Polarizing punctuation choice

Crossword Answer — January 21, 2026

Answer
NYT Crossword Answers

NYT Crossword

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

By Ginny Too and Avery Gee Katz

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Practiced pitches
  2. 7What arms might do on a final gym rep
  3. 14Lee has a hot bowl of ___ to start off his day
  4. 15Lee has a hot bowl of ___ to start off his day
  5. 16Enemy of the Avengers
  6. 17Ones with the munchies, maybe
  7. 18In need of a massage, say
  8. 19Like those local to Universal Studios Japan
  9. 21Hide one's roots, perhaps
  10. 22Like the study of the kabbalah
  11. 24Drill insert
  12. 26Polarizing punctuation choice
  13. 31Bracket-busting wins in March Madness
  14. 35Friend or ___
  15. 36Complete disrepair
  16. 37Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way
  17. 38Recycling container
  18. 39Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way
  19. 40They might be foiled
  20. 41Treatment for a sprained ankle
  21. 42Like the villain at the end of a "Scooby-Doo" episode
  22. 43All ___
  23. 44Slime
  24. 45Jay-Z's and Alicia Keys's "___ State of Mind"
  25. 46Classic P.O.W. movie starring Steve McQueen, with "The"
  26. 49Heavy weight
  27. 50Transaction on an online marketplace
  28. 55Govt. org. in "Alias"
  29. 58Entertainer who says "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"
  30. 60Inflation measures, for short
  31. 61Opportunity to dress up
  32. 63Eagles' nests
  33. 65With gossip and beer over Friday's ___ game
  34. 66With gossip and beer over Friday's ___ game
  35. 67Satisfies
  36. 68Luxurious cotton fabric

Down

  1. 1Italian apology
  2. 2Some pullover shirts
  3. 3Any course whose name ends in "101"
  4. 4Bird with a plume that, ounce for ounce, was once worth more than gold
  5. 5Constellation near the Big Dipper
  6. 6Gentlemen, in Granada
  7. 7Captured
  8. 8Like government bonds and Uber drivers
  9. 9___ minority
  10. 10Mrs., en français
  11. 11Bit of sweat
  12. 12British title
  13. 13Ultimatum ender
  14. 17Life across the ___ is much the same
  15. 20British title
  16. 23These: Sp.
  17. 25Shredded, as a contract
  18. 27Top-of-the-line
  19. 28Prefix with vitamin or tool
  20. 29Athlete aiming for a four-minute finish, perhaps
  21. 30One end of an electrolytic cell
  22. 31Let float, as a currency
  23. 32Pertaining to hair
  24. 33Welcome sight for a sailor
  25. 34Patronizes, as a restaurant
  26. 38Life stories
  27. 39Warm and cozy
  28. 44Bona fide
  29. 45Govt. sites for testing pollutants
  30. 47Ones with chiseled abs?
  31. 48___ Dhabi
  32. 51Spar on a sailing boat
  33. 52Comment that breaks the fourth wall
  34. 53Feudal lord
  35. 54German steel city
  36. 55Provide for free, as a drink
  37. 56Suffix with method or metaphor
  38. 57Pine
  39. 59Collectible caps in the '90s
  40. 62Steely Dan album whose name is pronounced "Asia"
  41. 64The Three Kingdoms in Chinese history, e.g.

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Practiced pitches — Answer: SPIELS
  2. 7. What arms might do on a final gym rep — Answer: TREMBLE
  3. 14. Lee has a hot bowl of ___ to start off his day — Answer: CONGEE
  4. 15. Lee has a hot bowl of ___ to start off his day — Answer: OATMEAL
  5. 16. Enemy of the Avengers — Answer: ULTRON
  6. 17. Ones with the munchies, maybe — Answer: POTHEADS
  7. 18. In need of a massage, say — Answer: SORE
  8. 19. Like those local to Universal Studios Japan — Answer: OSAKAN
  9. 21. Hide one's roots, perhaps — Answer: DYE
  10. 22. Like the study of the kabbalah — Answer: ESOTERIC
  11. 24. Drill insert — Answer: BIT
  12. 26. Polarizing punctuation choice — Answer: SERIALCOMMA
  13. 31. Bracket-busting wins in March Madness — Answer: UPSETS
  14. 35. Friend or ___ — Answer: FOE
  15. 36. Complete disrepair — Answer: RUIN
  16. 37. Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way — Answer: NIHAO
  17. 38. Recycling container — Answer: BIN
  18. 39. Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way — Answer: HELLO
  19. 40. They might be foiled — Answer: PLOTS
  20. 41. Treatment for a sprained ankle — Answer: ICE
  21. 42. Like the villain at the end of a "Scooby-Doo" episode — Answer: OUTED
  22. 43. All ___ — Answer: EARS
  23. 44. Slime — Answer: GOO
  24. 45. Jay-Z's and Alicia Keys's "___ State of Mind" — Answer: EMPIRE
  25. 46. Classic P.O.W. movie starring Steve McQueen, with "The" — Answer: GREATESCAPE
  26. 49. Heavy weight — Answer: TON
  27. 50. Transaction on an online marketplace — Answer: EBAYSALE
  28. 55. Govt. org. in "Alias" — Answer: CIA
  29. 58. Entertainer who says "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?" — Answer: RUPAUL
  30. 60. Inflation measures, for short — Answer: PSIS
  31. 61. Opportunity to dress up — Answer: OCCASION
  32. 63. Eagles' nests — Answer: AERIES
  33. 65. With gossip and beer over Friday's ___ game — Answer: MAHJONG
  34. 66. With gossip and beer over Friday's ___ game — Answer: BRIDGE
  35. 67. Satisfies — Answer: PLEASES
  36. 68. Luxurious cotton fabric — Answer: SATEEN

