Saturday, May 16, 2026
By Byron Walden
Tap a square to reveal a letter.
Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Modern "go-to's"
- 5Curtain for silhouetting on stage
- 10Bird on the South Carolina state quarter
- 14Capote or chesterfield
- 15Emulates E.T., in a way
- 17Roman goddess who drives a two-horse chariot
- 18Precious self-reference
- 19Name shared by the singer of the #1 hit "Rock Me Gently" (1974) and the first Korean American elected to the U.S. Senate (2024)
- 21Double-___ cassowary (bird of Indonesia and Australia)
- 22Matches with forensics
- 24Occasions to relax and recharge
- 25Obama's third secretary of defense (2013-15)
- 26Gasoline brand that offered the Torch Club credit card
- 27Aid in making salsa
- 28Operculum, e.g.
- 31Capital of Greenland
- 32They're hard to pull off
- 33Spa service, in brief
- 34Up to snuff, facetiously
- 35Trickles
- 36Cup holders
- 37Many a Porsche 911
- 38Practical types who are often perfectionists, it's said
- 39Don't start with me!
- 43Difficult effort
- 44Cut out
- 46Setting for Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte"
- 48Cold-smoked lox
- 497 up, perhaps
- 50Gulf of ___, waters that abut Djibouti and Somaliland
- 51Vanilla units
- 52Spouts
- 53Romp
Down
- 1Victor over Washington on 11/12/1955 in "Back to the Future, Pt. II" -- and in real life
- 2Cattle call
- 3Went wide or long, as a tennis ball
- 4"No closer!"
- 5Takes off
- 6Wind pipe?
- 7Blight
- 8Getting a break on Broadway?
- 9Medleys
- 10Marriott property with the slogan "Whatever Whenever"
- 11Triumphs smoothly
- 12___ Brickowski ("The Lego Movie" protagonist)
- 13"What this country ___ ..."
- 16Certain volleyballer
- 20Deck
- 23Once-popular terra-cotta figurine
- 24Trigger hair
- 27State in which Gulliver is discovered by the Lilliputians
- 28Combo meal upgrade
- 29Going back ages
- 30___ track
- 32Folks who enjoy a well-aged beef?
- 33Borderline
- 35Echolocation systems
- 36Element between copper and gallium on the periodic table
- 37Spelling combinations?
- 38They're concerned with feeding kits
- 39Pharyngeal woe
- 40Cynthia ___, Tony winner for "The Color Purple"
- 41Buckled
- 42Extend, in a way
- 45Chilly and damp
- 47"___ noticed"
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Modern "go-to's" — Answer: URLS
- 5. Curtain for silhouetting on stage — Answer: SCRIM
- 10. Bird on the South Carolina state quarter — Answer: WREN
- 14. Capote or chesterfield — Answer: COAT
- 15. Emulates E.T., in a way — Answer: PHONESHOME
- 17. Roman goddess who drives a two-horse chariot — Answer: LUNA
- 18. Precious self-reference — Answer: LITTLEOLME
- 19. Name shared by the singer of the #1 hit "Rock Me Gently" (1974) and the first Korean American elected to the U.S. Senate (2024) — Answer: ANDYKIM
- 21. Double-___ cassowary (bird of Indonesia and Australia) — Answer: WATTLED
- 22. Matches with forensics — Answer: DEBATECONTESTS
- 24. Occasions to relax and recharge — Answer: MEDAYS
- 25. Obama's third secretary of defense (2013-15) — Answer: HAGEL
- 26. Gasoline brand that offered the Torch Club credit card — Answer: AMOCO
- 27. Aid in making salsa — Answer: DICER
- 28. Operculum, e.g. — Answer: LID
- 31. Capital of Greenland — Answer: NUUK
- 32. They're hard to pull off — Answer: FEATS
- 33. Spa service, in brief — Answer: MANI
- 34. Up to snuff, facetiously — Answer: EPT
- 35. Trickles — Answer: SEEPS
- 36. Cup holders — Answer: ZARFS
- 37. Many a Porsche 911 — Answer: COUPE
- 38. Practical types who are often perfectionists, it's said — Answer: VIRGOS
- 39. Don't start with me! — Answer: SECONDSTRINGER
- 43. Difficult effort — Answer: TRAVAIL
- 44. Cut out — Answer: EXCISED
- 46. Setting for Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" — Answer: RIVERSEINE
- 48. Cold-smoked lox — Answer: NOVA
- 49. 7 up, perhaps — Answer: EVENSTEVEN
- 50. Gulf of ___, waters that abut Djibouti and Somaliland — Answer: ADEN
- 51. Vanilla units — Answer: PODS
- 52. Spouts — Answer: SPEWS
- 53. Romp — Answer: LARK
Down
- 1. Victor over Washington on 11/12/1955 in "Back to the Future, Pt. II" -- and in real life — Answer: UCLA
- 2. Cattle call — Answer: ROUNDEMUP
- 3. Went wide or long, as a tennis ball — Answer: LANDEDOUT
- 4. "No closer!" — Answer: STAYBACK
- 5. Takes off — Answer: SPLITS
- 6. Wind pipe? — Answer: CHIME
- 7. Blight — Answer: ROT
- 8. Getting a break on Broadway? — Answer: INTWOACTS
- 9. Medleys — Answer: MELANGES
- 10. Marriott property with the slogan "Whatever Whenever" — Answer: WHOTEL
- 11. Triumphs smoothly — Answer: ROLLS
- 12. ___ Brickowski ("The Lego Movie" protagonist) — Answer: EMMET
- 13. "What this country ___ ..." — Answer: NEEDS
- 16. Certain volleyballer — Answer: SETTER
- 20. Deck — Answer: KAYO
- 23. Once-popular terra-cotta figurine — Answer: CHIAPET
- 24. Trigger hair — Answer: MANE
- 27. State in which Gulliver is discovered by the Lilliputians — Answer: DEEPSLEEP
- 28. Combo meal upgrade — Answer: LARGESODA
- 29. Going back ages — Answer: INFOREVER
- 30. ___ track — Answer: DISS
- 32. Folks who enjoy a well-aged beef? — Answer: FEUDISTS
- 33. Borderline — Answer: MARGINAL
- 35. Echolocation systems — Answer: SONARS
- 36. Element between copper and gallium on the periodic table — Answer: ZINC
- 37. Spelling combinations? — Answer: COVENS
- 38. They're concerned with feeding kits — Answer: VIXENS
- 39. Pharyngeal woe — Answer: STREP
- 40. Cynthia ___, Tony winner for "The Color Purple" — Answer: ERIVO
- 41. Buckled — Answer: CAVED
- 42. Extend, in a way — Answer: RENEW
- 45. Chilly and damp — Answer: DANK
- 47. "___ noticed" — Answer: IVE
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Saturday, May 16, 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 16?” 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 16, 2026
The full solution for the May 16 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 Saturday, May 16.
Hints for the May 16 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 16 puzzle fell on a Saturday, 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 Saturday 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?
- ← NYT Crossword answers for May 15
- → NYT Crossword answers for May 17
- Today's NYT Crossword answers — the live puzzle
- Browse the full archive of past NYT Crossword answers from the today page, or step through the dates above.
Prefer to solve rather than peek? The play button opens the puzzle so you can try that day's grid yourself, then come back to check your answers. Stuck on a single clue from any puzzle, our crossword solver reveals just that answer from your known letters.
Frequently asked questions
What were the NYT Crossword answers on May 16, 2026?
Every answer for the Saturday, May 16, 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.
How do I look up a different date?
Use the previous/next links above to step day by day, or open the today page to browse the full dated archive.