NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - May 8

Friday, May 08, 2026

By Rafael Musa and Geoffrey Schorkopf

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Criticizes, in modern lingo
  2. 8Unruffled
  3. 14"Not to worry ..."
  4. 16Chichi
  5. 17One away from one's duties?
  6. 18French exit
  7. 19Hollywood is on it: Abbr.
  8. 20Secures, in a way
  9. 22Flubs
  10. 23Create a crispy crust for, say
  11. 25Coolers, for short
  12. 26"Jeez!"
  13. 29Touchy topic
  14. 31One of two in Raphael's "Sistine Madonna"
  15. 33Cartoonist who popularized the Democratic donkey
  16. 34"Bad hair day" hair
  17. 36Address no longer than 18 minutes
  18. 38Prepares for company, maybe
  19. 40Networking assets
  20. 41Second City district, with "the"
  21. 43Plumbing and welding, e.g.
  22. 44Really nasty fall?
  23. 47Date unlikely to be on a calendar
  24. 48Mammoth's home, for short
  25. 49Where to go for a run
  26. 51Peabody-winning journalist Steve
  27. 53Many a Chilango
  28. 54Formula 1 fig.
  29. 57"I'm this-a way!"
  30. 59Great depression?
  31. 61"Would you look at the time?!"
  32. 62Scrumdiddlyumptious
  33. 63Like some interests and stocks
  34. 64Feeds the kitty, say

Down

  1. 1It's usually followed by an "s"
  2. 2Indicators of awareness
  3. 3Ding thing?
  4. 4Bygone "before"
  5. 5Books that go into intimate detail?
  6. 6It might bring you to tears
  7. 7"Good riddance"
  8. 8Jerk
  9. 9All slam dunks
  10. 10Accessory turned down on a cap
  11. 11Humor without a traditional punch line
  12. 12Create ripple effects, in a way
  13. 13Scallops can have hundreds of tiny blue ones
  14. 15"It's a date!"
  15. 21It's a wrap!
  16. 23Hairstylist's concern
  17. 24Go back to the beginning
  18. 26Whence the line "Beware the ides of March" in "Julius Caesar"
  19. 27Comment from one who's going along
  20. 28Where to see fresh coats of white?
  21. 30First gear?
  22. 32Rorschach patterns
  23. 35"I'm this-a way!"
  24. 37Goofballs
  25. 39___ Theatre, Atlanta art house named for a fictional estate
  26. 42White-collar figure
  27. 45Pointy-topped red-and-green headwear
  28. 46Tuber that's the source of tapioca
  29. 50___ Rousey, first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo
  30. 51National capital that's home to Mykhailivska Square
  31. 52Schlep
  32. 54___ Annan, former U.N. secretary general
  33. 55Something that's hatched
  34. 56Half of some matching sets
  35. 58Work that traces the evolution of lang. over 1,000 years
  36. 60"And ___ long gone when ___ next to me" (Taylor Swift lyric)