Down

  1. 1. Italian apology — Answer: SCUSE
  2. 2. Some pullover shirts — Answer: POLOS
  3. 3. Any course whose name ends in "101" — Answer: INTRO
  4. 4. Bird with a plume that, ounce for ounce, was once worth more than gold — Answer: EGRET
  5. 5. Constellation near the Big Dipper — Answer: LEO
  6. 6. Gentlemen, in Granada — Answer: SENORES
  7. 7. Captured — Answer: TOOK
  8. 8. Like government bonds and Uber drivers — Answer: RATABLE
  9. 9. ___ minority — Answer: ETHNIC
  10. 10. Mrs., en français — Answer: MME
  11. 11. Bit of sweat — Answer: BEAD
  12. 12. British title — Answer: LADY
  13. 13. Ultimatum ender — Answer: ELSE
  14. 17. Life across the ___ is much the same — Answer: PACIFICOCEAN
  15. 20. British title — Answer: SIR
  16. 23. These: Sp. — Answer: ESTOS
  17. 25. Shredded, as a contract — Answer: TOREUP
  18. 27. Top-of-the-line — Answer: AONE
  19. 28. Prefix with vitamin or tool — Answer: MULTI
  20. 29. Athlete aiming for a four-minute finish, perhaps — Answer: MILER
  21. 30. One end of an electrolytic cell — Answer: ANODE
  22. 31. Let float, as a currency — Answer: UNPEG
  23. 32. Pertaining to hair — Answer: PILAR
  24. 33. Welcome sight for a sailor — Answer: SHORE
  25. 34. Patronizes, as a restaurant — Answer: EATSAT
  26. 38. Life stories — Answer: BIOS
  27. 39. Warm and cozy — Answer: HOMEY
  28. 44. Bona fide — Answer: GENUINE
  29. 45. Govt. sites for testing pollutants — Answer: EPALABS
  30. 47. Ones with chiseled abs? — Answer: TORSOS
  31. 48. ___ Dhabi — Answer: ABU. Hint: This is a common prefix for names of several Middle Eastern cities! 🕌
  32. 51. Spar on a sailing boat — Answer: SPRIT
  33. 52. Comment that breaks the fourth wall — Answer: ASIDE
  34. 53. Feudal lord — Answer: LIEGE
  35. 54. German steel city — Answer: ESSEN
  36. 55. Provide for free, as a drink — Answer: COMP
  37. 56. Suffix with method or metaphor — Answer: ICAL
  38. 57. Pine — Answer: ACHE
  39. 59. Collectible caps in the '90s — Answer: POGS
  40. 62. Steely Dan album whose name is pronounced "Asia" — Answer: AJA
  41. 64. The Three Kingdoms in Chinese history, e.g. — Answer: ERA

The answer to “Polarizing punctuation choice” in the New York Times crossword is SERIALCOMMA — a 11-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on January 21, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 26-Across. If it's the entry standing between you and a clean grid, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, plus links to the day's other clues if more than one square is giving you trouble.

“Polarizing punctuation choice” answer

SERIALCOMMA (11 letters)

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 SERIALCOMMA.

Why the answer is SERIALCOMMA

SERIALCOMMA is the 11-letter solution that fits "Polarizing punctuation choice" in the NYT Crossword crossword on January 21, 2026 (26-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Polarizing punctuation choice” appeared?

New York Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up before, and what the answer was each time — handy if you landed here from a puzzle on another date.

January 21, 2026 (this puzzle) → SERIALCOMMA. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on January 21, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for January 21, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Wednesday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Polarizing punctuation choice”?

The answer is SERIALCOMMA, a 11-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Polarizing punctuation choice”?

11 letters: SERIALCOMMA.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on January 21, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 26-Across.

Can “Polarizing punctuation choice” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

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

The full grid for January 21, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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