Certain red wine, informally

Published by Naitik Mehta · March 31, 2026

Stuck on the clue Certain red wine, informally from the New York Times Midi for March 31, 2026? We have the correct 3-letter answer, including the definition, alternative hints, as well as other answers from the same crossword. Ready to learn more about this clue?

Clue

Certain red wine, informally (3)

Answer

The answer to Certain red wine, informally is Cab (3 letters).

Some cells in this answer were drawn with a circle in the original puzzle — these often flag a hidden theme.

Why does Cab fit this clue?

This entry has a circled cell at index 2, where the letter 'B' is visually marked in the grid as part of a theme pattern. The clue 'Certain red wine, informally' uses the qualifier 'informally' to signal an abbreviated form and points to CAB, short for Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark-skinned grape variety and one of the world's most widely recognized red wine varietals, known for its full body and rich tannins. The informal shortening 'Cab' is commonly used in wine bars, restaurants, and casual conversation when the full varietal name feels too formal or lengthy.

What does Certain red wine, informally mean?

We break down each word in the clue and show its dictionary definitions below.

certain

adjective

•a specific but unspecified

informally

adverb

•in a casual or colloquial manner

Where did this clue appear?

This clue appeared as 2-down in the New York Times Midi on March 31, 2026, by Ian Livengood. See all answers for this puzzle.

NYT Midi — Mar 31, 2026

Get help on the whole puzzle

What does Cab mean?

noun

•A taxi; a taxicab.

•Compartment at the front of a truck or train for the driver

•A former Hebrew unit of volume, about equal to 1.3 L as a dry measure or 1.25 L as a liquid measure.

•Initialism of chest compressions, airway and breathing.

•Initialism of caffeinated alcoholic beverage.

•An arcade cabinet, the unit in which a video game is housed in a gaming arcade.

verb

•To travel by taxicab.

Origin of the word Cab

•origin: French cabriolet

•period: 19th century

The word 'cab' is a shortened form of 'cabriolet,' which originally referred to a light, two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage that could 'leap' or 'caper' like a goat, from the French verb 'cabrioler.'

How to use Cab in a sentence

Here are 3 examples of how to use the word Cab.

•“I'll have a glass of cab with dinner tonight.”

•“Let me call a cab to get to the airport.”

•“The cab driver knew all the best shortcuts through the city.”

What are other crossword clues for Cab?

“Uber alternative” (3)

“Lyft alternative” (3)

“Hailed vehicle” (3)

“Alternative to the subway” (3)

“Yellow symbol of N.Y.C.” (3)

“Something inside or outside a wine bar?” (3)

“What can travel a fare distance?” (3)

Learn about related clues

All clues from the New York Times Midi, Mar 31, 2026 crossword

The New York Times Midi for March 31, 2026 titled “Five in a Row” was published by Ian Livengood and has 33 clues. Curious about all the answers from this crossword puzzle? View all answers here.

Across

1AHoped-for blackjack card (3)4AHershey's Kiss wrappers (5)9ANot strict (3)10AWinged figure in da Vinci's "Annunciation" (5)11ANetwork that lost the Oscar broadcast rights to YouTube, starting in 2029 [1-3] (3)12AAirline with a mega-hub in Atlanta [4-5] (5)13A___ before beauty (3)15AOpenly gay (3)16ASoothing ointment [12-13] (4)18A"Ain't gonna happen" [14-16] (4)19AWintertime hanger-on (6)21ASpot for a bath (3)22AVideo game pioneer that created Pong (5)26A___ Feiner, sports handicapper/media personality [19-21] (3)27AGerman-made "hippie-mobile," for short [22-23] (5)28A"Quit ___ yappin'!" (3)29AOn the open ocean (5)

Down

1D___ carte (3)2DCertain red wine, informally (3)3DKing Arthur's magical sword (9)4DLessen in brightness (4)5D41 – 23 – 17 = ? (3)6DBig name in coolers (5)7DAbate (5)8DChalkboard material (5)14DMaker of the Sierra and Canyon pickup trucks (3)16DReally small, informally (5)17DLess than 90°, as an angle (5)18DValue on a cereal box label: Abbr. (5)20DThe floor is ___ (kids' game) (4)23DSit-up muscles (3)24DRegret (3)25D"Patience ___ virtue" (3)

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Frequently asked questions about Certain red wine, informally

What is the answer to Certain red wine, informally?: The answer is Cab (3 letters).
Where did this clue appear?: This clue was last seen in the New York Times Midi on March 31, 2026.
How many letters does the answer to Certain red wine, informally have?: The answer has 3 letters: Cab.

Author

Naitik Mehta

Co-founder

Naitik is a gaming enthusiast who loves solving daily word games and enjoys the friendly competition from time to time. He is the co-founder of Crossword Chef and enjoys thinking about how to make crossword solving more fun for everyone around the world.