NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - Apr 21

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

By Victoria Fernandez Grande

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Surrenders
  2. 7Wise thinker
  3. 11Form of poetry Pablo Neruda used to praise socks, onions and salt
  4. 14Realm of the Aztecs or Incas
  5. 15Do some farmwork
  6. 16___ de plume
  7. 17Mentor from the beyond
  8. 19Whitney who invented the cotton gin
  9. 20Soak up
  10. 21"___ have to do"
  11. 22Grifters' schemes
  12. 25Major charity whose recipients include the Red Cross and Salvation Army
  13. 28Lexington or Madison in N.Y.C.: Abbr.
  14. 29Mo. with Aries and Taurus signs
  15. 31Soon-to-be graduates
  16. 32Offering from an entrepreneurial child's stand
  17. 35Song and dance
  18. 36Wild West way of settling disputes
  19. 41Broadway's ___-Manuel Miranda
  20. 42In a gloomy way
  21. 43Starbucks alternatives from the Golden Arches
  22. 47BB
  23. 48Bambi's mother, for one
  24. 491972 country hit for Tanya Tucker
  25. 51Reptiles on papyrus
  26. 52Ballet bend
  27. 53Puts pen to paper
  28. 56"But Daddy I Love ___" (Taylor Swift song)
  29. 57Early advantage ... or a hint to the beginnings of 17-, 25-, 36- and 49-Across
  30. 62"Blueprint" for life
  31. 63Falsehoods
  32. 64Chemical "twin"
  33. 65"On the Basis of ___" (Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic)
  34. 66Circular tent
  35. 67Words often accompanying a present

Down

  1. 1Answer equivalent to "I do"
  2. 2Mischievous devil
  3. 3Prefix with center
  4. 4Coins spent in Turkey
  5. 5Tiny drop
  6. 6Tennis match units
  7. 7Snub
  8. 8They may crumble under cross-examination
  9. 9Zeus or Odin
  10. 10Female form of the animal that outnumbers humans in Iceland
  11. 11Boxing combo
  12. 12Big name in rental cars
  13. 13___ List (PAC for Democratic female candidates)
  14. 18Haitian currency unit
  15. 21Not the brightest bulbs, so to speak
  16. 22Bovine baby
  17. 23___ the moon
  18. 24Captain in "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea"
  19. 26Steeping container
  20. 27Finishes with
  21. 29Left-wing protest group
  22. 30Tormented
  23. 33Like "The Tonight Show" and "Saturday Night Live"
  24. 34Hesitation sound across the pond
  25. 37Enter the chat, so to speak
  26. 38Some military hazards, for short
  27. 39Hoofbeat
  28. 40Visually sizes up
  29. 43Dual degrees for physicians
  30. 44___ Dion, the "Queen of Power Ballads"
  31. 45Apex
  32. 46Literary friend of Finn
  33. 50Body part that's flicked
  34. 51Businessman John Jacob ___
  35. 54"Almost time for the weekend!"
  36. 55Canadian gas brand
  37. 57Cool, in '90s slang
  38. 58Common Chinese surname
  39. 59Funny Schumer or Poehler
  40. 60___ Speedwagon
  41. 61"___ dat" (slangy agreement)

