substitute GRIP just because it describes a toothbrush part: it follows the literal reading and has the wrong length for this entry.
References behind this explanation
These references support the meaning or background; they are not publisher endorsements.
Where this clue appeared
48-Across in The New York Times Crossword puzzle for September 12, 2026.
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