Tuesday, May 05, 2026
By Max Schlenker
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Tried-and-true choice, informally
- 5It's perfect for some musicians
- 10Motorcyclist's invitation
- 15Asia's shrinking ___ Sea
- 16Ruckus
- 17Where Boise is
- 18It's a piece of cake
- 20Computer geeks
- 21Source of some South American wool
- 22Alaska politico Palin
- 24___-Ball
- 25Alternative to a Word doc
- 27It's child's play
- 29Glassblower, e.g.
- 33One of three statistical averages
- 34M.L.B. stadium demolished in 2009
- 35Ones always blowing off steam?
- 39Altar promise
- 42It's a no-brainer
- 45Starchy tuber
- 462016 Ariana Grande love song
- 47Drug buster
- 48Heavy, spiked club
- 50Bared one's teeth, say
- 52It's a breeze
- 57___-fi
- 58Sudden or impulsive, as a decision
- 59Lipstick blunder
- 61Intermittently offered fast-food pork sandwich
- 65Oscars host, e.g.
- 67It's a walk in the park
- 69Abandon prematurely, as a mission
- 70Piano exercise
- 71Fencing blade
- 72"OMG, same!"
- 73About 50.7% of all Americans
- 74Like typical communicators in sign language
Down
- 1Effrontery
- 2Not in writing, as an exam
- 3Magician's "Look what I did!"
- 4International competition in math, science and other disciplines
- 5Greek letter that looks like an "O" superimposed with an "I"
- 6Charged particles
- 7Roman robes
- 8French sweetheart
- 9Prohibited in Islam
- 10Chart-topper
- 11Texas setting for 2004's "Friday Night Lights"
- 12Mule or burro
- 13"Fancy seeing you here!"
- 14They may be counted when taking attendance
- 19Bell-bottom jeans and pet rocks, in the 1970s
- 23Undeniable successes
- 26Media misinformation
- 28Loch ___ monster
- 29Like a campfire by morning, typically
- 30Flightless bird from South America
- 31Figure in a school pep rally
- 32Empty ___ (home after the kids go off to college)
- 36Chinese general on a menu
- 37"___ will be done"
- 38English facilities
- 40"Don't you ___!"
- 41How much 1990s music was issued
- 43Pet pests
- 44Having added nutrients
- 49Obey, with "to"
- 51Apex
- 52Pay for at a restaurant, say
- 53Title role for Sylvester Stallone
- 54"This is my first day on the job"
- 55"Groovy"
- 56Unit of information
- 60Like checking a dating app while you're on a date
- 62Fully matured
- 63Swedish furniture supplier
- 64Complaint, informally
- 66Arrivals in the 2016 thriller "Arrival," in brief
- 68___ Faire (historical event)
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Tried-and-true choice, informally — Answer: GOTO
- 5. It's perfect for some musicians — Answer: PITCH
- 10. Motorcyclist's invitation — Answer: HOPON
- 15. Asia's shrinking ___ Sea — Answer: ARAL
- 16. Ruckus — Answer: HOOHA
- 17. Where Boise is — Answer: IDAHO
- 18. It's a piece of cake — Answer: LADYFINGER
- 20. Computer geeks — Answer: TECHS
- 21. Source of some South American wool — Answer: LLAMA
- 22. Alaska politico Palin — Answer: SARAH
- 24. ___-Ball — Answer: SKEE
- 25. Alternative to a Word doc — Answer: PDF
- 27. It's child's play — Answer: SIMONSAYS
- 29. Glassblower, e.g. — Answer: ARTISAN
- 33. One of three statistical averages — Answer: MEAN
- 34. M.L.B. stadium demolished in 2009 — Answer: SHEA
- 35. Ones always blowing off steam? — Answer: KETTLES
- 39. Altar promise — Answer: IDO
- 42. It's a no-brainer — Answer: HEADLESSHORSEMAN
- 45. Starchy tuber — Answer: YAM
- 46. 2016 Ariana Grande love song — Answer: INTOYOU
