NYT Crossword Answers - Jan 2

By Adam Wagner and Rafael Musa

A
R
F
W
H
A
T
I
S
A
R
T
D
E
I
G
N
H
A
B
A
N
E
R
O
S
A
P
B
I
O
I
C
A
N
T
L
O
O
K
M
O
O
N
W
A
L
K
D
E
F
A
T
S
S
S
N
W
W
E
B
O
R
E
R
A
F
E
W
B
O
O
N
S
R
E
C
U
R
T
A
X
R
E
T
U
R
N
E
M
C
E
E
O
S
U
T
E
P
E
E
G
U
I
L
T
T
R
I
P
F
E
A
S
T
T
A
H
O
E
D
A
M
N
P
A
L
E
S
P
A
M
D
A
X
C
L
U
N
K
Y
M
O
N
O
G
A
M
Y
A
I
R
K
I
S
S
E
S
U
N
T
I
L
V
E
G
E
N
A
I
S
E
S
C
E
N
E
E
N
E
R
G
Y
B
A
R
M
O
M

Across

  1. 1Havanese greetingARF
  2. 4Tolstoy book whose title asks a questionWHATISART
  3. 13Reluctantly stoopDEIGN
  4. 16They rate up to 350,000 on the Scoville scaleHABANEROS
  5. 17H.S. class for tough life lessons?APBIO
  6. 18"Just tell me when it's over"ICANTLOOK
  7. 19Dance move also known as a backslideMOONWALK
  8. 21Skims, as soup stockDEFATS
  9. 22Fig. that cannot start with 9SSN
  10. 23Org. for The Rock and Brock LesnarWWE
  11. 24Tunnel-making machineBORER
  12. 25Not manyAFEW
  13. 27WindfallsBOONS
  14. 28Keep coming upRECUR
  15. 30One might lead to pay backTAXRETURN
  16. 34Make some introductions, sayEMCEE
  17. 35The Cowboys of the N.C.A.A.OSU
  18. 36Word from the Lakota for "they dwell"TEPEE
  19. 37Emotional manipulation tacticGUILTTRIP
  20. 39Meaty mealFEAST
  21. 40Attraction on the western side of Carson RangeTAHOE
  22. 41"Oof!"DAMN
  23. 42Seems less impressive, so to speakPALES
  24. 43Spray in the kitchenPAM
  25. 44German stock market indexDAX
  26. 47CumbrousCLUNKY
  27. 49One-to-one relationshipMONOGAMY
  28. 51Exchanges blows?AIRKISSES
  29. 53Up toUNTIL
  30. 54Eggless bread spreadVEGENAISE
  31. 55"A-a-a-and ___!" (improv show ender)SCENE
  32. 56High-carb snackENERGYBAR
  33. 57May day celebrantMOM

Down

  1. 1President who wrote "Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it"ADAMS
  2. 2Default outcomes, perhapsREPOS
  3. 3Kind of sequence that proceeds 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ...FIBONACCI
  4. 4DurationWHILE
  5. 5Modern security threatHACK
  6. 6Org. with the Rule of Law InitiativeABA
  7. 7Cylindrical ovenTANDOOR
  8. 8Extremely well-liked?INTERNETFAMOUS
  9. 9Personal opinion?SELFESTEEM
  10. 10Hooting and holleringAROAR
  11. 11Part of an underground networkROOT
  12. 12Pithy put-downsTSKS
  13. 14Main ingredient in an aviation cocktailGIN
  14. 15"I like the sound of that!"NOWWERETALKING
  15. 20"So adorable!"AWW
  16. 24Prepare to ship, sayBOXUP
  17. 26Delivery means to a gas stationFUELTANKER
  18. 27Count in the Blues Hall of FameBASIE
  19. 28On the ___ (frequently, informally)REG
  20. 29Bird whose eggs are sometimes a canvas for Aboriginal artEMU
  21. 30Capotes are flapped at themTOROS
  22. 31"Let's go, sleepyhead!"UPANDATEM
  23. 32Booking, for shortRES
  24. 33Server's obstacleNET
  25. 38"Word on the street is ..."THEYSAY
  26. 41___ Brown, author of "The Da Vinci Code"DAN
  27. 42Night of lawlessness in a long-running horror franchise, with "the"PURGE
  28. 43Try-hardPOSER
  29. 45Kind of acidAMINO
  30. 46Stem componentXYLEM
  31. 47CapitulateCAVE
  32. 48Lender's securityLIEN
  33. 49Table outsideMESA
  34. 50Big purveyor of health supplementsGNC
  35. 52Gender-neutral term in a familySIB

