Follow closely

Latest answer — May 24, 2026

81 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Sunday, May 24, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Second attempt
  2. 5Hunk of marble, e.g.
  3. 9Very proficient
  4. 14What many plants do in the heat
  5. 18Neighbor of Turkmenistan
  6. 19Word with happy or half
  7. 20Unusual trinket
  8. 21___ furniture
  9. 22Stoical British guys?
  10. 25Creative spark, in slang
  11. 26Avoid
  12. 27Sleepover challenge
  13. 28It's made with grains
  14. 30They twist beneath the surface
  15. 31Poles support this
  16. 33Prefix with watt
  17. 34"___ Miz"
  18. 35Assortment
  19. 37"The skin cream you're using must be Neutrogena or CeraVe!"?
  20. 40Hollywood's Johnny
  21. 41Stuck in the mud
  22. 43Fitting
  23. 44Baseball legend who dated J.Lo
  24. 45Lying on
  25. 46Tai ___
  26. 47Filthy, in slang
  27. 49Like 2026, but not 2025
  28. 51Pined for an ex-boyfriend?
  29. 55Awl, for one
  30. 57Richard of "Pretty Woman"
  31. 58Grasp
  32. 59Muscle below a delt
  33. 60[Pow!]
  34. 62Save the Children, e.g., in brief
  35. 63Roughly
  36. 64Exasperated television producer's plea?
  37. 68'20s architecture style
  38. 71Bridal line
  39. 72They can be candied
  40. 73HVAC measure
  41. 74Molecule with the nucleotides G, U, A and C
  42. 77The Arabian Sea's Gulf of ___
  43. 78Pickle type
  44. 80Reach out to people born between July 23 and August 22?
  45. 83When repeated, "Oh, please"
  46. 84Phrase on a Spanish candy heart
  47. 86___ carte
  48. 87Sister of Osiris
  49. 88Actress Ryan of the "Star Trek" franchise
  50. 90"Me?!"
  51. 91Like milk that isn't worth crying over
  52. 93Warning after a slice
  53. 94Good name for a salon specializing in mani-pedis?
  54. 98Floppy hat
  55. 99Aromatherapist's workplace
  56. 100Common forecast in Portland
  57. 101Struggling to decide
  58. 102Musical group?
  59. 103Princess Leia or Hester Prynne
  60. 105Visitor center handouts
  61. 107City west of Montreal
  62. 110Worship
  63. 111Loading the dishes and unloading the dishes, e.g.?
  64. 116Agitated
  65. 117Selfish person
  66. 118Coin, commonly
  67. 119Stink
  68. 120Pen ___ (corresponding pair)
  69. 121Like the strawberry champagne in Bruno Mars's "That's What I Like"
  70. 122Neuter's partner
  71. 123Tibetan oxen

Down

  1. 1White bed, perhaps
  2. 2Love god
  3. 3Stance that resembles a ballerina on one leg
  4. 4Using Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, etc.
  5. 5"The Conners" and "The Jeffersons"
  6. 6Common palindromic text
  7. 7"___ Lang Syne"
  8. 8"Relax. Calm yourself"
  9. 9One of two found on résumés?
  10. 10"Of course!"
  11. 11Distinct period
  12. 12Domino dot
  13. 13Add at no extra cost
  14. 14Sorcerer's stick
  15. 15"We're toast!"
  16. 16Experts in body language?
  17. 17Foot, cutesily
  18. 21Something a child takes a swing at
  19. 23Count (on)
  20. 24Really not look forward to
  21. 29Earlier
  22. 32Ruler in Russian history
  23. 33Finished
  24. 35President in 1800
  25. 36Knot again
  26. 37Windy City paper, with "the"
  27. 38Trouble ___
  28. 39Only U.S. state whose flag features a different design on each side (the back is a beaver!)
  29. 41N.H.L. star Connor ___
  30. 42"Awful! Awful! Awful!"
  31. 47Relative of an alpaca
  32. 48Accessory used in some stretches
  33. 50Paleo- : old :: ___ : new
  34. 52Pharmacist Lilly
  35. 53She may have a little lamb
  36. 54Sailor's opener
  37. 56Feline that a neighbor may find
  38. 61Note to staff
  39. 64They're toast
  40. 65Supervillain in "Fantastic Four" comics
  41. 66XXX-XX-XXXX ID
  42. 67Away from the office
  43. 68OB/GYN, e.g.
  44. 69Online reference with many faces
  45. 70Miniature photo gallery
  46. 74Touristy destination
  47. 75Bête ___
  48. 76Insider, in spy lingo
  49. 79So-called "Land of a Million Elephants"
  50. 81Follow closely
  51. 82Individual account?
  52. 85Spray, in a way
  53. 89"It was my best effort"
  54. 91Wrap name
  55. 92Parts of card-swiping machines
  56. 94G flat's equivalent
  57. 95Pink-slip
  58. 96Misinformed, say
  59. 97"Stop!"
  60. 98Place for miniature boats
  61. 102Arrogant
  62. 104Sources of lead or gold
  63. 106Cut quickly
  64. 108Half of a fortnight
  65. 109Invites
  66. 112"Mean Girls" character Janis ___
  67. 113Jet ___
  68. 114Jiff
  69. 115It may request that you remove your coat, in brief

The answer to “Follow closely” in the New York Times crossword is TAIL — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 24, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 81-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include HEED. 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.

“Follow closely” answer

TAIL (4 letters) — most recent; also seen as HEED

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 TAIL.

Why the answer is TAIL

TAIL is the 4-letter solution that fits "Follow closely" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 24, 2026 (81-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does TAIL mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of TAIL is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • the hindmost part of an animal, especially when prolonged beyond the rest of the body, such as the flexible extension of the backbone in a vertebrate, the feathers at the hind end of a bird, or a terminal appendage in an insect
  • a thing resembling an animal's tail in its shape or position, typically extending downwards or outwards at the end of something
  • the end of a long train or line of people or vehicles

Other answers for “Follow closely”

New York Times has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides TAIL, it has also been HEED. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Follow closely”?

The answer is TAIL, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 24, 2026. Other answers for this clue include HEED.

How many letters is the answer to “Follow closely”?

4 letters: TAIL. Earlier fills for this clue have also been HEED (4).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on May 24, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 81-Down. Earlier appearances: May 11, 2025 → HEED.

Can “Follow closely” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides TAIL, New York Times has also used HEED for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

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

The full grid for May 24, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

New York Times Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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