Most of the time, the response to the NYT crossword puzzle clue “Wise Sounding Herb” is sage. Sage is not only the cooking ingredient, but it also has associations with wisdom in its modern form. That is why it is the correct answer which can be used as a word play for the clue since its two meanings perfectly fit the clue. It is this information that solvers can use to efficiently plug in the blank and continue with the crossword puzzle unhampered.