it's most beautiful when broken nyt

The phrase "It's most beautiful when broken" was used as a clue in the New York Times Crossword puzzle on August 2, 2025. The answer to this clue is "GEODE." A geode is a hollow rock lined with crystals, which reveals its beauty most strikingly when broken open to show its sparkling interior crystals. This fits the idea of something being most beautiful when broken, as a geode's allure is revealed precisely through its breakage.