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Havanese greeting — Answer: ARF
  2. 4. Tolstoy book whose title asks a question — Answer: WHATISART
  3. 13. Reluctantly stoop — Answer: DEIGN
  4. 16. They rate up to 350,000 on the Scoville scale — Answer: HABANEROS
  5. 17. H.S. class for tough life lessons? — Answer: APBIO
  6. 18. "Just tell me when it's over" — Answer: ICANTLOOK
  7. 19. Dance move also known as a backslide — Answer: MOONWALK
  8. 21. Skims, as soup stock — Answer: DEFATS
  9. 22. Fig. that cannot start with 9 — Answer: SSN
  10. 23. Org. for The Rock and Brock Lesnar — Answer: WWE
  11. 24. Tunnel-making machine — Answer: BORER
  12. 25. Not many — Answer: AFEW. Hint: A small number, just enough to count on one hand 🙂
  13. 27. Windfalls — Answer: BOONS
  14. 28. Keep coming up — Answer: RECUR
  15. 30. One might lead to pay back — Answer: TAXRETURN
  16. 34. Make some introductions, say — Answer: EMCEE
  17. 35. The Cowboys of the N.C.A.A. — Answer: OSU
  18. 36. Word from the Lakota for "they dwell" — Answer: TEPEE
  19. 37. Emotional manipulation tactic — Answer: GUILTTRIP
  20. 39. Meaty meal — Answer: FEAST
  21. 40. Attraction on the western side of Carson Range — Answer: TAHOE
  22. 41. "Oof!" — Answer: DAMN
  23. 42. Seems less impressive, so to speak — Answer: PALES
  24. 43. Spray in the kitchen — Answer: PAM
  25. 44. German stock market index — Answer: DAX
  26. 47. Cumbrous — Answer: CLUNKY
  27. 49. One-to-one relationship — Answer: MONOGAMY
  28. 51. Exchanges blows? — Answer: AIRKISSES
  29. 53. Up to — Answer: UNTIL. Hint: Think about a word that marks a time limit or endpoint! ⏳
  30. 54. Eggless bread spread — Answer: VEGENAISE
  31. 55. "A-a-a-and ___!" (improv show ender) — Answer: SCENE
  32. 56. High-carb snack — Answer: ENERGYBAR
  33. 57. May day celebrant — Answer: MOM

Down

  1. 1. President who wrote "Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it" — Answer: ADAMS
  2. 2. Default outcomes, perhaps — Answer: REPOS
  3. 3. Kind of sequence that proceeds 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ... — Answer: FIBONACCI
  4. 4. Duration — Answer: WHILE
  5. 5. Modern security threat — Answer: HACK
  6. 6. Org. with the Rule of Law Initiative — Answer: ABA
  7. 7. Cylindrical oven — Answer: TANDOOR
  8. 8. Extremely well-liked? — Answer: INTERNETFAMOUS
  9. 9. Personal opinion? — Answer: SELFESTEEM
  10. 10. Hooting and hollering — Answer: AROAR
  11. 11. Part of an underground network — Answer: ROOT
  12. 12. Pithy put-downs — Answer: TSKS
  13. 14. Main ingredient in an aviation cocktail — Answer: GIN
  14. 15. "I like the sound of that!" — Answer: NOWWERETALKING
  15. 20. "So adorable!" — Answer: AWW
  16. 24. Prepare to ship, say — Answer: BOXUP
  17. 26. Delivery means to a gas station — Answer: FUELTANKER
  18. 27. Count in the Blues Hall of Fame — Answer: BASIE
  19. 28. On the ___ (frequently, informally) — Answer: REG
  20. 29. Bird whose eggs are sometimes a canvas for Aboriginal art — Answer: EMU
  21. 30. Capotes are flapped at them — Answer: TOROS
  22. 31. "Let's go, sleepyhead!" — Answer: UPANDATEM
  23. 32. Booking, for short — Answer: RES
  24. 33. Server's obstacle — Answer: NET
  25. 38. "Word on the street is ..." — Answer: THEYSAY
  26. 41. ___ Brown, author of "The Da Vinci Code" — Answer: DAN
  27. 42. Night of lawlessness in a long-running horror franchise, with "the" — Answer: PURGE
  28. 43. Try-hard — Answer: POSER
  29. 45. Kind of acid — Answer: AMINO
  30. 46. Stem component — Answer: XYLEM
  31. 47. Capitulate — Answer: CAVE
  32. 48. Lender's security — Answer: LIEN
  33. 49. Table outside — Answer: MESA
  34. 50. Big purveyor of health supplements — Answer: GNC
  35. 52. Gender-neutral term in a family — Answer: SIB

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 1 January 2026NYT Crossword 31 December 2025NYT Crossword 30 December 2025NYT Crossword 29 December 2025NYT Crossword 28 December 2025NYT Crossword 27 December 2025NYT Crossword 26 December 2025

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, January 2, 2026 — every solution for that day's 15×15 (21×21 on Sunday) puzzle, listed at the top of this page. Whether you're catching up on a puzzle you missed, settling a “what was the answer on January 2?” question, or checking a grid you finished that day, the complete clue-by-clue solution is right here. Looking for today's puzzle instead? Head to our live NYT Crossword answers page.

