Capture a moment, in fiction

Latest answer — January 30, 2026

40 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, January 30, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Puppetry and animation
  2. 5Piedmont province with a namesake wine
  3. 9Stopped lying
  4. 14Title for Jane Goodall
  5. 15"Those guys?"
  6. 16___ Summer (program for Annapolis freshmen)
  7. 17Switch to a shorter line, say
  8. 18Product that might feature a dandelion on the label
  9. 20Spare part?
  10. 21Melts down
  11. 22Mention in passing
  12. 24It's -90° at the South Pole: Abbr.
  13. 25Like racehorses' hooves
  14. 26Ship-stabilizing materials
  15. 31Some repurposed cornfields
  16. 33Small branch of Marvel Comics?
  17. 34Pick
  18. 35Common adult ed. class
  19. 36Brand whose logo has an A-shaped caliper
  20. 37Doesn't take the regular train home, maybe
  21. 39Mylar alternative
  22. 40Capture a moment, in fiction
  23. 41Even outcome
  24. 42Chaney of classic horror
  25. 43Enter here!
  26. 46"Don't kid yourself"
  27. 51Elicit the facepalm emoji, say
  28. 52"Don't panic!"
  29. 53"Later, luv"
  30. 54Materialized
  31. 55Leader of China?
  32. 56Feeling the flu, say
  33. 57Steps on a scale
  34. 58"Whoa ... that's too much for my brain to handle!"
  35. 59Characters from Crete and Sparta?

Down

  1. 1Skilled
  2. 2Call ahead, in a way
  3. 3End of a NASA countdown
  4. 4Completist's goal
  5. 5"The Handmaid's Tale" author
  6. 6Eggshell, for one
  7. 7Much merch
  8. 8Cinephile's online resource
  9. 9Milky Way, e.g.
  10. 10Feature of a big-budget feature, perhaps
  11. 11HDTV component?
  12. 12Transportation company in more than 60 countries
  13. 13Bonus
  14. 19___ green
  15. 21Tales told by flashlight
  16. 23Request from someone who has completed all the courses?
  17. 26Turkey Day instruction
  18. 27Fit
  19. 28Florida setting for "The Birdcage"
  20. 29Whizzed
  21. 30"Elvis at ___" (classic album of Memphis recordings)
  22. 31British rowhouses
  23. 32Every day, say
  24. 33More than just smile
  25. 38Fabric made from flax
  26. 41It might get put through the wringer
  27. 43Jalapeño topper
  28. 44Popular brand of 18-Across
  29. 45Looks below the surface?
  30. 46Group of Alpha males?
  31. 47Nestlé's bubbly chocolate brand
  32. 48"This way, guys!"
  33. 49Certain psychedelic
  34. 50Pool assignment
  35. 53Bitumen lookalike

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Puppetry and animation — Answer: ARTS
  2. 5. Piedmont province with a namesake wine — Answer: ASTI
  3. 9. Stopped lying — Answer: SATUP
  4. 14. Title for Jane Goodall — Answer: DAME
  5. 15. "Those guys?" — Answer: THEM
  6. 16. ___ Summer (program for Annapolis freshmen) — Answer: PLEBE
  7. 17. Switch to a shorter line, say — Answer: EDIT
  8. 18. Product that might feature a dandelion on the label — Answer: WEEDKILLER
  9. 20. Spare part? — Answer: PIN
  10. 21. Melts down — Answer: GOESBERSERK
  11. 22. Mention in passing — Answer: TOUCHON
  12. 24. It's -90° at the South Pole: Abbr. — Answer: LAT
  13. 25. Like racehorses' hooves — Answer: SHOD
  14. 26. Ship-stabilizing materials — Answer: BALLASTS
  15. 31. Some repurposed cornfields — Answer: MAZES
  16. 33. Small branch of Marvel Comics? — Answer: BABYGROOT
  17. 34. Pick — Answer: ELECT
  18. 35. Common adult ed. class — Answer: ESL
  19. 36. Brand whose logo has an A-shaped caliper — Answer: ACURA
  20. 37. Doesn't take the regular train home, maybe — Answer: WORKSLATE
  21. 39. Mylar alternative — Answer: LATEX
  22. 40. Capture a moment, in fiction — Answer: STOPTIME
  23. 41. Even outcome — Answer: WASH
  24. 42. Chaney of classic horror — Answer: LON
  25. 43. Enter here! — Answer: TEXTBOX
  26. 46. "Don't kid yourself" — Answer: FACEREALITY
  27. 51. Elicit the facepalm emoji, say — Answer: ERR
  28. 52. "Don't panic!" — Answer: REMAINCALM
  29. 53. "Later, luv" — Answer: TATA
  30. 54. Materialized — Answer: AROSE
  31. 55. Leader of China? — Answer: INDO
  32. 56. Feeling the flu, say — Answer: ACHY
  33. 57. Steps on a scale — Answer: TONES
  34. 58. "Whoa ... that's too much for my brain to handle!" — Answer: DEEP
  35. 59. Characters from Crete and Sparta? — Answer: RHOS

