Monday, February 23, 2026
By Hannah Binney
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Buffoons
- 6Paula of "American Idol"
- 11Final use for an old T-shirt
- 14Enraged
- 15What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison song
- 16Mesozoic or Paleozoic
- 17Home for a single guy
- 19Animation sheet
- 20Hole for threading a lace
- 21___ fide (genuine)
- 22"Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videos
- 25Dr. Seuss book with the quote "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
- 28___ Today
- 29Kind of computer port
- 31Like the smell of trees
- 32Showed again
- 34Zoom past
- 37Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across?
- 41Text on a red, white and blue sticker
- 42Gender-neutral possessive
- 44Ran after
- 47Opposite of WNW
- 49To and ___
- 50Time machine car in "Back to the Future"
- 53Made a grand speech
- 55Brother of Abel
- 56Times between dusk and dawn
- 58Had lunch, say
- 59Fruit with a "bellybutton"
- 64What planets revolve around
- 65How often the time is 12:00 each day
- 66Decorate
- 67Mini-albums
- 68___ of Troy
- 69Sat for a portrait
Down
- 1Accessory for a baby in a highchair
- 2British singer Rita
- 3Efron of "The Greatest Showman"
- 4Last multiple-choice option, often
- 5Rude goodbye to an enemy
- 6Soldier who has failed to report
- 7Military cap
- 8One of the three dimensions
- 9Kick ___ fuss
- 10Counterculture drug, in brief
- 114.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per Guinness
- 12Concert venues
- 13Milky Way, e.g.
- 18Not as much
- 21"I crushed it!!!"
- 22Not just my
- 23___-friendly
- 24Root used in making poi
- 26Large jug
- 27Cage for crustaceans
- 30"American Psycho" author ___ Easton Ellis
- 33Cartoonist Bechdel
- 35Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare)
- 36Give up
- 38Was a passenger
- 39Democrats and Socialists, with "the"
- 40Father
- 43Axle, e.g.
- 44Jewel box
- 45Start to escalate
- 46Extraterrestrials
- 48London theater district
- 51Object hitting people's heads in old cartoons
- 52Sibling's daughter
- 54South American barbecue
- 57Valley
- 59High degree
- 60Response to seeing an aurora, maybe
- 61Rejections
- 62College sr.'s test
- 6363-Down, in this puzzle
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Buffoons — Answer: BOZOS
- 6. Paula of "American Idol" — Answer: ABDUL
- 11. Final use for an old T-shirt — Answer: RAG
- 14. Enraged — Answer: IRATE
- 15. What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison song — Answer: WEEPS
- 16. Mesozoic or Paleozoic — Answer: ERA
- 17. Home for a single guy — Answer: BACHELORPAD
- 19. Animation sheet — Answer: CEL
- 20. Hole for threading a lace — Answer: EYELET
- 21. ___ fide (genuine) — Answer: BONA
- 22. "Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videos — Answer: OUTROS
- 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
- 28. ___ Today — Answer: USA
- 29. Kind of computer port — Answer: USB
- 31. Like the smell of trees — Answer: WOODSY
- 32. Showed again — Answer: RERAN
- 34. Zoom past — Answer: RACEBY
- 37. Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across? — Answer: ROLEREVERSALS
- 41. Text on a red, white and blue sticker — Answer: IVOTED
- 42. Gender-neutral possessive — Answer: THEIR
- 44. Ran after — Answer: CHASED
- 47. Opposite of WNW — Answer: ESE
- 49. To and ___ — Answer: FRO
- 50. Time machine car in "Back to the Future" — Answer: DELOREAN
- 53. Made a grand speech — Answer: ORATED
- 55. Brother of Abel — Answer: CAIN
- 56. Times between dusk and dawn — Answer: NIGHTS
- 58. Had lunch, say — Answer: ATE
- 59. Fruit with a "bellybutton" — Answer: NAVELORANGE
- 64. What planets revolve around — Answer: SUN
- 65. How often the time is 12:00 each day — Answer: TWICE
- 66. Decorate — Answer: ADORN
- 67. Mini-albums — Answer: EPS
- 68. ___ of Troy — Answer: HELEN
- 69. Sat for a portrait — Answer: POSED
Down
- 1. Accessory for a baby in a highchair — Answer: BIB
- 2. British singer Rita — Answer: ORA
- 3. Efron of "The Greatest Showman" — Answer: ZAC
- 4. Last multiple-choice option, often — Answer: OTHER
- 5. Rude goodbye to an enemy — Answer: SEEYOUNEVER
- 6. Soldier who has failed to report — Answer: AWOL
- 7. Military cap — Answer: BERET
- 8. One of the three dimensions — Answer: DEPTH
- 9. Kick ___ fuss — Answer: UPA
- 10. Counterculture drug, in brief — Answer: LSD
- 11. 4.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per Guinness — Answer: RECORD
- 12. Concert venues — Answer: ARENAS
- 13. Milky Way, e.g. — Answer: GALAXY
- 18. Not as much — Answer: LESS
- 21. "I crushed it!!!" — Answer: BOOYAH
- 22. Not just my — Answer: OUR
- 23. ___-friendly — Answer: USER
- 24. Root used in making poi — Answer: TARO
- 26. Large jug — Answer: EWER
- 27. Cage for crustaceans — Answer: LOBSTERTRAP
- 30. "American Psycho" author ___ Easton Ellis — Answer: BRET
- 33. Cartoonist Bechdel — Answer: ALISON
- 35. Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare) — Answer: AVE
- 36. Give up — Answer: CEDE
- 38. Was a passenger — Answer: RODE
- 39. Democrats and Socialists, with "the" — Answer: LEFT
- 40. Father — Answer: SIRE
- 43. Axle, e.g. — Answer: ROD
- 44. Jewel box — Answer: CDCASE
- 45. Start to escalate — Answer: HEATUP
- 46. Extraterrestrials — Answer: ALIENS
- 48. London theater district — Answer: SOHO
- 51. Object hitting people's heads in old cartoons — Answer: ANVIL
- 52. Sibling's daughter — Answer: NIECE
- 54. South American barbecue — Answer: ASADO
- 57. Valley — Answer: GLEN
- 59. High degree — Answer: NTH
- 60. Response to seeing an aurora, maybe — Answer: AWE
- 61. Rejections — Answer: NOS
- 62. College sr.'s test — Answer: GRE
- 63. 63-Down, in this puzzle — Answer: END
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.
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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