NYT Crossword Answers - Jan 23

By Joyce Keller

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Across

  1. 1Barely enoughSCANT
  2. 6What some may be dyeing to conceal?GRAY
  3. 10Environmental concernSMOG
  4. 14"Don't be absurd!"OHPUHLEASE
  5. 16___ Mountain (ski area in Killington, Vt.)PICO
  6. 17She's out there!LESBIANBAR
  7. 18Many a choirgirlALTO
  8. 19"Black-ish" patriarchDRE
  9. 20DulcetSWEET
  10. 21Fiddle with feathers, sayPREEN
  11. 22Backstreet ___BOYS
  12. 23Like kyawthuite, among gemsRAREST
  13. 25Designer GeoffreyBEENE
  14. 27A-listSELECT
  15. 28Like quartzite vis-à-vis quartzHARDER
  16. 29They really click as a pairTAPSHOES
  17. 32Masters of manipulationUSERS
  18. 33Commercial preceder of GeoNAT
  19. 34Capital near the Red SeaSANAA
  20. 35Micromobility optionESCOOTER
  21. 37On the levelHONEST
  22. 38Mouth organTONGUE
  23. 39Internal turmoilANGST
  24. 40Say "I do," sayCOMMIT
  25. 41One may be carried in a concert hallTUNE
  26. 42Recent recruitHIREE
  27. 43First name on the Supreme CourtELENA
  28. 45ZilchZIP
  29. 48CushyEASY
  30. 49It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles MingusCREATIVITY
  31. 51Out of joint?FREE
  32. 52Text insert for a flash-forward film sceneYEARSLATER
  33. 53InkTATS
  34. 54Apt rhyme for "pads"ADDS
  35. 55GuckSLIME

Down

  1. 1Completely convincedSOLD
  2. 2French letter openerCHER
  3. 3Niche for a shrineAPSE
  4. 4Essence of the matterNUB
  5. 5"I'll take the blame"THISONESONME
  6. 6Some body builders?GENES
  7. 7Broccoli ___RABE
  8. 8How to look at your hot fudge sundaeASATREAT
  9. 9A little possessive, perhaps?YER
  10. 10Pocket moneySPARECHANGE
  11. 11Momentous momentsMILESTONES
  12. 12Bits in a byte, e.g.OCTET
  13. 13"I'm listening"GOON
  14. 15One who's on the defense, perhapsLAWYER
  15. 21Digital applications?PRESSONNAILS
  16. 22Longing lookBEDROOMEYES
  17. 24Rigi of Switzerland, e.g.ALP
  18. 25One setting on speakersBASS
  19. 26Classic toy for budding engineersERECTORSET
  20. 27Long lookSTARE
  21. 28Peach or plumHUE
  22. 30Interest of Marco Polo, with "the"EAST
  23. 31Settled on the bottom?SAT
  24. 33GeldedNEUTERED
  25. 36___ FridaysTGI
  26. 37HangoutsHAUNTS
  27. 40Grammy-winning R&B; singer named for a Revlon fragranceCIARA
  28. 41They make streaks on cheeksTEARS
  29. 42MassHEFT
  30. 44TipLEAD
  31. 45Trattoria tubesZITI
  32. 46CoupleITEM
  33. 47Funeral ___PYRE
  34. 49Texter's "ciao"CYA
  35. 50Late actor KilmerVAL

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Barely enough — Answer: SCANT
  2. 6. What some may be dyeing to conceal? — Answer: GRAY
  3. 10. Environmental concern — Answer: SMOG
  4. 14. "Don't be absurd!" — Answer: OHPUHLEASE
  5. 16. ___ Mountain (ski area in Killington, Vt.) — Answer: PICO
  6. 17. She's out there! — Answer: LESBIANBAR
  7. 18. Many a choirgirl — Answer: ALTO
  8. 19. "Black-ish" patriarch — Answer: DRE
  9. 20. Dulcet — Answer: SWEET
  10. 21. Fiddle with feathers, say — Answer: PREEN
  11. 22. Backstreet ___ — Answer: BOYS
  12. 23. Like kyawthuite, among gems — Answer: RAREST
  13. 25. Designer Geoffrey — Answer: BEENE. Hint: Think of the American fashion designer celebrated for sculptural silhouettes and elegant eveningwear. 👗
  14. 27. A-list — Answer: SELECT
  15. 28. Like quartzite vis-à-vis quartz — Answer: HARDER
  16. 29. They really click as a pair — Answer: TAPSHOES
  17. 32. Masters of manipulation — Answer: USERS
  18. 33. Commercial preceder of Geo — Answer: NAT
  19. 34. Capital near the Red Sea — Answer: SANAA
  20. 35. Micromobility option — Answer: ESCOOTER
  21. 37. On the level — Answer: HONEST
  22. 38. Mouth organ — Answer: TONGUE
  23. 39. Internal turmoil — Answer: ANGST
  24. 40. Say "I do," say — Answer: COMMIT
  25. 41. One may be carried in a concert hall — Answer: TUNE
  26. 42. Recent recruit — Answer: HIREE
  27. 43. First name on the Supreme Court — Answer: ELENA
  28. 45. Zilch — Answer: ZIP
  29. 48. Cushy — Answer: EASY
  30. 49. It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus — Answer: CREATIVITY
  31. 51. Out of joint? — Answer: FREE
  32. 52. Text insert for a flash-forward film scene — Answer: YEARSLATER
  33. 53. Ink — Answer: TATS
  34. 54. Apt rhyme for "pads" — Answer: ADDS
  35. 55. Guck — Answer: SLIME

