Friday, March 20, 2026
By Rafael Musa and Rebecca Goldstein
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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Rush order
- 5Political commentator Piker
- 10Like a workhorse
- 14Animal sanctuary
- 16Kachina-carving people
- 17Going against the grain?
- 18Sign to be read
- 19"Easy peasy!"
- 20Pesos or euros
- 22Knack for details, say
- 23World capital split by the world's longest river
- 25Some scenery in "The Road Runner Show"
- 26Fare ways to go?
- 28Law with an "individual mandate" provision, for short
- 29Athlete nicknamed "O Rei"
- 31Farm female
- 32Giant Jesus
- 33Words before confirming something
- 37Fundamentals
- 38Gym circuit
- 39Remove unceremoniously
- 40Exec who leads software engineers
- 41Philosophy of a devil's advocate?
- 44Danish money
- 46Step heavily
- 47Word repeated in "With a ___ ___ here and a ___ ___ there ..."
- 50Feels sympathy for, in a way
- 52Publishes an exposé, say
- 54It'll warm your buns
- 55Biological building blocks
- 57Get spent
- 58"Be gentle"
- 59Give guff
- 60Desirable feature
- 61Gukesh Dommaraju, upon becoming world chess champion in 2024
Down
- 1Texas A&M; athlete
- 2Like foods that increase thirst
- 3Tickle
- 4Pro-vegan org.
- 5Applies a certain hair dye to
- 6Fling
- 7Things that send people into hiding
- 8Dating app listing
- 9Basic ___
- 10Beamed
- 11Zillow data
- 12Dramatic outerwear for the theater
- 13Very old-fashioned sort
- 15Some adopted pets
- 21Pings, for short
- 24Stink
- 26Sandwiches that are neither kosher nor halal
- 27Farm female
- 29Drinking game?
- 30Modern urban transportation options
- 32Reunion attendee, informally
- 33Lotto prizes
- 34Greeting often followed by "Como vai?"
- 35British engineer James
- 36Be a hero, say
- 41"Get it?"
- 42Viral 2010s dance that Hillary Clinton performed on TV
- 43"This makes no sense"
- 45Poker hand known as a "Wayne Gretzky"
- 47It has more than 4,000 islands off its coast
- 48Pre-transformation self
- 49Actress Elizabeth of "Eternity"
- 51It's a long story
- 53Participant in the Jacobite rebellion of the 1740s
- 56Approaches, in brief
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Rush order — Answer: ASAP
- 5. Political commentator Piker — Answer: HASAN
- 10. Like a workhorse — Answer: SHOD
- 14. Animal sanctuary — Answer: GAMEREFUGE
- 16. Kachina-carving people — Answer: HOPI
- 17. Going against the grain? — Answer: GLUTENFREE
- 18. Sign to be read — Answer: OMEN
- 19. "Easy peasy!" — Answer: ITSASNAP
- 20. Pesos or euros — Answer: DINERO
- 22. Knack for details, say — Answer: EYE
- 23. World capital split by the world's longest river — Answer: CAIRO
- 25. Some scenery in "The Road Runner Show" — Answer: MESAS
- 26. Fare ways to go? — Answer: BUSRIDES
- 28. Law with an "individual mandate" provision, for short — Answer: ACA
- 29. Athlete nicknamed "O Rei" — Answer: PELE
- 31. Farm female — Answer: SOW
- 32. Giant Jesus — Answer: ALOU
- 33. Words before confirming something — Answer: JUSTSOWERECLEAR
- 37. Fundamentals — Answer: ABCS
- 38. Gym circuit — Answer: LAP
- 39. Remove unceremoniously — Answer: OUST
- 40. Exec who leads software engineers — Answer: CTO
- 41. Philosophy of a devil's advocate? — Answer: SATANISM
- 44. Danish money — Answer: KRONE
- 46. Step heavily — Answer: TRAMP
- 47. Word repeated in "With a ___ ___ here and a ___ ___ there ..." — Answer: MOO
- 50. Feels sympathy for, in a way — Answer: PITIES
- 52. Publishes an exposé, say — Answer: TELLSALL
- 54. It'll warm your buns — Answer: OVEN
- 55. Biological building blocks — Answer: AMINOACIDS
- 57. Get spent — Answer: TIRE
- 58. "Be gentle" — Answer: GOEASYONME
- 59. Give guff — Answer: SASS
- 60. Desirable feature — Answer: ASSET
- 61. Gukesh Dommaraju, upon becoming world chess champion in 2024 — Answer: TEEN
Down
- 1. Texas A&M; athlete — Answer: AGGIE
- 2. Like foods that increase thirst — Answer: SALTY
- 3. Tickle — Answer: AMUSE
- 4. Pro-vegan org. — Answer: PETA
- 5. Applies a certain hair dye to — Answer: HENNAS
- 6. Fling — Answer: AFFAIR
- 7. Things that send people into hiding — Answer: SURPRISEPARTIES
- 8. Dating app listing — Answer: AGE
- 9. Basic ___ — Answer: NEED
- 10. Beamed — Answer: SHONE
- 11. Zillow data — Answer: HOMESALES
- 12. Dramatic outerwear for the theater — Answer: OPERACOAT
- 13. Very old-fashioned sort — Answer: DINOSAUR
- 15. Some adopted pets — Answer: RESCUES
- 21. Pings, for short — Answer: IMS
- 24. Stink — Answer: ODOR
- 26. Sandwiches that are neither kosher nor halal — Answer: BLTS
- 27. Farm female — Answer: EWE
- 29. Drinking game? — Answer: PUBTRIVIA
- 30. Modern urban transportation options — Answer: ESCOOTERS
- 32. Reunion attendee, informally — Answer: ALUM
- 33. Lotto prizes — Answer: JACKPOTS
- 34. Greeting often followed by "Como vai?" — Answer: OLA
- 35. British engineer James — Answer: WATT
- 36. Be a hero, say — Answer: COSPLAY
- 41. "Get it?" — Answer: SEE
- 42. Viral 2010s dance that Hillary Clinton performed on TV — Answer: NAENAE
- 43. "This makes no sense" — Answer: IMLOST
- 45. Poker hand known as a "Wayne Gretzky" — Answer: NINES
- 47. It has more than 4,000 islands off its coast — Answer: MAINE
- 48. Pre-transformation self — Answer: OLDME
- 49. Actress Elizabeth of "Eternity" — Answer: OLSEN
- 51. It's a long story — Answer: SAGA
- 53. Participant in the Jacobite rebellion of the 1740s — Answer: SCOT
- 56. Approaches, in brief — Answer: MOS
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, March 20, 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 20?” 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 20, 2026
The full solution for the March 20 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 Friday, March 20.
Hints for the March 20 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The March 20 puzzle fell on a Friday, 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 Friday 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 March 20, 2026?
Every answer for the Friday, March 20, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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