Friday, January 16, 2026
By Kyle Dolan
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Coming-out party?
- 11Finish (up)
- 15"Hello-o-o?"
- 16Dialect featured in the literature of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, for short
- 17Scenario calling for self-reliance
- 18Summer flier
- 19Classic 1926 poem associated with the Harlem Renaissance
- 20Do some cleaning
- 21Creatures that can turn into humans on land, in Scottish folklore
- 22Sound around a summer cornfield
- 23Wood used for flooring
- 24Trunk item
- 25Shortest-reigning English monarch (9 days)
- 28Molecule that can self-splice
- 29Enthusiasm-curbing
- 32"Here we go!"
- 34Uncovered
- 35Some cuts of meat
- 37Tennis great who had a tennis scholarship from U.C.L.A.
- 38Place for trading stories?
- 40Diverts
- 42It takes a long time to get this
- 43Leading character on social media?
- 45White House partner, for short
- 47Assume, as costs
- 48Do some cleaning
- 51Market for currencies, informally
- 52Financial aid basis
- 54Hand count?
- 55Ian : Scotland :: ___ : Wales
- 56One might help you hitch a ride
- 58Parmesan cheese feature
- 59Novel whence the line "Four legs good, two legs bad"
- 60Rests
- 61They're green year-round
Down
- 1Bare-bones
- 2Oscar-winning musical role for Rita Moreno
- 3Already
- 4"The Memory Police" author ___ Ogawa
- 5Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls
- 6Unwieldy situation, metaphorically
- 7"As if!"
- 8Blows away
- 9Release
- 10Kind of cycle
- 11Listing on a W-2 form
- 12Stumbled upon
- 13Overwhelming amount
- 14Some terrarium denizens
- 21Declares
- 23Tai chi accessory
- 24Receives unfair criticism
- 25Nimble, zigzagging maneuver
- 26Best Original Song Oscar winner from 2014's "Selma"
- 27P.E. unit
- 29Invitations to come on board
- 30First NASA mission broadcast live from orbit
- 31Secret offering?
- 33Julia of "The Addams Family"
- 36___ Excellency
- 39Like leatherette
- 41Witticism
- 44Start of a secret invitation, perhaps
- 46Leans
- 48Locale of a semiannual fashion week
- 49Opposite of subtle
- 50Makes do for a while?
- 52Gram, by another name
- 53Composer Satie
- 54Goal-oriented global org.?
- 56Half-___
- 57Totally
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Coming-out party? — Answer: BABYSHOWER
- 11. Finish (up) — Answer: WRAP
- 15. "Hello-o-o?" — Answer: ANYONEHOME
- 16. Dialect featured in the literature of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, for short — Answer: AAVE
- 17. Scenario calling for self-reliance — Answer: SINKORSWIM
- 18. Summer flier — Answer: GNAT
- 19. Classic 1926 poem associated with the Harlem Renaissance — Answer: ITOO
- 20. Do some cleaning — Answer: DUST
- 21. Creatures that can turn into humans on land, in Scottish folklore — Answer: SEALS
- 22. Sound around a summer cornfield — Answer: CAW
- 23. Wood used for flooring — Answer: FIR
- 24. Trunk item — Answer: GASCAN
- 25. Shortest-reigning English monarch (9 days) — Answer: JANEGREY
- 28. Molecule that can self-splice — Answer: RNA
- 29. Enthusiasm-curbing — Answer: JADING
- 32. "Here we go!" — Answer: LETSROCK
- 34. Uncovered — Answer: OPEN
- 35. Some cuts of meat — Answer: CHOPS
- 37. Tennis great who had a tennis scholarship from U.C.L.A. — Answer: ASHE
- 38. Place for trading stories? — Answer: BOOKFAIR
- 40. Diverts — Answer: AMUSES
- 42. It takes a long time to get this — Answer: OLD
- 43. Leading character on social media? — Answer: ATSYMBOL
- 45. White House partner, for short — Answer: FLOTUS
- 47. Assume, as costs — Answer: EAT
- 48. Do some cleaning — Answer: MOP
- 51. Market for currencies, informally — Answer: FOREX
- 52. Financial aid basis — Answer: NEED
- 54. Hand count? — Answer: FIVE
- 55. Ian : Scotland :: ___ : Wales — Answer: EVAN
- 56. One might help you hitch a ride — Answer: CARTRAILER
- 58. Parmesan cheese feature — Answer: RIND
- 59. Novel whence the line "Four legs good, two legs bad" — Answer: ANIMALFARM
- 60. Rests — Answer: SITS
- 61. They're green year-round — Answer: FAKEPLANTS
Down
- 1. Bare-bones — Answer: BASIC
- 2. Oscar-winning musical role for Rita Moreno — Answer: ANITA
- 3. Already — Answer: BYNOW
- 4. "The Memory Police" author ___ Ogawa — Answer: YOKO
- 5. Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls — Answer: SNO
- 6. Unwieldy situation, metaphorically — Answer: HERDINGCATS
- 7. "As if!" — Answer: OHSURE
- 8. Blows away — Answer: WOWS
- 9. Release — Answer: EMIT
- 10. Kind of cycle — Answer: REM
- 11. Listing on a W-2 form — Answer: WAGES
- 12. Stumbled upon — Answer: RANACROSS
- 13. Overwhelming amount — Answer: AVALANCHE
- 14. Some terrarium denizens — Answer: PETSNAKES
- 21. Declares — Answer: SAYS
- 23. Tai chi accessory — Answer: FAN
- 24. Receives unfair criticism — Answer: GETSABADRAP
- 25. Nimble, zigzagging maneuver — Answer: JINK
- 26. Best Original Song Oscar winner from 2014's "Selma" — Answer: GLORY
- 27. P.E. unit — Answer: REP
- 29. Invitations to come on board — Answer: JOBOFFERS
- 30. First NASA mission broadcast live from orbit — Answer: APOLLOVII
- 31. Secret offering? — Answer: DEODORANT
- 33. Julia of "The Addams Family" — Answer: RAUL
- 36. ___ Excellency — Answer: HIS
- 39. Like leatherette — Answer: FAUX
- 41. Witticism — Answer: MOT
- 44. Start of a secret invitation, perhaps — Answer: MEETME
- 46. Leans — Answer: TENDS
- 48. Locale of a semiannual fashion week — Answer: MILAN
- 49. Opposite of subtle — Answer: OVERT
- 50. Makes do for a while? — Answer: PERMS
- 52. Gram, by another name — Answer: NANA
- 53. Composer Satie — Answer: ERIK
- 54. Goal-oriented global org.? — Answer: FIFA
- 56. Half-___ — Answer: CAF
- 57. Totally — Answer: ALL
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, January 16, 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 16?” 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 16, 2026
The full solution for the January 16 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 16.
Hints for the January 16 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The January 16 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What were the NYT Crossword answers on January 16, 2026?
Every answer for the Friday, January 16, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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