- 47. Drug buster — Answer: NARC
- 48. Heavy, spiked club — Answer: MACE
- 50. Bared one's teeth, say — Answer: SNARLED
- 52. It's a breeze — Answer: TRADEWIND
- 57. ___-fi — Answer: SCI
- 58. Sudden or impulsive, as a decision — Answer: RASH
- 59. Lipstick blunder — Answer: SMEAR
- 61. Intermittently offered fast-food pork sandwich — Answer: MCRIB
- 65. Oscars host, e.g. — Answer: EMCEE
- 67. It's a walk in the park — Answer: NATUREHIKE
- 69. Abandon prematurely, as a mission — Answer: ABORT
- 70. Piano exercise — Answer: ETUDE
- 71. Fencing blade — Answer: EPEE
- 72. "OMG, same!" — Answer: TOTES
- 73. About 50.7% of all Americans — Answer: WOMEN
- 74. Like typical communicators in sign language — Answer: DEAF
Down
- 1. Effrontery — Answer: GALL
- 2. Not in writing, as an exam — Answer: ORAL
- 3. Magician's "Look what I did!" — Answer: TADA
- 4. International competition in math, science and other disciplines — Answer: OLYMPIAD
- 5. Greek letter that looks like an "O" superimposed with an "I" — Answer: PHI
- 6. Charged particles — Answer: IONS
- 7. Roman robes — Answer: TOGAS
- 8. French sweetheart — Answer: CHERI
- 9. Prohibited in Islam — Answer: HARAM
- 10. Chart-topper — Answer: HIT
- 11. Texas setting for 2004's "Friday Night Lights" — Answer: ODESSA
- 12. Mule or burro — Answer: PACKANIMAL
- 13. "Fancy seeing you here!" — Answer: OHHEY
- 14. They may be counted when taking attendance — Answer: NOSES
- 19. Bell-bottom jeans and pet rocks, in the 1970s — Answer: FADS
- 23. Undeniable successes — Answer: HOMERUNS
- 26. Media misinformation — Answer: FAKENEWS
- 28. Loch ___ monster — Answer: NESS
- 29. Like a campfire by morning, typically — Answer: ASHY
- 30. Flightless bird from South America — Answer: RHEA
- 31. Figure in a school pep rally — Answer: TEAMMASCOT
- 32. Empty ___ (home after the kids go off to college) — Answer: NEST
- 36. Chinese general on a menu — Answer: TSO
- 37. "___ will be done" — Answer: THY
- 38. English facilities — Answer: LOOS
- 40. "Don't you ___!" — Answer: DARE
- 41. How much 1990s music was issued — Answer: ONCD
- 43. Pet pests — Answer: LICE
- 44. Having added nutrients — Answer: ENRICHED
- 49. Obey, with "to" — Answer: ADHERE
- 51. Apex — Answer: ACME
- 52. Pay for at a restaurant, say — Answer: TREAT
- 53. Title role for Sylvester Stallone — Answer: RAMBO
- 54. "This is my first day on the job" — Answer: IMNEW
- 55. "Groovy" — Answer: NEATO
- 56. Unit of information — Answer: DATUM
- 60. Like checking a dating app while you're on a date — Answer: RUDE
- 62. Fully matured — Answer: RIPE
- 63. Swedish furniture supplier — Answer: IKEA
- 64. Complaint, informally — Answer: BEEF
- 66. Arrivals in the 2016 thriller "Arrival," in brief — Answer: ETS
- 68. ___ Faire (historical event) — Answer: REN
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Tuesday, May 5, 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 May 5?” 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 May 5, 2026
The full solution for the May 5 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, May 5.
Hints for the May 5 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 5 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What were the NYT Crossword answers on May 5, 2026?
Every answer for the Tuesday, May 5, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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