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Criticizes, in modern lingo — Answer: HATESON
  2. 8. Unruffled — Answer: ATEASE
  3. 14. "Not to worry ..." — Answer: THERENOW
  4. 16. Chichi — Answer: SWANKY
  5. 17. One away from one's duties? — Answer: TAXEXILE
  6. 18. French exit — Answer: SORTIE
  7. 19. Hollywood is on it: Abbr. — Answer: PST
  8. 20. Secures, in a way — Answer: MOORS
  9. 22. Flubs — Answer: SLIPS
  10. 23. Create a crispy crust for, say — Answer: PANSEAR
  11. 25. Coolers, for short — Answer: ACS
  12. 26. "Jeez!" — Answer: AWMAN
  13. 29. Touchy topic — Answer: SORESPOT
  14. 31. One of two in Raphael's "Sistine Madonna" — Answer: CHERUB
  15. 33. Cartoonist who popularized the Democratic donkey — Answer: NAST
  16. 34. "Bad hair day" hair — Answer: MOP
  17. 36. Address no longer than 18 minutes — Answer: TEDTALK
  18. 38. Prepares for company, maybe — Answer: NEATENS
  19. 40. Networking assets — Answer: INS
  20. 41. Second City district, with "the" — Answer: LOOP
  21. 43. Plumbing and welding, e.g. — Answer: TRADES
  22. 44. Really nasty fall? — Answer: ICESTORM
  23. 47. Date unlikely to be on a calendar — Answer: TRYST
  24. 48. Mammoth's home, for short — Answer: NHL
  25. 49. Where to go for a run — Answer: SKIAREA
  26. 51. Peabody-winning journalist Steve — Answer: KROFT
  27. 53. Many a Chilango — Answer: SENOR
  28. 54. Formula 1 fig. — Answer: KPH
  29. 57. "I'm this-a way!" — Answer: YOOHOO
  30. 59. Great depression? — Answer: SINKHOLE
  31. 61. "Would you look at the time?!" — Answer: IMLATE
  32. 62. Scrumdiddlyumptious — Answer: TODIEFOR
  33. 63. Like some interests and stocks — Answer: VESTED
  34. 64. Feeds the kitty, say — Answer: CATSITS

Down

  1. 1. It's usually followed by an "s" — Answer: HTTP
  2. 2. Indicators of awareness — Answer: AHAS
  3. 3. Ding thing? — Answer: TEXT
  4. 4. Bygone "before" — Answer: ERE
  5. 5. Books that go into intimate detail? — Answer: SEXMANUALS
  6. 6. It might bring you to tears — Answer: ONION
  7. 7. "Good riddance" — Answer: NOLOSS
  8. 8. Jerk — Answer: ASS
  9. 9. All slam dunks — Answer: TWOS
  10. 10. Accessory turned down on a cap — Answer: EARLAP
  11. 11. Humor without a traditional punch line — Answer: ANTICOMEDY
  12. 12. Create ripple effects, in a way — Answer: SKIPSTONES
  13. 13. Scallops can have hundreds of tiny blue ones — Answer: EYES
  14. 15. "It's a date!" — Answer: WEREON
  15. 21. It's a wrap! — Answer: SARAN
  16. 23. Hairstylist's concern — Answer: PART
  17. 24. Go back to the beginning — Answer: RESET
  18. 26. Whence the line "Beware the ides of March" in "Julius Caesar" — Answer: ACTI
  19. 27. Comment from one who's going along — Answer: WHENINROME
  20. 28. Where to see fresh coats of white? — Answer: MEDSCHOOLS
  21. 30. First gear? — Answer: STARTERKIT
  22. 32. Rorschach patterns — Answer: BLOTS
  23. 35. "I'm this-a way!" — Answer: PSST
  24. 37. Goofballs — Answer: KOOKS
  25. 39. ___ Theatre, Atlanta art house named for a fictional estate — Answer: TARA
  26. 42. White-collar figure — Answer: PRIEST
  27. 45. Pointy-topped red-and-green headwear — Answer: ELFHAT
  28. 46. Tuber that's the source of tapioca — Answer: MANIOC
  29. 50. ___ Rousey, first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo — Answer: RONDA
  30. 51. National capital that's home to Mykhailivska Square — Answer: KYIV
  31. 52. Schlep — Answer: TOTE
  32. 54. ___ Annan, former U.N. secretary general — Answer: KOFI
  33. 55. Something that's hatched — Answer: PLOT
  34. 56. Half of some matching sets — Answer: HERS
  35. 58. Work that traces the evolution of lang. over 1,000 years — Answer: OED
  36. 60. "And ___ long gone when ___ next to me" (Taylor Swift lyric) — Answer: HES

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, May 8, 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 8?” 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 8, 2026

The full solution for the May 8 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, May 8.

Hints for the May 8 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 8 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.

Looking for a different day?

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Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Crossword answers on May 8, 2026?

Every answer for the Friday, May 8, 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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