Monday, February 16, 2026
By Ian Livengood
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Necklace fastener
- 6Physique, slangily
- 9"___ to that!"
- 13Textile city NNE of Paris
- 14New wave band with the hit "Whip It"
- 15Improvise, in jazz
- 16Stared rudely
- 17Late-night kitchen visit, e.g.
- 18Stench
- 19Longtime comic strip set in a medieval kingdom
- 22Home for pigs
- 23Teen wearing heavy eyeliner, maybe
- 24Really, really cool
- 27"My dude!"
- 28Computer operating system developed by Bell Labs
- 30___-Hulk
- 31Charge for airing a commercial
- 34Fictional lab assistant with a hunchback
- 35Stylish
- 36Capital of the Gem State, in a mailing address
- 38Possible cybercrime, informally
- 40M.I.T. Mystery ___ (annual puzzle competition)
- 41Close by
- 43Corrosion signs
- 44Stadium cheer
- 45Glance through
- 46Reader's Digest or Golf Digest, in brief
- 47Where clams are served
- 49Knotted (up)
- 51Rep.'s counterpart
- 54"Makes no difference to me"
- 57Actress Kendrick
- 59Hourly pay rate
- 60Flock that honks
- 61Follow directions
- 62Conga, for one
- 63Chicago's ___ Planetarium
- 64Scottish girl
- 65Place to get a rubdown
- 66Voting spots
Down
- 1Thickens, as cream
- 2Not heavy
- 3Narrow way between city buildings
- 4Whole bunch
- 5Horse's ancestral line
- 6Hearty embrace
- 7Roman poet who wrote "Metamorphoses"
- 8Dull-witted sort
- 9Eschew
- 10Frantic scrambles
- 11Rock subgenre with confessional lyrics
- 12"All Things Considered" airer
- 14"Fiddlesticks!"
- 20D.C.'s National ___
- 21Kind of number on an old business card
- 25Change gears
- 26Religious offshoots
- 27Top-tier
- 29Pinot ___
- 31Give 0 stars in a review, say
- 32One giving support during childbirth
- 33High-quality reds and whites
- 34Something to noodle on
- 35Drink very quickly
- 37Glitterati
- 39Shortfall of exports vis-à-vis imports
- 42One of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean
- 45Droop
- 46"It's just OK"
- 48Occasions for blowing out candles on cakes, informally
- 50Agenda bullet point
- 51Linger (on), as a topic
- 52Art supporter
- 53Mike who voiced Shrek in "Shrek"
- 55Wyatt at the O.K. Corral
- 56Make over
- 57Early leader in instant messaging
- 58Org. for the Raptors, but not the Blue Jays
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Necklace fastener — Answer: CLASP
- 6. Physique, slangily — Answer: BOD
- 9. "___ to that!" — Answer: AMEN
- 13. Textile city NNE of Paris — Answer: LILLE
- 14. New wave band with the hit "Whip It" — Answer: DEVO
- 15. Improvise, in jazz — Answer: VAMP
- 16. Stared rudely — Answer: OGLED
- 17. Late-night kitchen visit, e.g. — Answer: RAID
- 18. Stench — Answer: ODOR
- 19. Longtime comic strip set in a medieval kingdom — Answer: THEWIZARDOFID
- 22. Home for pigs — Answer: STY
- 23. Teen wearing heavy eyeliner, maybe — Answer: GOTH
- 24. Really, really cool — Answer: BADASS
- 27. "My dude!" — Answer: BRO
- 28. Computer operating system developed by Bell Labs — Answer: UNIX
- 30. ___-Hulk — Answer: SHE
- 31. Charge for airing a commercial — Answer: ADFEE
- 34. Fictional lab assistant with a hunchback — Answer: IGOR
- 35. Stylish — Answer: CHIC
- 36. Capital of the Gem State, in a mailing address — Answer: BOISEID
- 38. Possible cybercrime, informally — Answer: IDTHEFT
- 40. M.I.T. Mystery ___ (annual puzzle competition) — Answer: HUNT
- 41. Close by — Answer: NEAR
- 43. Corrosion signs — Answer: RUSTS
- 44. Stadium cheer — Answer: OLE
- 45. Glance through — Answer: SCAN
- 46. Reader's Digest or Golf Digest, in brief — Answer: MAG
- 47. Where clams are served — Answer: RAWBAR
- 49. Knotted (up) — Answer: TIED
- 51. Rep.'s counterpart — Answer: DEM
- 54. "Makes no difference to me" — Answer: IDGOEITHERWAY
- 57. Actress Kendrick — Answer: ANNA
- 59. Hourly pay rate — Answer: WAGE
- 60. Flock that honks — Answer: GEESE
- 61. Follow directions — Answer: OBEY
- 62. Conga, for one — Answer: DRUM
- 63. Chicago's ___ Planetarium — Answer: ADLER
- 64. Scottish girl — Answer: LASS
- 65. Place to get a rubdown — Answer: SPA
- 66. Voting spots — Answer: POLLS
Down
- 1. Thickens, as cream — Answer: CLOTS
- 2. Not heavy — Answer: LIGHT
- 3. Narrow way between city buildings — Answer: ALLEY
- 4. Whole bunch — Answer: SLEW
- 5. Horse's ancestral line — Answer: PEDIGREE
- 6. Hearty embrace — Answer: BEARHUG
- 7. Roman poet who wrote "Metamorphoses" — Answer: OVID
- 8. Dull-witted sort — Answer: DODOBIRD
- 9. Eschew — Answer: AVOID
- 10. Frantic scrambles — Answer: MADDASHES
- 11. Rock subgenre with confessional lyrics — Answer: EMO
- 12. "All Things Considered" airer — Answer: NPR
- 14. "Fiddlesticks!" — Answer: DRAT
- 20. D.C.'s National ___ — Answer: ZOO
- 21. Kind of number on an old business card — Answer: FAX
- 25. Change gears — Answer: SHIFT
- 26. Religious offshoots — Answer: SECTS
- 27. Top-tier — Answer: BEST
- 29. Pinot ___ — Answer: NOIR
- 31. Give 0 stars in a review, say — Answer: ABHOR
- 32. One giving support during childbirth — Answer: DOULA
- 33. High-quality reds and whites — Answer: FINEWINES
- 34. Something to noodle on — Answer: IDEA
- 35. Drink very quickly — Answer: CHUG
- 37. Glitterati — Answer: INCROWDS
- 39. Shortfall of exports vis-à-vis imports — Answer: TRADEGAP
- 42. One of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean — Answer: ANTIGUA
- 45. Droop — Answer: SAG. Hint: Think of how your spirits might do when you're feeling down! 😌
- 46. "It's just OK" — Answer: MEH
- 48. Occasions for blowing out candles on cakes, informally — Answer: BDAYS
- 50. Agenda bullet point — Answer: ITEM
- 51. Linger (on), as a topic — Answer: DWELL
- 52. Art supporter — Answer: EASEL
- 53. Mike who voiced Shrek in "Shrek" — Answer: MYERS
- 55. Wyatt at the O.K. Corral — Answer: EARP
- 56. Make over — Answer: REDO
- 57. Early leader in instant messaging — Answer: AOL
- 58. Org. for the Raptors, but not the Blue Jays — Answer: NBA
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Monday, February 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 February 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 February 16, 2026
The full solution for the February 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 Monday, February 16.
Hints for the February 16 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The February 16 puzzle fell on a Monday, 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 Monday 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 February 16, 2026?
Every answer for the Monday, February 16, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.
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