It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus

Crossword Answer — January 23, 2026

Answer

NYT Crossword

Friday, January 23, 2026

By Joyce Keller

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Barely enough
  2. 6What some may be dyeing to conceal?
  3. 10Environmental concern
  4. 14"Don't be absurd!"
  5. 16___ Mountain (ski area in Killington, Vt.)
  6. 17She's out there!
  7. 18Many a choirgirl
  8. 19"Black-ish" patriarch
  9. 20Dulcet
  10. 21Fiddle with feathers, say
  11. 22Backstreet ___
  12. 23Like kyawthuite, among gems
  13. 25Designer Geoffrey
  14. 27A-list
  15. 28Like quartzite vis-à-vis quartz
  16. 29They really click as a pair
  17. 32Masters of manipulation
  18. 33Commercial preceder of Geo
  19. 34Capital near the Red Sea
  20. 35Micromobility option
  21. 37On the level
  22. 38Mouth organ
  23. 39Internal turmoil
  24. 40Say "I do," say
  25. 41One may be carried in a concert hall
  26. 42Recent recruit
  27. 43First name on the Supreme Court
  28. 45Zilch
  29. 48Cushy
  30. 49It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus
  31. 51Out of joint?
  32. 52Text insert for a flash-forward film scene
  33. 53Ink
  34. 54Apt rhyme for "pads"
  35. 55Guck

Down

  1. 1Completely convinced
  2. 2French letter opener
  3. 3Niche for a shrine
  4. 4Essence of the matter
  5. 5"I'll take the blame"
  6. 6Some body builders?
  7. 7Broccoli ___
  8. 8How to look at your hot fudge sundae
  9. 9A little possessive, perhaps?
  10. 10Pocket money
  11. 11Momentous moments
  12. 12Bits in a byte, e.g.
  13. 13"I'm listening"
  14. 15One who's on the defense, perhaps
  15. 21Digital applications?
  16. 22Longing look
  17. 24Rigi of Switzerland, e.g.
  18. 25One setting on speakers
  19. 26Classic toy for budding engineers
  20. 27Long look
  21. 28Peach or plum
  22. 30Interest of Marco Polo, with "the"
  23. 31Settled on the bottom?
  24. 33Gelded
  25. 36___ Fridays
  26. 37Hangouts
  27. 40Grammy-winning R&B; singer named for a Revlon fragrance
  28. 41They make streaks on cheeks
  29. 42Mass
  30. 44Tip
  31. 45Trattoria tubes
  32. 46Couple
  33. 47Funeral ___
  34. 49Texter's "ciao"
  35. 50Late actor Kilmer

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
  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

The answer to “It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus” in the New York Times crossword is CREATIVITY — a 10-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on January 23, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 49-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.

“It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus” answer

CREATIVITY (10 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 CREATIVITY.

Why the answer is CREATIVITY

CREATIVITY is the 10-letter solution that fits "It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus" in the NYT Crossword crossword on January 23, 2026 (49-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus” 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 23, 2026 (this puzzle) → CREATIVITY. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on January 23, 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 23, 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 Friday 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 “It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus”?

The answer is CREATIVITY, a 10-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on January 23, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus”?

10 letters: CREATIVITY.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on January 23, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 49-Across.

Can “It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus” 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 23, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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