"Based on my research ..."

Crossword Answer — February 26, 2026

Answer

NYT Crossword

Thursday, February 26, 2026

By Yitzi Snow

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

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 18' 4"
  2. 8250,000 sheets
  3. 14Short piece of classical music
  4. 15Accessory for SpongeBob SquarePants
  5. 16Long-tongued animal
  6. 17Laudanum, e.g.
  7. 18Calif. M.L.B. team, on scoreboards
  8. 19Happening
  9. 21Collectively, the reigns of all English monarchs named George
  10. 26Grill, informally
  11. 29Bit of mining equipment
  12. 30It's not pretty
  13. 32Walt Disney's middle name
  14. 34Like a plane, informally
  15. 35System in which XL is smaller than L ... or a hint to interpreting the answers to the italicized clues
  16. 40Malarkey
  17. 41"Stompin' at the ___" (Benny Goodman standard)
  18. 42"Based on my research ..."
  19. 46___ Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow
  20. 50Vibe (with)
  21. 51Superhuman strength, mind-reading, invisibility and four dozen other powers
  22. 53Vexing
  23. 54Title for a certain union member?
  24. 55Like cats and dogs
  25. 58Stall, e.g.
  26. 63Charge, in a way
  27. 64Loose, as floorboards
  28. 65
  29. 66Total on a chiliagon

Down

  1. 1Nicolas Cage film set on a plane
  2. 2Amount measured in calories
  3. 3Highland refusal
  4. 4Org. that runs the "L"
  5. 5Alternative to a walk
  6. 667.5 deg. on a compass
  7. 7___ Connor, the Terminator's target in "The Terminator"
  8. 8Wilted
  9. 9Peaceful state
  10. 10Make some alterations
  11. 11___ minimum
  12. 12Cambridge sch.
  13. 13Get
  14. 14Sudden attack
  15. 20"Bah!"
  16. 22Workers who sing the opening number in "Frozen"
  17. 23Queen of the Pride Lands
  18. 24Friendly look
  19. 25Ending of seven country names
  20. 26Poke ___
  21. 27Dudes
  22. 28End of a proof
  23. 31Patronize, as an Airbnb
  24. 33Questionable, in slang
  25. 35Side dish eaten with curry
  26. 36Roundish, say
  27. 37Salon job, informally
  28. 38Assessment, informally
  29. 39Side dish eaten with curry
  30. 40Some fancy footwork
  31. 43Dirtbag
  32. 44Parts of naves
  33. 45Animal in some traditional Tibetan races
  34. 47Like a fish out of water, e.g.
  35. 48Mercury's mythological counterpart
  36. 49Half-___ (subpar, in slang)
  37. 52"Dagnabbit!"
  38. 53Grand ___
  39. 55Shots, informally
  40. 56Toss up?
  41. 57One, south of the border
  42. 59"Ballerina" star ___ de Armas
  43. 60You can stop right there!
  44. 61Remind too often
  45. 62Up to

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. 8' 4" — Answer: CINCHES
  2. 8. 250,000 sheets — Answer: DREAMS
  3. 14. Short piece of classical music — Answer: SONATINA
  4. 15. Accessory for SpongeBob SquarePants — Answer: REDTIE
  5. 16. Long-tongued animal — Answer: ANTEATER
  6. 17. Laudanum, e.g. — Answer: OPIATE
  7. 18. Calif. M.L.B. team, on scoreboards — Answer: LAA
  8. 19. Happening — Answer: AFOOT
  9. 21. Collectively, the reigns of all English monarchs named George — Answer: VIKINGSHIPS
  10. 26. Grill, informally — Answer: BBQ
  11. 29. Bit of mining equipment — Answer: ORECART
  12. 30. It's not pretty — Answer: EYESORE
  13. 32. Walt Disney's middle name — Answer: ELIAS
  14. 34. Like a plane, informally — Answer: TWOD
  15. 35. System in which XL is smaller than L ... or a hint to interpreting the answers to the italicized clues — Answer: ROMANNUMERALS
  16. 40. Malarkey — Answer: JIVE
  17. 41. "Stompin' at the ___" (Benny Goodman standard) — Answer: SAVOY
  18. 42. "Based on my research ..." — Answer: ICANSAY
  19. 46. ___ Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow — Answer: NATASHA
  20. 50. Vibe (with) — Answer: GEL
  21. 51. Superhuman strength, mind-reading, invisibility and four dozen other powers — Answer: LIABILITIES
  22. 53. Vexing — Answer: PESKY
  23. 54. Title for a certain union member? — Answer: MRS
  24. 55. Like cats and dogs — Answer: PLURAL
  25. 58. Stall, e.g. — Answer: GAINTIME
  26. 63. Charge, in a way — Answer: IONIZE
  27. 64. Loose, as floorboards — Answer: UNNAILED
  28. 65. — Answer: XBOXES
  29. 66. Total on a chiliagon — Answer: MANGLES

