NYT Crossword Answers - Feb 23

By Hannah Binney

B
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Across

  1. 1BuffoonsBOZOS
  2. 6Paula of "American Idol"ABDUL
  3. 11Final use for an old T-shirtRAG
  4. 14EnragedIRATE
  5. 15What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison songWEEPS
  6. 16Mesozoic or PaleozoicERA
  7. 17Home for a single guyBACHELORPAD
  8. 19Animation sheetCEL
  9. 20Hole for threading a laceEYELET
  10. 21___ fide (genuine)BONA
  11. 22"Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videosOUTROS
  12. 25Dr. Seuss book with the quote "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."THELORAX
  13. 28___ TodayUSA
  14. 29Kind of computer portUSB
  15. 31Like the smell of treesWOODSY
  16. 32Showed againRERAN
  17. 34Zoom pastRACEBY
  18. 37Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across?ROLEREVERSALS
  19. 41Text on a red, white and blue stickerIVOTED
  20. 42Gender-neutral possessiveTHEIR
  21. 44Ran afterCHASED
  22. 47Opposite of WNWESE
  23. 49To and ___FRO
  24. 50Time machine car in "Back to the Future"DELOREAN
  25. 53Made a grand speechORATED
  26. 55Brother of AbelCAIN
  27. 56Times between dusk and dawnNIGHTS
  28. 58Had lunch, sayATE
  29. 59Fruit with a "bellybutton"NAVELORANGE
  30. 64What planets revolve aroundSUN
  31. 65How often the time is 12:00 each dayTWICE
  32. 66DecorateADORN
  33. 67Mini-albumsEPS
  34. 68___ of TroyHELEN
  35. 69Sat for a portraitPOSED

Down

  1. 1Accessory for a baby in a highchairBIB
  2. 2British singer RitaORA
  3. 3Efron of "The Greatest Showman"ZAC
  4. 4Last multiple-choice option, oftenOTHER
  5. 5Rude goodbye to an enemySEEYOUNEVER
  6. 6Soldier who has failed to reportAWOL
  7. 7Military capBERET
  8. 8One of the three dimensionsDEPTH
  9. 9Kick ___ fussUPA
  10. 10Counterculture drug, in briefLSD
  11. 114.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per GuinnessRECORD
  12. 12Concert venuesARENAS
  13. 13Milky Way, e.g.GALAXY
  14. 18Not as muchLESS
  15. 21"I crushed it!!!"BOOYAH
  16. 22Not just myOUR
  17. 23___-friendlyUSER
  18. 24Root used in making poiTARO
  19. 26Large jugEWER
  20. 27Cage for crustaceansLOBSTERTRAP
  21. 30"American Psycho" author ___ Easton EllisBRET
  22. 33Cartoonist BechdelALISON
  23. 35Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare)AVE
  24. 36Give upCEDE
  25. 38Was a passengerRODE
  26. 39Democrats and Socialists, with "the"LEFT
  27. 40FatherSIRE
  28. 43Axle, e.g.ROD
  29. 44Jewel boxCDCASE
  30. 45Start to escalateHEATUP
  31. 46ExtraterrestrialsALIENS
  32. 48London theater districtSOHO
  33. 51Object hitting people's heads in old cartoonsANVIL
  34. 52Sibling's daughterNIECE
  35. 54South American barbecueASADO
  36. 57ValleyGLEN
  37. 59High degreeNTH
  38. 60Response to seeing an aurora, maybeAWE
  39. 61RejectionsNOS
  40. 62College sr.'s testGRE
  41. 6363-Down, in this puzzleEND