Down

  1. 1. Completely convinced — Answer: SOLD
  2. 2. French letter opener — Answer: CHER
  3. 3. Niche for a shrine — Answer: APSE
  4. 4. Essence of the matter — Answer: NUB
  5. 5. "I'll take the blame" — Answer: THISONESONME
  6. 6. Some body builders? — Answer: GENES
  7. 7. Broccoli ___ — Answer: RABE
  8. 8. How to look at your hot fudge sundae — Answer: ASATREAT
  9. 9. A little possessive, perhaps? — Answer: YER
  10. 10. Pocket money — Answer: SPARECHANGE
  11. 11. Momentous moments — Answer: MILESTONES
  12. 12. Bits in a byte, e.g. — Answer: OCTET
  13. 13. "I'm listening" — Answer: GOON
  14. 15. One who's on the defense, perhaps — Answer: LAWYER
  15. 21. Digital applications? — Answer: PRESSONNAILS
  16. 22. Longing look — Answer: BEDROOMEYES
  17. 24. Rigi of Switzerland, e.g. — Answer: ALP
  18. 25. One setting on speakers — Answer: BASS
  19. 26. Classic toy for budding engineers — Answer: ERECTORSET
  20. 27. Long look — Answer: STARE
  21. 28. Peach or plum — Answer: HUE
  22. 30. Interest of Marco Polo, with "the" — Answer: EAST
  23. 31. Settled on the bottom? — Answer: SAT
  24. 33. Gelded — Answer: NEUTERED
  25. 36. ___ Fridays — Answer: TGI
  26. 37. Hangouts — Answer: HAUNTS
  27. 40. Grammy-winning R&B; singer named for a Revlon fragrance — Answer: CIARA
  28. 41. They make streaks on cheeks — Answer: TEARS
  29. 42. Mass — Answer: HEFT
  30. 44. Tip — Answer: LEAD
  31. 45. Trattoria tubes — Answer: ZITI
  32. 46. Couple — Answer: ITEM
  33. 47. Funeral ___ — Answer: PYRE
  34. 49. Texter's "ciao" — Answer: CYA
  35. 50. Late actor Kilmer — Answer: VAL

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 22 January 2026NYT Crossword 21 January 2026NYT Crossword 20 January 2026NYT Crossword 19 January 2026NYT Crossword 18 January 2026NYT Crossword 17 January 2026NYT Crossword 16 January 2026

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, January 23, 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 23?” 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 23, 2026

The full solution for the January 23 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 23.

Full NYT Crossword answer list for January 23, 2026

Every clue from the January 23 grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Barely enoughSCANT
6What some may be dyeing to conceal?GRAY
10Environmental concernSMOG
14"Don't be absurd!"OHPUHLEASE
16___ Mountain (ski area in Killington, Vt.)PICO
17She's out there!LESBIANBAR
18Many a choirgirlALTO
19"Black-ish" patriarchDRE
20DulcetSWEET
21Fiddle with feathers, sayPREEN
22Backstreet ___BOYS
23Like kyawthuite, among gemsRAREST
25Designer GeoffreyBEENE
27A-listSELECT
28Like quartzite vis-à-vis quartzHARDER
29They really click as a pairTAPSHOES
32Masters of manipulationUSERS
33Commercial preceder of GeoNAT
34Capital near the Red SeaSANAA
35Micromobility optionESCOOTER
37On the levelHONEST
38Mouth organTONGUE
39Internal turmoilANGST
40Say "I do," sayCOMMIT
41One may be carried in a concert hallTUNE
42Recent recruitHIREE
43First name on the Supreme CourtELENA
45ZilchZIP
48CushyEASY
49It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles MingusCREATIVITY
51Out of joint?FREE
52Text insert for a flash-forward film sceneYEARSLATER
53InkTATS
54Apt rhyme for "pads"ADDS
55GuckSLIME

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Completely convincedSOLD
2French letter openerCHER
3Niche for a shrineAPSE
4Essence of the matterNUB
5"I'll take the blame"THISONESONME
6Some body builders?GENES
7Broccoli ___RABE
8How to look at your hot fudge sundaeASATREAT
9A little possessive, perhaps?YER
10Pocket moneySPARECHANGE
11Momentous momentsMILESTONES
12Bits in a byte, e.g.OCTET
13"I'm listening"GOON
15One who's on the defense, perhapsLAWYER
21Digital applications?PRESSONNAILS
22Longing lookBEDROOMEYES
24Rigi of Switzerland, e.g.ALP
25One setting on speakersBASS
26Classic toy for budding engineersERECTORSET
27Long lookSTARE
28Peach or plumHUE
30Interest of Marco Polo, with "the"EAST
31Settled on the bottom?SAT
33GeldedNEUTERED
36___ FridaysTGI
37HangoutsHAUNTS
40Grammy-winning R&B; singer named for a Revlon fragranceCIARA
41They make streaks on cheeksTEARS
42MassHEFT
44TipLEAD
45Trattoria tubesZITI
46CoupleITEM
47Funeral ___PYRE
49Texter's "ciao"CYA
50Late actor KilmerVAL

Hints for the January 23 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The January 23 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 23, 2026?

Every answer for the Friday, January 23, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

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