Tuesday, May 12, 2026
By John Ruff
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Appropriate answer for 1-Across
- 6Have the sense of
- 10Females shepherded by shepherds
- 14Fuel-bearing ship
- 15Leer at
- 16One piece of a three-piece suit
- 17Listing at an ice cream shop in Ipswich
- 20Lou Gehrig's disease, in brief
- 21"___ Robinson" (Simon & Garfunkel song)
- 22Happen afterward
- 23Some limb-moving muscles
- 27Kids' items at a day care in Derby
- 32Pack tightly
- 33Spanish for "this"
- 34Pod tidbit
- 35Spoke to a convention, say
- 37Members of the aristocracy
- 40Establishment that might offer free breakfast
- 41Quaint lead-in to while
- 45Leads off
- 46Areas on a map of Manchester
- 50Sudden, widespread appearances of illness
- 51Live (in)
- 54"Thanks a ___!" (informal appreciation)
- 55Butcher's discard
- 58"Hmm, why use the spellings of 17-, 27- and 46-Across?"
- 63Laura of "Jurassic Park"
- 64A pelican can hold more water in this than in its belly
- 65Franz ___, Prague-born writer of dark fiction
- 66Force holding us onto Earth, informally
- 67Pepsi alternative
- 68Be present
Down
- 1Divan
- 2Tens or ones place?
- 3Lead-in to "poor Yorick!"
- 4Al Sharpton's title, for short
- 5Instrument with a Renaissance-era ancestor called a sackbut
- 6"Absolutely!"
- 7Sense of self
- 8Hermey is one, in TV's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
- 9Do-over at serving
- 10"Nevertheless ..."
- 11Marries
- 12One son of Isaac and Rebekah
- 13Bacterial eye malady
- 18Pakistani language
- 19Chervil or chive
- 23Touched down
- 24Stool pigeons, in police shorthand
- 25Explosive inits.
- 26Kind of arch in architecture
- 27___ asada
- 28Resident of a Mideast sultanate
- 29Chose, with "for"
- 30Wails
- 31Give some lip to
- 32Sign up for
- 36Some are said to be "swimming" in this
- 38Resemble
- 39Ways to raise capital, in brief
- 42Lowe on TV
- 43Big ___, West Coast tourist destination
- 44Shake with fear
- 47Sandlot QB's order to a receiver
- 48Streaming service owned by Disney
- 49Cause of a shower drain clog, maybe
- 51Birdbrain
- 52"At what time?"
- 53Brontë heroine
- 55Popular female poodle name
- 56Inquires
- 57Word after "Copy" or "Fancy"
- 59Airer of "The View"
- 60Site of the world's largest Carnival celebration
- 61Wapiti, by another name
- 62Put a burden on
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Appropriate answer for 1-Across — Answer: START
- 6. Have the sense of — Answer: FEEL
- 10. Females shepherded by shepherds — Answer: EWES
- 14. Fuel-bearing ship — Answer: OILER
- 15. Leer at — Answer: OGLE
- 16. One piece of a three-piece suit — Answer: VEST
- 17. Listing at an ice cream shop in Ipswich — Answer: FLAVOUROFTHEDAY
- 20. Lou Gehrig's disease, in brief — Answer: ALS
- 21. "___ Robinson" (Simon & Garfunkel song) — Answer: MRS
- 22. Happen afterward — Answer: ENSUE
- 23. Some limb-moving muscles — Answer: ABDUCTORS
- 27. Kids' items at a day care in Derby — Answer: COLOURINGBOOKS
- 32. Pack tightly — Answer: JAMIN
- 33. Spanish for "this" — Answer: ESTE
- 34. Pod tidbit — Answer: PEA
- 35. Spoke to a convention, say — Answer: ORATED
- 37. Members of the aristocracy — Answer: ELITES
- 40. Establishment that might offer free breakfast — Answer: INN
- 41. Quaint lead-in to while — Answer: ERST
- 45. Leads off — Answer: OPENS
- 46. Areas on a map of Manchester — Answer: NEIGHBOURHOODS
- 50. Sudden, widespread appearances of illness — Answer: OUTBREAKS
- 51. Live (in) — Answer: DWELL
- 54. "Thanks a ___!" (informal appreciation) — Answer: MIL
- 55. Butcher's discard — Answer: FAT
- 58. "Hmm, why use the spellings of 17-, 27- and 46-Across?" — Answer: OHYOUAREBRITISH
- 63. Laura of "Jurassic Park" — Answer: DERN
- 64. A pelican can hold more water in this than in its belly — Answer: BILL
- 65. Franz ___, Prague-born writer of dark fiction — Answer: KAFKA
- 66. Force holding us onto Earth, informally — Answer: ONEG
- 67. Pepsi alternative — Answer: COKE
- 68. Be present — Answer: EXIST
Down
- 1. Divan — Answer: SOFA
- 2. Tens or ones place? — Answer: TILL
- 3. Lead-in to "poor Yorick!" — Answer: ALAS
- 4. Al Sharpton's title, for short — Answer: REV
- 5. Instrument with a Renaissance-era ancestor called a sackbut — Answer: TROMBONE
- 6. "Absolutely!" — Answer: FORSURE
- 7. Sense of self — Answer: EGO
- 8. Hermey is one, in TV's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" — Answer: ELF
- 9. Do-over at serving — Answer: LET
- 10. "Nevertheless ..." — Answer: EVENSO
- 11. Marries — Answer: WEDS
- 12. One son of Isaac and Rebekah — Answer: ESAU
- 13. Bacterial eye malady — Answer: STYE
- 18. Pakistani language — Answer: URDU
- 19. Chervil or chive — Answer: HERB
- 23. Touched down — Answer: ALIT
- 24. Stool pigeons, in police shorthand — Answer: CIS
- 25. Explosive inits. — Answer: TNT
- 26. Kind of arch in architecture — Answer: OGEE
- 27. ___ asada — Answer: CARNE
- 28. Resident of a Mideast sultanate — Answer: OMANI
- 29. Chose, with "for" — Answer: OPTED
- 30. Wails — Answer: KEENS
- 31. Give some lip to — Answer: SASS
- 32. Sign up for — Answer: JOIN
- 36. Some are said to be "swimming" in this — Answer: DEBT
- 38. Resemble — Answer: LOOKLIKE
- 39. Ways to raise capital, in brief — Answer: IPOS
- 42. Lowe on TV — Answer: ROB
- 43. Big ___, West Coast tourist destination — Answer: SUR
- 44. Shake with fear — Answer: TREMBLE
- 47. Sandlot QB's order to a receiver — Answer: GOLONG
- 48. Streaming service owned by Disney — Answer: HULU
- 49. Cause of a shower drain clog, maybe — Answer: HAIR
- 51. Birdbrain — Answer: DODO
- 52. "At what time?" — Answer: WHEN. Hint: Think about a word that often opens questions about time! ⏰
- 53. Brontë heroine — Answer: EYRE
- 55. Popular female poodle name — Answer: FIFI
- 56. Inquires — Answer: ASKS
- 57. Word after "Copy" or "Fancy" — Answer: THAT
- 59. Airer of "The View" — Answer: ABC
- 60. Site of the world's largest Carnival celebration — Answer: RIO
- 61. Wapiti, by another name — Answer: ELK
- 62. Put a burden on — Answer: TAX
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Tuesday, May 12, 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 12?” 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 12, 2026
The full solution for the May 12 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 12.
Hints for the May 12 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 12 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 12, 2026?
Every answer for the Tuesday, May 12, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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