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Buffoons — Answer: BOZOS
  2. 6. Paula of "American Idol" — Answer: ABDUL
  3. 11. Final use for an old T-shirt — Answer: RAG
  4. 14. Enraged — Answer: IRATE
  5. 15. What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison song — Answer: WEEPS
  6. 16. Mesozoic or Paleozoic — Answer: ERA
  7. 17. Home for a single guy — Answer: BACHELORPAD
  8. 19. Animation sheet — Answer: CEL
  9. 20. Hole for threading a lace — Answer: EYELET
  10. 21. ___ fide (genuine) — Answer: BONA. Hint: This Latin phrase describes something that is genuinely authentic. 🧐
  11. 22. "Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videos — Answer: OUTROS
  12. 25. Dr. Seuss book with the quote "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." — Answer: THELORAX
  13. 28. ___ Today — Answer: USA
  14. 29. Kind of computer port — Answer: USB
  15. 31. Like the smell of trees — Answer: WOODSY
  16. 32. Showed again — Answer: RERAN
  17. 34. Zoom past — Answer: RACEBY
  18. 37. Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across? — Answer: ROLEREVERSALS
  19. 41. Text on a red, white and blue sticker — Answer: IVOTED
  20. 42. Gender-neutral possessive — Answer: THEIR
  21. 44. Ran after — Answer: CHASED
  22. 47. Opposite of WNW — Answer: ESE
  23. 49. To and ___ — Answer: FRO
  24. 50. Time machine car in "Back to the Future" — Answer: DELOREAN
  25. 53. Made a grand speech — Answer: ORATED
  26. 55. Brother of Abel — Answer: CAIN
  27. 56. Times between dusk and dawn — Answer: NIGHTS
  28. 58. Had lunch, say — Answer: ATE
  29. 59. Fruit with a "bellybutton" — Answer: NAVELORANGE
  30. 64. What planets revolve around — Answer: SUN
  31. 65. How often the time is 12:00 each day — Answer: TWICE
  32. 66. Decorate — Answer: ADORN
  33. 67. Mini-albums — Answer: EPS
  34. 68. ___ of Troy — Answer: HELEN
  35. 69. Sat for a portrait — Answer: POSED

Down

  1. 1. Accessory for a baby in a highchair — Answer: BIB
  2. 2. British singer Rita — Answer: ORA
  3. 3. Efron of "The Greatest Showman" — Answer: ZAC
  4. 4. Last multiple-choice option, often — Answer: OTHER
  5. 5. Rude goodbye to an enemy — Answer: SEEYOUNEVER
  6. 6. Soldier who has failed to report — Answer: AWOL
  7. 7. Military cap — Answer: BERET
  8. 8. One of the three dimensions — Answer: DEPTH
  9. 9. Kick ___ fuss — Answer: UPA
  10. 10. Counterculture drug, in brief — Answer: LSD
  11. 11. 4.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per Guinness — Answer: RECORD
  12. 12. Concert venues — Answer: ARENAS
  13. 13. Milky Way, e.g. — Answer: GALAXY
  14. 18. Not as much — Answer: LESS. Hint: Think about what you might say when comparing quantities! 📉
  15. 21. "I crushed it!!!" — Answer: BOOYAH
  16. 22. Not just my — Answer: OUR
  17. 23. ___-friendly — Answer: USER
  18. 24. Root used in making poi — Answer: TARO
  19. 26. Large jug — Answer: EWER
  20. 27. Cage for crustaceans — Answer: LOBSTERTRAP
  21. 30. "American Psycho" author ___ Easton Ellis — Answer: BRET
  22. 33. Cartoonist Bechdel — Answer: ALISON
  23. 35. Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare) — Answer: AVE
  24. 36. Give up — Answer: CEDE
  25. 38. Was a passenger — Answer: RODE
  26. 39. Democrats and Socialists, with "the" — Answer: LEFT
  27. 40. Father — Answer: SIRE. Hint: A formal or old-fashioned term for a male parent. 👨‍👧
  28. 43. Axle, e.g. — Answer: ROD
  29. 44. Jewel box — Answer: CDCASE
  30. 45. Start to escalate — Answer: HEATUP
  31. 46. Extraterrestrials — Answer: ALIENS
  32. 48. London theater district — Answer: SOHO
  33. 51. Object hitting people's heads in old cartoons — Answer: ANVIL
  34. 52. Sibling's daughter — Answer: NIECE. Hint: Think of the family relationship between you and your brother’s or sister’s daughter. 👨‍👩‍👧
  35. 54. South American barbecue — Answer: ASADO. Hint: Think of the beloved Argentine and Uruguayan tradition of grilling meat over an open flame. 🥩
  36. 57. Valley — Answer: GLEN. Hint: Think of a narrow, scenic valley often found in the Scottish Highlands 🏞️
  37. 59. High degree — Answer: NTH. Hint: Consider the term used to describe the ultimate level of something! 🔝
  38. 60. Response to seeing an aurora, maybe — Answer: AWE
  39. 61. Rejections — Answer: NOS
  40. 62. College sr.'s test — Answer: GRE
  41. 63. 63-Down, in this puzzle — Answer: END

