Improvise, in jazz

Crossword Answer — February 16, 2026

Answer

NYT Crossword

Monday, February 16, 2026

By Ian Livengood

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

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Necklace fastener
  2. 6Physique, slangily
  3. 9"___ to that!"
  4. 13Textile city NNE of Paris
  5. 14New wave band with the hit "Whip It"
  6. 15Improvise, in jazz
  7. 16Stared rudely
  8. 17Late-night kitchen visit, e.g.
  9. 18Stench
  10. 19Longtime comic strip set in a medieval kingdom
  11. 22Home for pigs
  12. 23Teen wearing heavy eyeliner, maybe
  13. 24Really, really cool
  14. 27"My dude!"
  15. 28Computer operating system developed by Bell Labs
  16. 30___-Hulk
  17. 31Charge for airing a commercial
  18. 34Fictional lab assistant with a hunchback
  19. 35Stylish
  20. 36Capital of the Gem State, in a mailing address
  21. 38Possible cybercrime, informally
  22. 40M.I.T. Mystery ___ (annual puzzle competition)
  23. 41Close by
  24. 43Corrosion signs
  25. 44Stadium cheer
  26. 45Glance through
  27. 46Reader's Digest or Golf Digest, in brief
  28. 47Where clams are served
  29. 49Knotted (up)
  30. 51Rep.'s counterpart
  31. 54"Makes no difference to me"
  32. 57Actress Kendrick
  33. 59Hourly pay rate
  34. 60Flock that honks
  35. 61Follow directions
  36. 62Conga, for one
  37. 63Chicago's ___ Planetarium
  38. 64Scottish girl
  39. 65Place to get a rubdown
  40. 66Voting spots

Down

  1. 1Thickens, as cream
  2. 2Not heavy
  3. 3Narrow way between city buildings
  4. 4Whole bunch
  5. 5Horse's ancestral line
  6. 6Hearty embrace
  7. 7Roman poet who wrote "Metamorphoses"
  8. 8Dull-witted sort
  9. 9Eschew
  10. 10Frantic scrambles
  11. 11Rock subgenre with confessional lyrics
  12. 12"All Things Considered" airer
  13. 14"Fiddlesticks!"
  14. 20D.C.'s National ___
  15. 21Kind of number on an old business card
  16. 25Change gears
  17. 26Religious offshoots
  18. 27Top-tier
  19. 29Pinot ___
  20. 31Give 0 stars in a review, say
  21. 32One giving support during childbirth
  22. 33High-quality reds and whites
  23. 34Something to noodle on
  24. 35Drink very quickly
  25. 37Glitterati
  26. 39Shortfall of exports vis-à-vis imports
  27. 42One of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean
  28. 45Droop
  29. 46"It's just OK"
  30. 48Occasions for blowing out candles on cakes, informally
  31. 50Agenda bullet point
  32. 51Linger (on), as a topic
  33. 52Art supporter
  34. 53Mike who voiced Shrek in "Shrek"
  35. 55Wyatt at the O.K. Corral
  36. 56Make over
  37. 57Early leader in instant messaging
  38. 58Org. for the Raptors, but not the Blue Jays

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Necklace fastener — Answer: CLASP
  2. 6. Physique, slangily — Answer: BOD
  3. 9. "___ to that!" — Answer: AMEN
  4. 13. Textile city NNE of Paris — Answer: LILLE
  5. 14. New wave band with the hit "Whip It" — Answer: DEVO
  6. 15. Improvise, in jazz — Answer: VAMP
  7. 16. Stared rudely — Answer: OGLED
  8. 17. Late-night kitchen visit, e.g. — Answer: RAID
  9. 18. Stench — Answer: ODOR
  10. 19. Longtime comic strip set in a medieval kingdom — Answer: THEWIZARDOFID
  11. 22. Home for pigs — Answer: STY
  12. 23. Teen wearing heavy eyeliner, maybe — Answer: GOTH
  13. 24. Really, really cool — Answer: BADASS
  14. 27. "My dude!" — Answer: BRO
  15. 28. Computer operating system developed by Bell Labs — Answer: UNIX
  16. 30. ___-Hulk — Answer: SHE
  17. 31. Charge for airing a commercial — Answer: ADFEE
  18. 34. Fictional lab assistant with a hunchback — Answer: IGOR
  19. 35. Stylish — Answer: CHIC
  20. 36. Capital of the Gem State, in a mailing address — Answer: BOISEID
  21. 38. Possible cybercrime, informally — Answer: IDTHEFT
  22. 40. M.I.T. Mystery ___ (annual puzzle competition) — Answer: HUNT
  23. 41. Close by — Answer: NEAR. Hint: Think about your proximity to something or someone! 🏠
  24. 43. Corrosion signs — Answer: RUSTS
  25. 44. Stadium cheer — Answer: OLE
  26. 45. Glance through — Answer: SCAN
  27. 46. Reader's Digest or Golf Digest, in brief — Answer: MAG
  28. 47. Where clams are served — Answer: RAWBAR
  29. 49. Knotted (up) — Answer: TIED
  30. 51. Rep.'s counterpart — Answer: DEM
  31. 54. "Makes no difference to me" — Answer: IDGOEITHERWAY
  32. 57. Actress Kendrick — Answer: ANNA
  33. 59. Hourly pay rate — Answer: WAGE
  34. 60. Flock that honks — Answer: GEESE
  35. 61. Follow directions — Answer: OBEY
  36. 62. Conga, for one — Answer: DRUM
  37. 63. Chicago's ___ Planetarium — Answer: ADLER
  38. 64. Scottish girl — Answer: LASS
  39. 65. Place to get a rubdown — Answer: SPA
  40. 66. Voting spots — Answer: POLLS

