Word on an eight-sided traffic sign NYT crossword clue

The clue “Word on an eight-sided traffic sign” refers to a specific shape of traffic sign. The answer is “STOP.” An octagonal (eight-sided) traffic sign is universally recognized as a “STOP” sign, used to indicate to drivers that they must come to a complete stop before proceeding.

Crossword clues like this often rely on common knowledge of road signs and their shapes. Recognizing the octagonal shape as a distinctive feature of stop signs helps solvers arrive at the correct answer quickly. The answer to this New York Times The Mini crossword clue is “STOP.”