Down

  1. 1. Skilled — Answer: ADEPT
  2. 2. Call ahead, in a way — Answer: RADIO
  3. 3. End of a NASA countdown — Answer: TMINUSZERO
  4. 4. Completist's goal — Answer: SET
  5. 5. "The Handmaid's Tale" author — Answer: ATWOOD
  6. 6. Eggshell, for one — Answer: SHEEN
  7. 7. Much merch — Answer: TEES
  8. 8. Cinephile's online resource — Answer: IMDB
  9. 9. Milky Way, e.g. — Answer: SPIRALGALAXY
  10. 10. Feature of a big-budget feature, perhaps — Answer: ALLSTARCAST
  11. 11. HDTV component? — Answer: TELE
  12. 12. Transportation company in more than 60 countries — Answer: UBER
  13. 13. Bonus — Answer: PERK
  14. 19. ___ green — Answer: KELLY
  15. 21. Tales told by flashlight — Answer: GHOSTSTORIES
  16. 23. Request from someone who has completed all the courses? — Answer: CHECKPLEASE
  17. 26. Turkey Day instruction — Answer: BASTE
  18. 27. Fit — Answer: ABLE
  19. 28. Florida setting for "The Birdcage" — Answer: SOUTHBEACH
  20. 29. Whizzed — Answer: TORE
  21. 30. "Elvis at ___" (classic album of Memphis recordings) — Answer: STAX
  22. 31. British rowhouses — Answer: MEWS
  23. 32. Every day, say — Answer: ALOT
  24. 33. More than just smile — Answer: BEAM
  25. 38. Fabric made from flax — Answer: LINEN
  26. 41. It might get put through the wringer — Answer: WETMOP
  27. 43. Jalapeño topper — Answer: TILDE
  28. 44. Popular brand of 18-Across — Answer: ORTHO
  29. 45. Looks below the surface? — Answer: XRAYS
  30. 46. Group of Alpha males? — Answer: FRAT
  31. 47. Nestlé's bubbly chocolate brand — Answer: AERO
  32. 48. "This way, guys!" — Answer: CMON
  33. 49. Certain psychedelic — Answer: ACID
  34. 50. Pool assignment — Answer: LANE
  35. 53. Bitumen lookalike — Answer: TAR

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Capture a moment, in fiction” in the New York Times crossword is STOPTIME — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 30, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 40-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Capture a moment, in fiction” answer

STOPTIME (8 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is STOPTIME.

Why the answer is STOPTIME

STOPTIME is the 8-letter solution that fits "Capture a moment, in fiction" in the NYT Crossword crossword on January 30, 2026 (40-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Capture a moment, in fiction” appeared?

New York Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

January 30, 2026 (most recent) → STOPTIME. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on January 30, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for January 30, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Friday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Capture a moment, in fiction”?

The answer is STOPTIME, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 30, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Capture a moment, in fiction”?

8 letters: STOPTIME.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on January 30, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 40-Across.

Can “Capture a moment, in fiction” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for January 30, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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