Down

  1. 1. Thickens, as cream — Answer: CLOTS
  2. 2. Not heavy — Answer: LIGHT
  3. 3. Narrow way between city buildings — Answer: ALLEY
  4. 4. Whole bunch — Answer: SLEW. Hint: Think of a large quantity or a heap of something! 🌊
  5. 5. Horse's ancestral line — Answer: PEDIGREE
  6. 6. Hearty embrace — Answer: BEARHUG
  7. 7. Roman poet who wrote "Metamorphoses" — Answer: OVID
  8. 8. Dull-witted sort — Answer: DODOBIRD
  9. 9. Eschew — Answer: AVOID
  10. 10. Frantic scrambles — Answer: MADDASHES
  11. 11. Rock subgenre with confessional lyrics — Answer: EMO
  12. 12. "All Things Considered" airer — Answer: NPR
  13. 14. "Fiddlesticks!" — Answer: DRAT
  14. 20. D.C.'s National ___ — Answer: ZOO
  15. 21. Kind of number on an old business card — Answer: FAX
  16. 25. Change gears — Answer: SHIFT
  17. 26. Religious offshoots — Answer: SECTS
  18. 27. Top-tier — Answer: BEST
  19. 29. Pinot ___ — Answer: NOIR
  20. 31. Give 0 stars in a review, say — Answer: ABHOR
  21. 32. One giving support during childbirth — Answer: DOULA
  22. 33. High-quality reds and whites — Answer: FINEWINES
  23. 34. Something to noodle on — Answer: IDEA
  24. 35. Drink very quickly — Answer: CHUG
  25. 37. Glitterati — Answer: INCROWDS
  26. 39. Shortfall of exports vis-à-vis imports — Answer: TRADEGAP
  27. 42. One of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean — Answer: ANTIGUA
  28. 45. Droop — Answer: SAG. Hint: Think of how your spirits might do when you're feeling down! 😌
  29. 46. "It's just OK" — Answer: MEH
  30. 48. Occasions for blowing out candles on cakes, informally — Answer: BDAYS
  31. 50. Agenda bullet point — Answer: ITEM
  32. 51. Linger (on), as a topic — Answer: DWELL
  33. 52. Art supporter — Answer: EASEL
  34. 53. Mike who voiced Shrek in "Shrek" — Answer: MYERS
  35. 55. Wyatt at the O.K. Corral — Answer: EARP
  36. 56. Make over — Answer: REDO
  37. 57. Early leader in instant messaging — Answer: AOL
  38. 58. Org. for the Raptors, but not the Blue Jays — Answer: NBA

The answer to “Improvise, in jazz” in the New York Times crossword is VAMP — a 4-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on February 16, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 15-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.

“Improvise, in jazz” answer

VAMP (4 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 VAMP.

Why the answer is VAMP

VAMP is the 4-letter solution that fits "Improvise, in jazz" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 16, 2026 (15-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Improvise, in jazz” 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.

February 16, 2026 (this puzzle) → VAMP. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on February 16, 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 February 16, 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 Monday 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 “Improvise, in jazz”?

The answer is VAMP, a 4-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 16, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Improvise, in jazz”?

4 letters: VAMP.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on February 16, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 15-Across.

Can “Improvise, in jazz” 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 February 16, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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