NYT Crossword answers for January 2, 2026

The full solution for the January 2 NYT Crossword is shown above, laid out clue by clue — every Across answer followed by every Down answer, exactly as that day's grid read. Each answer is listed separately, so you can check just the clue you were stuck on and leave the rest. This is the confirmed grid as published on Friday, January 2.

Full NYT Crossword answer list for January 2, 2026

Every clue from the January 2 grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Havanese greetingARF
4Tolstoy book whose title asks a questionWHATISART
13Reluctantly stoopDEIGN
16They rate up to 350,000 on the Scoville scaleHABANEROS
17H.S. class for tough life lessons?APBIO
18"Just tell me when it's over"ICANTLOOK
19Dance move also known as a backslideMOONWALK
21Skims, as soup stockDEFATS
22Fig. that cannot start with 9SSN
23Org. for The Rock and Brock LesnarWWE
24Tunnel-making machineBORER
25Not manyAFEW
27WindfallsBOONS
28Keep coming upRECUR
30One might lead to pay backTAXRETURN
34Make some introductions, sayEMCEE
35The Cowboys of the N.C.A.A.OSU
36Word from the Lakota for "they dwell"TEPEE
37Emotional manipulation tacticGUILTTRIP
39Meaty mealFEAST
40Attraction on the western side of Carson RangeTAHOE
41"Oof!"DAMN
42Seems less impressive, so to speakPALES
43Spray in the kitchenPAM
44German stock market indexDAX
47CumbrousCLUNKY
49One-to-one relationshipMONOGAMY
51Exchanges blows?AIRKISSES
53Up toUNTIL
54Eggless bread spreadVEGENAISE
55"A-a-a-and ___!" (improv show ender)SCENE
56High-carb snackENERGYBAR
57May day celebrantMOM

Down

#ClueAnswer
1President who wrote "Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it"ADAMS
2Default outcomes, perhapsREPOS
3Kind of sequence that proceeds 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ...FIBONACCI
4DurationWHILE
5Modern security threatHACK
6Org. with the Rule of Law InitiativeABA
7Cylindrical ovenTANDOOR
8Extremely well-liked?INTERNETFAMOUS
9Personal opinion?SELFESTEEM
10Hooting and holleringAROAR
11Part of an underground networkROOT
12Pithy put-downsTSKS
14Main ingredient in an aviation cocktailGIN
15"I like the sound of that!"NOWWERETALKING
20"So adorable!"AWW
24Prepare to ship, sayBOXUP
26Delivery means to a gas stationFUELTANKER
27Count in the Blues Hall of FameBASIE
28On the ___ (frequently, informally)REG
29Bird whose eggs are sometimes a canvas for Aboriginal artEMU
30Capotes are flapped at themTOROS
31"Let's go, sleepyhead!"UPANDATEM
32Booking, for shortRES
33Server's obstacleNET
38"Word on the street is ..."THEYSAY
41___ Brown, author of "The Da Vinci Code"DAN
42Night of lawlessness in a long-running horror franchise, with "the"PURGE
43Try-hardPOSER
45Kind of acidAMINO
46Stem componentXYLEM
47CapitulateCAVE
48Lender's securityLIEN
49Table outsideMESA
50Big purveyor of health supplementsGNC
52Gender-neutral term in a familySIB

Hints for the January 2 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The January 2 puzzle fell on a Friday, and with the New York Times crossword that matters: the grid gets harder as the week goes on, from an easy Monday to a fiendish Saturday, with a large themed puzzle on Sunday. So a Friday grid tells you how much misdirection to expect — and if a clue that day seemed to make no sense, the weekday is usually the reason. Use the hints for the trickiest clues, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.

Looking for a different day?

Prefer to solve rather than peek? The play button opens the puzzle so you can try that day's grid yourself, then come back to check your answers. Stuck on a single clue from any puzzle, our crossword solver reveals just that answer from your known letters.

Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Crossword answers on January 2, 2026?

Every answer for the Friday, January 2, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

Where can I find today's NYT Crossword answers?

Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.

How do I look up a different date?

Use the previous/next links above to step day by day, or open the today page to browse the full dated archive.

NYT Mini Crossword Answers Wordle Hint Today Connections Hint Today Strands Hint Today Quordle Hint Today Contexto Hint Today Spotle Hint Today Minute Cryptic Answer Today Pips Hint Today Jumble Answers Today 7 Little Words Answers 4 Little Words Answers