Down

  1. 1. Nicolas Cage film set on a plane — Answer: CONAIR
  2. 2. Amount measured in calories — Answer: INTAKE
  3. 3. Highland refusal — Answer: NAE
  4. 4. Org. that runs the "L" — Answer: CTA
  5. 5. Alternative to a walk — Answer: HIT
  6. 6. 67.5 deg. on a compass — Answer: ENE
  7. 7. ___ Connor, the Terminator's target in "The Terminator" — Answer: SARAH
  8. 8. Wilted — Answer: DROOPY
  9. 9. Peaceful state — Answer: REPOSE
  10. 10. Make some alterations — Answer: EDIT
  11. 11. ___ minimum — Answer: ATA
  12. 12. Cambridge sch. — Answer: MIT
  13. 13. Get — Answer: SEE
  14. 14. Sudden attack — Answer: SALVO
  15. 20. "Bah!" — Answer: FIE
  16. 22. Workers who sing the opening number in "Frozen" — Answer: ICEMEN
  17. 23. Queen of the Pride Lands — Answer: NALA
  18. 24. Friendly look — Answer: GRIN
  19. 25. Ending of seven country names — Answer: STAN
  20. 26. Poke ___ — Answer: BOWL
  21. 27. Dudes — Answer: BROS. Hint: Think of your close male friends who always have your back! 🤜🤛
  22. 28. End of a proof — Answer: QED
  23. 31. Patronize, as an Airbnb — Answer: STAYAT
  24. 33. Questionable, in slang — Answer: SUS
  25. 35. Side dish eaten with curry — Answer: RICE
  26. 36. Roundish, say — Answer: OVAL
  27. 37. Salon job, informally — Answer: MANI
  28. 38. Assessment, informally — Answer: EVAL
  29. 39. Side dish eaten with curry — Answer: ROTI
  30. 40. Some fancy footwork — Answer: JIG
  31. 43. Dirtbag — Answer: SLEAZE
  32. 44. Parts of naves — Answer: AISLES
  33. 45. Animal in some traditional Tibetan races — Answer: YAK
  34. 47. Like a fish out of water, e.g. — Answer: SIMILE
  35. 48. Mercury's mythological counterpart — Answer: HERMES
  36. 49. Half-___ (subpar, in slang) — Answer: ASSED
  37. 52. "Dagnabbit!" — Answer: BYGUM
  38. 53. Grand ___ — Answer: PRIX
  39. 55. Shots, informally — Answer: PIX
  40. 56. Toss up? — Answer: LOB
  41. 57. One, south of the border — Answer: UNO
  42. 59. "Ballerina" star ___ de Armas — Answer: ANA
  43. 60. You can stop right there! — Answer: INN
  44. 61. Remind too often — Answer: NAG
  45. 62. Up to — Answer: TIL

The answer to “"Based on my research ..."” in the New York Times crossword is ICANSAY — a 7-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on February 26, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 42-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.

“"Based on my research ..."” answer

ICANSAY (7 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 ICANSAY.

Why the answer is ICANSAY

ICANSAY is the 7-letter solution that fits ""Based on my research ..."" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 26, 2026 (42-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “"Based on my research ..."” 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 26, 2026 (this puzzle) → ICANSAY. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on February 26, 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 26, 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 Thursday 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 “"Based on my research ..."”?

The answer is ICANSAY, a 7-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 26, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"Based on my research ..."”?

7 letters: ICANSAY.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on February 26, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 42-Across.

Can “"Based on my research ..."” 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 26, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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