NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - Mar 16

Monday, March 16, 2026

By Jamey Smith

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1"Throw me the ball, no one's covering me!"
  2. 7Drone's sound
  3. 11Cave-dwelling flier
  4. 14Galactic cloud
  5. 15Texas city that's home to Baylor University
  6. 16Broadcast
  7. 17*Forever
  8. 19Deer mother?
  9. 20Brad of 2025's "F1"
  10. 21"In case it's of interest ...," in brief
  11. 22Plenty of
  12. 24Bugle tune
  13. 25*One of a kind
  14. 28Bronx-born congresswoman elected in 2018, familiarly
  15. 30"Great Red" feature of Jupiter
  16. 31*Masterwork
  17. 36Wide-eyed and eager
  18. 40Go down to 0%, as a computer battery
  19. 41Allotment
  20. 43"___ word?"
  21. 44SoCal sch. whose teams are the Aztecs
  22. 46*After the event, as an analysis
  23. 48Ball-___ hammer
  24. 50Teeny-tiny
  25. 51*Reciprocal exchange
  26. 57Historian's focus
  27. 60"Me too," formally
  28. 61One might end with "com" or "org"
  29. 62Water, in Juárez
  30. 63___ chi
  31. 64Stereotypical charmers ... or those charmed by the answers to the starred clues?
  32. 68Before today
  33. 69Gem mined in Australia
  34. 70Exact retribution for
  35. 71Sleep cycle inits.
  36. 72Chap
  37. 73Term of address for a nun

Down

  1. 1Not suitable
  2. 2Social ___ (TikTok, Instagram, etc.)
  3. 3Locales for the late news?
  4. 4Kicks down the road, as a decision
  5. 5Santa's little helper
  6. 6Innocent sorts
  7. 7Hypothetical (one hopes!) global conflict, for short
  8. 8Beanie or beret
  9. 9Carefully monitored hosp. area
  10. 10Italian cheese
  11. 11Negative press for a celeb, say
  12. 12Condiment with lots of garlic ... and vowels
  13. 13Family diagrams
  14. 18Greenwich Village campus, in brief
  15. 23Like a book about writing a book, say
  16. 26Fighter pilot's garb
  17. 27___ salts
  18. 29Recipe unit
  19. 31Rx writers
  20. 32A helping hand
  21. 33Sullen sort
  22. 34City that's home to the University of Maine
  23. 35Six for a touchdown: Abbr.
  24. 37Staffer in a flight terminal
  25. 38"All for ___ and ___ for all!"
  26. 39Workout site
  27. 42"Pronto!"
  28. 45Fancy coif
  29. 47Improves, as a bike path
  30. 49Literary afterthought
  31. 51Mideast nation ruled by the House of Thani
  32. 52Meter reading
  33. 53"Talk turkey" or "eat crow"
  34. 54Warm bed covering
  35. 55Still-life vessel
  36. 56Earthen pots, from the Spanish
  37. 58Sudden increase
  38. 59Weapon that stuns
  39. 65Tail-less primate
  40. 66Beachgoer's "souvenir"
  41. 67Prefix meaning "egg"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. "Throw me the ball, no one's covering me!" — Answer: IMOPEN
  2. 7. Drone's sound — Answer: WHIR
  3. 11. Cave-dwelling flier — Answer: BAT
  4. 14. Galactic cloud — Answer: NEBULA
  5. 15. Texas city that's home to Baylor University — Answer: WACO
  6. 16. Broadcast — Answer: AIR
  7. 17. *Forever — Answer: ADINFINITUM
  8. 19. Deer mother? — Answer: DOE
  9. 20. Brad of 2025's "F1" — Answer: PITT
  10. 21. "In case it's of interest ...," in brief — Answer: FYI
  11. 22. Plenty of — Answer: AMPLE
  12. 24. Bugle tune — Answer: TAPS
  13. 25. *One of a kind — Answer: SUIGENERIS
  14. 28. Bronx-born congresswoman elected in 2018, familiarly — Answer: AOC
  15. 30. "Great Red" feature of Jupiter — Answer: SPOT
  16. 31. *Masterwork — Answer: MAGNUMOPUS
  17. 36. Wide-eyed and eager — Answer: AGOG
  18. 40. Go down to 0%, as a computer battery — Answer: DIE
  19. 41. Allotment — Answer: PORTION
  20. 43. "___ word?" — Answer: ANY
  21. 44. SoCal sch. whose teams are the Aztecs — Answer: SDSU
  22. 46. *After the event, as an analysis — Answer: POSTMORTEM
  23. 48. Ball-___ hammer — Answer: PEEN
  24. 50. Teeny-tiny — Answer: WEE
  25. 51. *Reciprocal exchange — Answer: QUIDPROQUO
  26. 57. Historian's focus — Answer: PAST
  27. 60. "Me too," formally — Answer: ASDOI
  28. 61. One might end with "com" or "org" — Answer: URL
  29. 62. Water, in Juárez — Answer: AGUA
  30. 63. ___ chi — Answer: TAI
  31. 64. Stereotypical charmers ... or those charmed by the answers to the starred clues? — Answer: LATINLOVERS
  32. 68. Before today — Answer: AGO
  33. 69. Gem mined in Australia — Answer: OPAL
  34. 70. Exact retribution for — Answer: AVENGE
  35. 71. Sleep cycle inits. — Answer: REM
  36. 72. Chap — Answer: GENT
  37. 73. Term of address for a nun — Answer: SISTER