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Surrenders — Answer: YIELDS
  2. 7. Wise thinker — Answer: SAGE
  3. 11. Form of poetry Pablo Neruda used to praise socks, onions and salt — Answer: ODE
  4. 14. Realm of the Aztecs or Incas — Answer: EMPIRE
  5. 15. Do some farmwork — Answer: PLOW
  6. 16. ___ de plume — Answer: NOM
  7. 17. Mentor from the beyond — Answer: SPIRITGUIDE
  8. 19. Whitney who invented the cotton gin — Answer: ELI
  9. 20. Soak up — Answer: ABSORB
  10. 21. "___ have to do" — Answer: ITLL
  11. 22. Grifters' schemes — Answer: CONS
  12. 25. Major charity whose recipients include the Red Cross and Salvation Army — Answer: UNITEDWAY
  13. 28. Lexington or Madison in N.Y.C.: Abbr. — Answer: AVE
  14. 29. Mo. with Aries and Taurus signs — Answer: APR
  15. 31. Soon-to-be graduates — Answer: SENIORS
  16. 32. Offering from an entrepreneurial child's stand — Answer: LEMONADE
  17. 35. Song and dance — Answer: ADO
  18. 36. Wild West way of settling disputes — Answer: FRONTIERJUSTICE
  19. 41. Broadway's ___-Manuel Miranda — Answer: LIN
  20. 42. In a gloomy way — Answer: MOROSELY
  21. 43. Starbucks alternatives from the Golden Arches — Answer: MCCAFES
  22. 47. BB — Answer: INN
  23. 48. Bambi's mother, for one — Answer: DOE
  24. 49. 1972 country hit for Tanya Tucker — Answer: DELTADAWN
  25. 51. Reptiles on papyrus — Answer: ASPS
  26. 52. Ballet bend — Answer: PLIE
  27. 53. Puts pen to paper — Answer: WRITES
  28. 56. "But Daddy I Love ___" (Taylor Swift song) — Answer: HIM
  29. 57. Early advantage ... or a hint to the beginnings of 17-, 25-, 36- and 49-Across — Answer: FLYINGSTART
  30. 62. "Blueprint" for life — Answer: DNA
  31. 63. Falsehoods — Answer: LIES
  32. 64. Chemical "twin" — Answer: ISOMER
  33. 65. "On the Basis of ___" (Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic) — Answer: SEX
  34. 66. Circular tent — Answer: YURT
  35. 67. Words often accompanying a present — Answer: FORYOU

Down

  1. 1. Answer equivalent to "I do" — Answer: YES
  2. 2. Mischievous devil — Answer: IMP
  3. 3. Prefix with center — Answer: EPI
  4. 4. Coins spent in Turkey — Answer: LIRAS
  5. 5. Tiny drop — Answer: DRIB
  6. 6. Tennis match units — Answer: SETS
  7. 7. Snub — Answer: SPURN
  8. 8. They may crumble under cross-examination — Answer: ALIBIS
  9. 9. Zeus or Odin — Answer: GOD
  10. 10. Female form of the animal that outnumbers humans in Iceland — Answer: EWE
  11. 11. Boxing combo — Answer: ONETWO
  12. 12. Big name in rental cars — Answer: DOLLAR
  13. 13. ___ List (PAC for Democratic female candidates) — Answer: EMILYS
  14. 18. Haitian currency unit — Answer: GOURDE
  15. 21. Not the brightest bulbs, so to speak — Answer: IDIOTS
  16. 22. Bovine baby — Answer: CALF
  17. 23. ___ the moon — Answer: OVER
  18. 24. Captain in "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" — Answer: NEMO
  19. 26. Steeping container — Answer: TEAURN
  20. 27. Finishes with — Answer: ENDSON
  21. 29. Left-wing protest group — Answer: ANTIFA
  22. 30. Tormented — Answer: PAINED
  23. 33. Like "The Tonight Show" and "Saturday Night Live" — Answer: ONLATE
  24. 34. Hesitation sound across the pond — Answer: ERM
  25. 37. Enter the chat, so to speak — Answer: JOININ
  26. 38. Some military hazards, for short — Answer: IEDS
  27. 39. Hoofbeat — Answer: CLOP
  28. 40. Visually sizes up — Answer: EYES
  29. 43. Dual degrees for physicians — Answer: MDPHDS
  30. 44. ___ Dion, the "Queen of Power Ballads" — Answer: CELINE
  31. 45. Apex — Answer: CLIMAX
  32. 46. Literary friend of Finn — Answer: SAWYER
  33. 50. Body part that's flicked — Answer: WRIST
  34. 51. Businessman John Jacob ___ — Answer: ASTOR
  35. 54. "Almost time for the weekend!" — Answer: TGIF
  36. 55. Canadian gas brand — Answer: ESSO
  37. 57. Cool, in '90s slang — Answer: FLY
  38. 58. Common Chinese surname — Answer: LIU
  39. 59. Funny Schumer or Poehler — Answer: AMY
  40. 60. ___ Speedwagon — Answer: REO
  41. 61. "___ dat" (slangy agreement) — Answer: TRU

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Tuesday, April 21, 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 April 21?” 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 April 21, 2026

The full solution for the April 21 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 Tuesday, April 21.

Hints for the April 21 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The April 21 puzzle fell on a Tuesday, 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 Tuesday 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 April 21, 2026?

Every answer for the Tuesday, April 21, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

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

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