NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - Jan 9

Friday, January 09, 2026

By Greg Snitkin and Glenn Davis

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Crush
  2. 10They get picked up at clubs
  3. 14Winning like crazy
  4. 15Surfing destinations, for short
  5. 16Places many Cubans are found
  6. 18Noggin
  7. 19Clumsy oafs
  8. 20"You better believe it!"
  9. 22Bad thing to have in a poker game
  10. 25Dumps
  11. 26Apple core?
  12. 28Confirmation from a maître d'
  13. 30"I didn't do it!"
  14. 34Stealthy flier
  15. 39Bummer at a casino game
  16. 40It often comes with the job
  17. 42___ Slush (frozen fruit drink)
  18. 43"Watch your mouth!"
  19. 44Old-timey oath
  20. 46Firm up
  21. 47Eats
  22. 48Was rude on the road or the dance floor
  23. 52"Weed 'Em and ___," gardening book whose title is a spoonerism
  24. 54Led the charge
  25. 57Prepares for a wild night, maybe
  26. 60Monopoly token retired in 2017
  27. 61He's great for the time being
  28. 64Be just chillin'
  29. 65"Beats me!"
  30. 66Jazz coda?
  31. 67Unpack for the night, in a way

Down

  1. 1Small bit, in Bogotá
  2. 2Windows alternative
  3. 3Something you have trouble putting down
  4. 4Gradually introduce, with "in"
  5. 5The Beatles' "___ Blues"
  6. 6Varieties of this include chocolate and yellow
  7. 7"Then again ...," to a texter
  8. 8Puzzles
  9. 9Build
  10. 10Footwear that lacks defined heels
  11. 11An "A" in geometry
  12. 12Dull
  13. 13Often-redacted fig.
  14. 17Item that someone with cold feet might have
  15. 21Verb that fills in the blanks of its own synonym: _ _AR_
  16. 23Be just chillin'
  17. 24Vividly shocking
  18. 26Kind of fever
  19. 27Ballade or étude
  20. 29Analogy words
  21. 31Raccoon, humorously
  22. 32It's bubbling below the surface
  23. 33Pointers for some fighters?
  24. 35Rom-com plot points
  25. 36Channel offering deals
  26. 37There are more than 2.3 million in N.Y.C.: Abbr.
  27. 38Industrial cutter
  28. 41Oscar winner Blanchett
  29. 45Shady, in modern parlance
  30. 49Flat hat
  31. 50Elba who portrayed Nelson Mandela
  32. 51"Some ___!"
  33. 53Shenanigan
  34. 54Java ingredient?
  35. 55Listing on a jobs website
  36. 56Losing effort
  37. 58Wilde thing
  38. 59Cashless transaction
  39. 60Ad or show follower
  40. 62African grazer
  41. 63Challenge from a hard-hit ground ball, perhaps

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Crush — Answer: PUPPYLOVE
  2. 10. They get picked up at clubs — Answer: TABS
  3. 14. Winning like crazy — Answer: ONAHEATER
  4. 15. Surfing destinations, for short — Answer: URLS
  5. 16. Places many Cubans are found — Answer: CIGARBOXES
  6. 18. Noggin — Answer: BEAN
  7. 19. Clumsy oafs — Answer: OXES
  8. 20. "You better believe it!" — Answer: HECKYEAH
  9. 22. Bad thing to have in a poker game — Answer: TELL
  10. 25. Dumps — Answer: STIES
  11. 26. Apple core? — Answer: CPU
  12. 28. Confirmation from a maître d' — Answer: OUI
  13. 30. "I didn't do it!" — Answer: NOTME
  14. 34. Stealthy flier — Answer: AIRMARSHAL
  15. 39. Bummer at a casino game — Answer: CRAP
  16. 40. It often comes with the job — Answer: BENEFITSPACKAGE
  17. 42. ___ Slush (frozen fruit drink) — Answer: ICEE
  18. 43. "Watch your mouth!" — Answer: DONTSASSME
  19. 44. Old-timey oath — Answer: NERTS
  20. 46. Firm up — Answer: SET
  21. 47. Eats — Answer: HAS
  22. 48. Was rude on the road or the dance floor — Answer: CUTIN
  23. 52. "Weed 'Em and ___," gardening book whose title is a spoonerism — Answer: REAP
  24. 54. Led the charge — Answer: CRUSADED
  25. 57. Prepares for a wild night, maybe — Answer: NAPS
  26. 60. Monopoly token retired in 2017 — Answer: BOOT
  27. 61. He's great for the time being — Answer: MRRIGHTNOW
  28. 64. Be just chillin' — Answer: IDLE
  29. 65. "Beats me!" — Answer: IVENOIDEA
  30. 66. Jazz coda? — Answer: ZEES
  31. 67. Unpack for the night, in a way — Answer: SETUPCAMP

Down

  1. 1. Small bit, in Bogotá — Answer: POCO
  2. 2. Windows alternative — Answer: UNIX
  3. 3. Something you have trouble putting down — Answer: PAGETURNER
  4. 4. Gradually introduce, with "in" — Answer: PHASE
  5. 5. The Beatles' "___ Blues" — Answer: YER
  6. 6. Varieties of this include chocolate and yellow — Answer: LAB
  7. 7. "Then again ...," to a texter — Answer: OTOH
  8. 8. Puzzles — Answer: VEXES
  9. 9. Build — Answer: ERECT
  10. 10. Footwear that lacks defined heels — Answer: TUBESOCKS
  11. 11. An "A" in geometry — Answer: AREA
  12. 12. Dull — Answer: BLAH
  13. 13. Often-redacted fig. — Answer: SSN
  14. 17. Item that someone with cold feet might have — Answer: SKI
  15. 21. Verb that fills in the blanks of its own synonym: _ _AR_ — Answer: YEN
  16. 23. Be just chillin' — Answer: LOAF
  17. 24. Vividly shocking — Answer: LURID
  18. 26. Kind of fever — Answer: CABIN
  19. 27. Ballade or étude — Answer: PIECE
  20. 29. Analogy words — Answer: ISTO
  21. 31. Raccoon, humorously — Answer: TRASHPANDA
  22. 32. It's bubbling below the surface — Answer: MAGMA
  23. 33. Pointers for some fighters? — Answer: EPEES
  24. 35. Rom-com plot points — Answer: MEETCUTES
  25. 36. Channel offering deals — Answer: HSN
  26. 37. There are more than 2.3 million in N.Y.C.: Abbr. — Answer: APTS
  27. 38. Industrial cutter — Answer: LASER
  28. 41. Oscar winner Blanchett — Answer: CATE
  29. 45. Shady, in modern parlance — Answer: SUS
  30. 49. Flat hat — Answer: TAM
  31. 50. Elba who portrayed Nelson Mandela — Answer: IDRIS
  32. 51. "Some ___!" — Answer: NERVE
  33. 53. Shenanigan — Answer: ANTIC
  34. 54. Java ingredient? — Answer: CODE
  35. 55. Listing on a jobs website — Answer: ROLE
  36. 56. Losing effort — Answer: DIET
  37. 58. Wilde thing — Answer: POEM
  38. 59. Cashless transaction — Answer: SWAP
  39. 60. Ad or show follower — Answer: BIZ
  40. 62. African grazer — Answer: GNU
  41. 63. Challenge from a hard-hit ground ball, perhaps — Answer: HOP

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, January 9, 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 9?” 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 9, 2026

The full solution for the January 9 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 9.

Hints for the January 9 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The January 9 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 9, 2026?

Every answer for the Friday, January 9, 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.