Down

  1. 1. Not suitable — Answer: INAPT
  2. 2. Social ___ (TikTok, Instagram, etc.) — Answer: MEDIA
  3. 3. Locales for the late news? — Answer: OBITPAGES
  4. 4. Kicks down the road, as a decision — Answer: PUNTSON
  5. 5. Santa's little helper — Answer: ELF
  6. 6. Innocent sorts — Answer: NAIFS
  7. 7. Hypothetical (one hopes!) global conflict, for short — Answer: WWIII
  8. 8. Beanie or beret — Answer: HAT
  9. 9. Carefully monitored hosp. area — Answer: ICU
  10. 10. Italian cheese — Answer: ROMANO
  11. 11. Negative press for a celeb, say — Answer: BADPR
  12. 12. Condiment with lots of garlic ... and vowels — Answer: AIOLI
  13. 13. Family diagrams — Answer: TREES
  14. 18. Greenwich Village campus, in brief — Answer: NYU
  15. 23. Like a book about writing a book, say — Answer: META
  16. 26. Fighter pilot's garb — Answer: GSUIT
  17. 27. ___ salts — Answer: EPSOM
  18. 29. Recipe unit — Answer: CUP
  19. 31. Rx writers — Answer: MDS
  20. 32. A helping hand — Answer: AID
  21. 33. Sullen sort — Answer: MOPER
  22. 34. City that's home to the University of Maine — Answer: ORONO
  23. 35. Six for a touchdown: Abbr. — Answer: PTS
  24. 37. Staffer in a flight terminal — Answer: GATEAGENT
  25. 38. "All for ___ and ___ for all!" — Answer: ONE
  26. 39. Workout site — Answer: GYM
  27. 42. "Pronto!" — Answer: NOW
  28. 45. Fancy coif — Answer: UPDO
  29. 47. Improves, as a bike path — Answer: REPAVES
  30. 49. Literary afterthought — Answer: EPILOG
  31. 51. Mideast nation ruled by the House of Thani — Answer: QATAR
  32. 52. Meter reading — Answer: USAGE
  33. 53. "Talk turkey" or "eat crow" — Answer: IDIOM
  34. 54. Warm bed covering — Answer: QUILT
  35. 55. Still-life vessel — Answer: URN
  36. 56. Earthen pots, from the Spanish — Answer: OLLAS
  37. 58. Sudden increase — Answer: SURGE
  38. 59. Weapon that stuns — Answer: TASER
  39. 65. Tail-less primate — Answer: APE
  40. 66. Beachgoer's "souvenir" — Answer: TAN
  41. 67. Prefix meaning "egg" — Answer: OVI

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Monday, March 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 March 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 March 16, 2026

The full solution for the March 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, March 16.

Hints for the March 16 puzzle

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

Looking for a different day?

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Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Crossword answers on March 16, 2026?

Every answer for the Monday, March 16, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

Where can I find today's NYT Crossword answers?

Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.

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