Top-tier

Latest answer — February 16, 2026

27 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, February 16, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Necklace fastener
  2. 6Physique, slangily
  3. 9"___ to that!"
  4. 13Textile city NNE of Paris
  5. 14New wave band with the hit "Whip It"
  6. 15Improvise, in jazz
  7. 16Stared rudely
  8. 17Late-night kitchen visit, e.g.
  9. 18Stench
  10. 19Longtime comic strip set in a medieval kingdom
  11. 22Home for pigs
  12. 23Teen wearing heavy eyeliner, maybe
  13. 24Really, really cool
  14. 27"My dude!"
  15. 28Computer operating system developed by Bell Labs
  16. 30___-Hulk
  17. 31Charge for airing a commercial
  18. 34Fictional lab assistant with a hunchback
  19. 35Stylish
  20. 36Capital of the Gem State, in a mailing address
  21. 38Possible cybercrime, informally
  22. 40M.I.T. Mystery ___ (annual puzzle competition)
  23. 41Close by
  24. 43Corrosion signs
  25. 44Stadium cheer
  26. 45Glance through
  27. 46Reader's Digest or Golf Digest, in brief
  28. 47Where clams are served
  29. 49Knotted (up)
  30. 51Rep.'s counterpart
  31. 54"Makes no difference to me"
  32. 57Actress Kendrick
  33. 59Hourly pay rate
  34. 60Flock that honks
  35. 61Follow directions
  36. 62Conga, for one
  37. 63Chicago's ___ Planetarium
  38. 64Scottish girl
  39. 65Place to get a rubdown
  40. 66Voting spots

Down

  1. 1Thickens, as cream
  2. 2Not heavy
  3. 3Narrow way between city buildings
  4. 4Whole bunch
  5. 5Horse's ancestral line
  6. 6Hearty embrace
  7. 7Roman poet who wrote "Metamorphoses"
  8. 8Dull-witted sort
  9. 9Eschew
  10. 10Frantic scrambles
  11. 11Rock subgenre with confessional lyrics
  12. 12"All Things Considered" airer
  13. 14"Fiddlesticks!"
  14. 20D.C.'s National ___
  15. 21Kind of number on an old business card
  16. 25Change gears
  17. 26Religious offshoots
  18. 27Top-tier
  19. 29Pinot ___
  20. 31Give 0 stars in a review, say
  21. 32One giving support during childbirth
  22. 33High-quality reds and whites
  23. 34Something to noodle on
  24. 35Drink very quickly
  25. 37Glitterati
  26. 39Shortfall of exports vis-à-vis imports
  27. 42One of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean
  28. 45Droop
  29. 46"It's just OK"
  30. 48Occasions for blowing out candles on cakes, informally
  31. 50Agenda bullet point
  32. 51Linger (on), as a topic
  33. 52Art supporter
  34. 53Mike who voiced Shrek in "Shrek"
  35. 55Wyatt at the O.K. Corral
  36. 56Make over
  37. 57Early leader in instant messaging
  38. 58Org. for the Raptors, but not the Blue Jays

The answer to “Top-tier” in the New York Times crossword is BEST — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 16, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 27-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include ELITE, and AONE. 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.

“Top-tier” answer

BEST (4 letters) — most recent; also seen as ELITE, AONE

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 BEST.

Why the answer is BEST

BEST is the 4-letter solution that fits "Top-tier" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 16, 2026 (27-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does BEST mean?

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

(adverb)

  • in a good or satisfactory way
  • in a thorough manner
  • very probably; in all likelihood

Other answers for “Top-tier”

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Top-tier”?

The answer is BEST, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 16, 2026. Other answers for this clue include ELITE, and AONE.

How many letters is the answer to “Top-tier”?

4 letters: BEST. Earlier fills for this clue have also been ELITE (5), AONE (4).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on February 16, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 27-Down. Earlier appearances: December 2, 2025 → ELITE; November 28, 2025 → AONE; October 7, 2025 → ELITE.

Can “Top-tier” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides BEST, New York Times has also used ELITE, and AONE 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 February 16, 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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