___ Plaines, Ill.
Published by Naitik Mehta · March 30, 2026
Stuck on the clue ___ Plaines, Ill. from the New York Times Daily for March 30, 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
___ Plaines, Ill. (3)
Answer
The answer to ___ Plaines, Ill. is Des (3 letters).
Why does Des fit this clue?
This is a fill-in-the-blank clue where '___ Plaines, Ill.' points to DES, completing the name of Des Plaines, Illinois. Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located northwest of Chicago near O'Hare International Airport. The name comes from the Des Plaines River, which flows through the area. 'Des' is the French word meaning 'of the' or 'from the,' reflecting the French colonial influence in the region's early naming conventions.
What does ___ Plaines, Ill. mean?
We break down each word in the clue and show its dictionary definition below.
Plaines
noun
•plural of 'plaine', referring to flat areas of land; part of the city name Des Plaines
Where did this clue appear?
This clue appeared as 26-across in the New York Times Daily on March 30, 2026, by Gary Cee, edited by Will Shortz. See all answers for this puzzle.
Read the NYT Wordplay column for this puzzle.
NYT Daily — Mar 30, 2026
Get help on the whole puzzle
What does Des mean?
noun
•Desflurane.
Origin of the word Des
•origin: Latin dē
•period: Latin
The prefix 'des-' evolved from Latin 'dē-' meaning 'down, away from' and is used to form words indicating removal, reversal, or negation, such as 'destroy' and 'descend'.
How to use Des in a sentence
Here are 3 examples of how to use the word Des.
•“Des Plaines, Illinois is a suburb located northwest of Chicago.”
•“The French philosopher René Descartes is often referred to simply as Des by philosophy students.”
•“Des O'Connor was a popular British television presenter and entertainer.”
What are other crossword clues for Des?
Learn about related clues
All clues from the New York Times Daily, Mar 30, 2026 crossword
The New York Times Daily for March 30, 2026 was published by Gary Cee and has 78 clues. Curious about all the answers from this crossword puzzle? View all answers here.
Across
Down
Recently added clues
Frequently asked questions about ___ Plaines, Ill.
- What is the answer to ___ Plaines, Ill.?
- The answer is Des (3 letters).
- Where did this clue appear?
- This clue was last seen in the New York Times Daily on March 30, 2026.
- How many letters does the answer to ___ Plaines, Ill. have?
- The answer has 3 letters: Des.
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.
Puzzle
NYT Daily — Mar 30, 2026
Get help on the whole puzzle
provider
editor
Will Shortz
date
position
26 Across
answer length
3 letters