Wintry means relating to or characteristic of winter, often with cold, icy, or bleak conditions. The clue "bleak" aligns with the idea of wintry conditions as winter can often be associated with a lack of warmth and desolation.
Note: The provided meaning of the answer is for the latest New York Times crossword puzzle clue: Bleak. Explanations are generated by AI and may be inaccurate.