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Monday, February 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 February 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 February 23, 2026

The full solution for the February 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 Monday, February 23.

Full NYT Crossword answer list for February 23, 2026

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

Across

#ClueAnswer
1BuffoonsBOZOS
6Paula of "American Idol"ABDUL
11Final use for an old T-shirtRAG
14EnragedIRATE
15What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison songWEEPS
16Mesozoic or PaleozoicERA
17Home for a single guyBACHELORPAD
19Animation sheetCEL
20Hole for threading a laceEYELET
21___ fide (genuine)BONA
22"Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videosOUTROS
25Dr. Seuss book with the quote "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."THELORAX
28___ TodayUSA
29Kind of computer portUSB
31Like the smell of treesWOODSY
32Showed againRERAN
34Zoom pastRACEBY
37Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across?ROLEREVERSALS
41Text on a red, white and blue stickerIVOTED
42Gender-neutral possessiveTHEIR
44Ran afterCHASED
47Opposite of WNWESE
49To and ___FRO
50Time machine car in "Back to the Future"DELOREAN
53Made a grand speechORATED
55Brother of AbelCAIN
56Times between dusk and dawnNIGHTS
58Had lunch, sayATE
59Fruit with a "bellybutton"NAVELORANGE
64What planets revolve aroundSUN
65How often the time is 12:00 each dayTWICE
66DecorateADORN
67Mini-albumsEPS
68___ of TroyHELEN
69Sat for a portraitPOSED

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Accessory for a baby in a highchairBIB
2British singer RitaORA
3Efron of "The Greatest Showman"ZAC
4Last multiple-choice option, oftenOTHER
5Rude goodbye to an enemySEEYOUNEVER
6Soldier who has failed to reportAWOL
7Military capBERET
8One of the three dimensionsDEPTH
9Kick ___ fussUPA
10Counterculture drug, in briefLSD
114.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per GuinnessRECORD
12Concert venuesARENAS
13Milky Way, e.g.GALAXY
18Not as muchLESS
21"I crushed it!!!"BOOYAH
22Not just myOUR
23___-friendlyUSER
24Root used in making poiTARO
26Large jugEWER
27Cage for crustaceansLOBSTERTRAP
30"American Psycho" author ___ Easton EllisBRET
33Cartoonist BechdelALISON
35Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare)AVE
36Give upCEDE
38Was a passengerRODE
39Democrats and Socialists, with "the"LEFT
40FatherSIRE
43Axle, e.g.ROD
44Jewel boxCDCASE
45Start to escalateHEATUP
46ExtraterrestrialsALIENS
48London theater districtSOHO
51Object hitting people's heads in old cartoonsANVIL
52Sibling's daughterNIECE
54South American barbecueASADO
57ValleyGLEN
59High degreeNTH
60Response to seeing an aurora, maybeAWE
61RejectionsNOS
62College sr.'s testGRE
6363-Down, in this puzzleEND

Hints for the February 23 puzzle

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

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

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