Friday, May 15, 2026
By Maddy Ziegler
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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1To the ___ (as much as possible)
- 5Electrifying people, so to speak
- 14Dog howling at night, maybe
- 15Vintage bike feature
- 16Good name for a yoga instructor?
- 17Hairy get-up
- 18Wych ___ (tree type)
- 19Miss Doolittle of "Pygmalion"
- 20Civil rights activist Williams, an associate of Martin Luther King Jr.
- 21Splits apart
- 23Annual coll. basketball competition
- 25Class for some aspiring bilinguals, in brief
- 26Led
- 27Play casually, say
- 29Like some kitchens
- 30Harps on
- 33MacMurray of "Double Indemnity"
- 34Throw in at the end
- 35Pulls off
- 37Jarring film transition to a new scene
- 39Sired
- 40Give a hand?
- 41Language of southern India
- 42Sierra, e.g.
- 45"Nasty!"
- 46Rainwater reservoir
- 47Duane ___ (New York-based pharmacy chain)
- 49Figures in "Puss in Boots" and "Hop-o'-My-Thumb"
- 51Sickly-looking
- 52"I don't care either way"
- 54Magician's accessory
- 55Use of a popular song to make a scene iconic, in film-speak
- 56"Your turn to speak"
- 57Difficult time for farmers
- 58Hot ___
Down
- 1Big name in meal prep kits
- 2"Tell me!"
- 3Line of attack?
- 4Cause of a boom
- 5Material for the blue eyebrows on the mask of Tutankhamen, in brief
- 6Mother of Don Juan
- 7Here goes nothing!
- 8Brian of ambient music
- 9Part of a bass in a jug band
- 10:
- 11Get new life out of
- 12Eponym for a lounge chair
- 13"I can't believe that price" bargain
- 15Made hay?
- 19Uniform
- 22Puma rival
- 24Setting for the graphic novel series "Persepolis"
- 27Transition
- 28Competitor of the early Chevrolet 490
- 30"Sticks"
- 31Dangerous ocean phenomenon
- 32Edible algae dubbed "green caviar"
- 34Break the ice?
- 36Knockouts
- 38Blind followers, informally
- 39Friend of Nancy Drew
- 41Moor
- 42Daily ___
- 43Element of a poetry analysis, maybe
- 44Baseball's Stengel
- 46Sing like Michael Bublé
- 48Threads
- 50Food item whose name comes from the Greek for "turn"
- 53Occasion that may involve fine china
- 54Common end to an address
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. To the ___ (as much as possible) — Answer: HILT
- 5. Electrifying people, so to speak — Answer: LIVEWIRES
- 14. Dog howling at night, maybe — Answer: OMEN
- 15. Vintage bike feature — Answer: BANANASEAT
- 16. Good name for a yoga instructor? — Answer: MATT
- 17. Hairy get-up — Answer: APECOSTUME
- 18. Wych ___ (tree type) — Answer: ELM
- 19. Miss Doolittle of "Pygmalion" — Answer: ELIZA
- 20. Civil rights activist Williams, an associate of Martin Luther King Jr. — Answer: HOSEA
- 21. Splits apart — Answer: CLEAVES
- 23. Annual coll. basketball competition — Answer: NIT
- 25. Class for some aspiring bilinguals, in brief — Answer: ESL
- 26. Led — Answer: HEADED
- 27. Play casually, say — Answer: STRUM
- 29. Like some kitchens — Answer: EATIN
- 30. Harps on — Answer: BELABORS
- 33. MacMurray of "Double Indemnity" — Answer: FRED
- 34. Throw in at the end — Answer: TAGON
- 35. Pulls off — Answer: DOES
- 37. Jarring film transition to a new scene — Answer: SMASHCUT
- 39. Sired — Answer: BEGAT
- 40. Give a hand? — Answer: SHAKE
- 41. Language of southern India — Answer: TELUGU
- 42. Sierra, e.g. — Answer: GMC
- 45. "Nasty!" — Answer: EWW
- 46. Rainwater reservoir — Answer: CISTERN
- 47. Duane ___ (New York-based pharmacy chain) — Answer: READE
- 49. Figures in "Puss in Boots" and "Hop-o'-My-Thumb" — Answer: OGRES
- 51. Sickly-looking — Answer: WAN
- 52. "I don't care either way" — Answer: ITSUPTOYOU
- 54. Magician's accessory — Answer: CAPE
- 55. Use of a popular song to make a scene iconic, in film-speak — Answer: NEEDLEDROP
- 56. "Your turn to speak" — Answer: OVER
- 57. Difficult time for farmers — Answer: DRYSEASON
- 58. Hot ___ — Answer: MESS
Down
- 1. Big name in meal prep kits — Answer: HOMECHEF
- 2. "Tell me!" — Answer: IMALLEARS
- 3. Line of attack? — Answer: LETMEATEM
- 4. Cause of a boom — Answer: TNT
- 5. Material for the blue eyebrows on the mask of Tutankhamen, in brief — Answer: LAPIS
- 6. Mother of Don Juan — Answer: INEZ
- 7. Here goes nothing! — Answer: VACANTLOT
- 8. Brian of ambient music — Answer: ENO
- 9. Part of a bass in a jug band — Answer: WASHTUB
- 10. : — Answer: ISTO
- 11. Get new life out of — Answer: REUSE
- 12. Eponym for a lounge chair — Answer: EAMES
- 13. "I can't believe that price" bargain — Answer: STEAL
- 15. Made hay? — Answer: BALED
- 19. Uniform — Answer: EVEN
- 22. Puma rival — Answer: ADIDAS
- 24. Setting for the graphic novel series "Persepolis" — Answer: IRAN
- 27. Transition — Answer: SEGUE
- 28. Competitor of the early Chevrolet 490 — Answer: MODELT
- 30. "Sticks" — Answer: BACKWOODS
- 31. Dangerous ocean phenomenon — Answer: ROGUEWAVE
- 32. Edible algae dubbed "green caviar" — Answer: SEAGRAPES
- 34. Break the ice? — Answer: THAW
- 36. Knockouts — Answer: STUNNERS
- 38. Blind followers, informally — Answer: SHEEPLE
- 39. Friend of Nancy Drew — Answer: BESS
- 41. Moor — Answer: TIEUP
- 42. Daily ___ — Answer: GRIND
- 43. Element of a poetry analysis, maybe — Answer: METER
- 44. Baseball's Stengel — Answer: CASEY
- 46. Sing like Michael Bublé — Answer: CROON
- 48. Threads — Answer: DUDS
- 50. Food item whose name comes from the Greek for "turn" — Answer: GYRO
- 53. Occasion that may involve fine china — Answer: TEA
- 54. Common end to an address — Answer: COM
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, May 15, 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 15?” 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 15, 2026
The full solution for the May 15 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 15.
Hints for the May 15 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 15 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 May 15, 2026?
Every answer for the Friday, May 15, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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