“Musical lead-in to beat” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.AFRO is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Musical lead-in to beat”. It was last seen in the puzzle of September 5, 2025, where it runs at 45 Across and fills 4 squares. It crosses 4 other entries in that grid — those are listed below and are the quickest way to confirm the letters you already have. This exact clue has run 2 times in NYT puzzles, first on September 5, 2025.