Monday, May 18, 2026
By Rena Cohen
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Like a game that has gone into a penalty shootout
- 5Luxury handbag brand
- 10Petri dish gel
- 14West Coast sch. that joined the Big Ten in 2024
- 15Stereotypical meal for a college student
- 16"Veni, ___, vici"
- 17Like the Code of Hammurabi
- 19Enterprise rival
- 20Got to one's feet
- 21Elmer's product
- 23"There's a cockroach!"
- 24Patch up some clothes, say
- 25Pioneering hybrid car
- 29Pouty expression
- 30Future atty.'s exam
- 31Rae who played President Barbie in "Barbie"
- 34Tackling of the quarterback
- 37Nebraska's largest city
- 40Governing body in the Harry Potter universe
- 43Fibrous part of broccoli
- 44Nothin'
- 45Cool, slangily
- 46"___ Calm and Carry On"
- 48Region
- 50Gardener's tool
- 54Kit ___ bar
- 57Woodcutter's tool
- 58Beauty queen's accessory
- 59Garlicky condiment
- 61Eye irritation
- 63Advice for the overambitious ... or a hint to 17-, 25-, 40- and 50-Across
- 66___ leches cake
- 67Oopsie
- 68Lotion ingredient
- 69Toward sunrise
- 70"Same!"
- 71Stereotypically antisocial pets
Down
- 1Large brass instruments
- 2"You have my sympathy"
- 3Macaroni shape
- 414 of these make up a fortnight
- 5Con's opposite
- 6Sprinted
- 7Friend in Mexico
- 8Gave out cards
- 9Zinnia or sunflower
- 10Director DuVernay
- 11Attempt something
- 12"Au revoir!"
- 13Puts on the line
- 18Oscar winner Jared
- 22English town famous for its salts
- 26Throw out of office
- 27Long (for)
- 28Holiday Inn competitor
- 29Sent by post
- 31Writes to on WhatsApp, in brief
- 32Puppy school command
- 33Roll of two ones
- 35"Ta-ta," in a text
- 36Camera company known for its "moments"
- 38With it
- 39Unreturned serve
- 41Distorts, as data
- 42Ticket price
- 47The "terrible twos" and the "threenager" years, for example
- 49Chapters of history
- 50Squander
- 51Outlandishly over the top, in modern slang
- 52Houston baseballer
- 53Swiss ___ (salad green)
- 54Marsupial often mistermed a "bear"
- 55Apportion
- 56There are 100 of these in every Scrabble game
- 60Apple desktop
- 62Superlative suffix
- 64Down Under bounder, for short
- 65Prefix between bi- and tetra-
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Like a game that has gone into a penalty shootout — Answer: TIED
- 5. Luxury handbag brand — Answer: PRADA
- 10. Petri dish gel — Answer: AGAR
- 14. West Coast sch. that joined the Big Ten in 2024 — Answer: UCLA
- 15. Stereotypical meal for a college student — Answer: RAMEN
- 16. "Veni, ___, vici" — Answer: VIDI
- 17. Like the Code of Hammurabi — Answer: BABYLONIAN
- 19. Enterprise rival — Answer: AVIS
- 20. Got to one's feet — Answer: AROSE
- 21. Elmer's product — Answer: GLUE
- 23. "There's a cockroach!" — Answer: EEK
- 24. Patch up some clothes, say — Answer: SEW
- 25. Pioneering hybrid car — Answer: TOYOTAPRIUS
- 29. Pouty expression — Answer: MOUE
- 30. Future atty.'s exam — Answer: LSAT
- 31. Rae who played President Barbie in "Barbie" — Answer: ISSA
- 34. Tackling of the quarterback — Answer: SACK
- 37. Nebraska's largest city — Answer: OMAHA
- 40. Governing body in the Harry Potter universe — Answer: MINISTRYOFMAGIC
- 43. Fibrous part of broccoli — Answer: STALK
- 44. Nothin' — Answer: NADA
- 45. Cool, slangily — Answer: DOPE
- 46. "___ Calm and Carry On" — Answer: KEEP
- 48. Region — Answer: AREA
- 50. Gardener's tool — Answer: WEEDWHACKER
- 54. Kit ___ bar — Answer: KAT
- 57. Woodcutter's tool — Answer: AXE
- 58. Beauty queen's accessory — Answer: SASH
- 59. Garlicky condiment — Answer: AIOLI
- 61. Eye irritation — Answer: STYE
- 63. Advice for the overambitious ... or a hint to 17-, 25-, 40- and 50-Across — Answer: STARTSMALL
- 66. ___ leches cake — Answer: TRES
- 67. Oopsie — Answer: ERROR
- 68. Lotion ingredient — Answer: ALOE
- 69. Toward sunrise — Answer: EAST
- 70. "Same!" — Answer: SODOI
- 71. Stereotypically antisocial pets — Answer: CATS
Down
- 1. Large brass instruments — Answer: TUBAS
- 2. "You have my sympathy" — Answer: ICARE
- 3. Macaroni shape — Answer: ELBOW
- 4. 14 of these make up a fortnight — Answer: DAYS
- 5. Con's opposite — Answer: PRO
- 6. Sprinted — Answer: RAN
- 7. Friend in Mexico — Answer: AMIGO
- 8. Gave out cards — Answer: DEALT
- 9. Zinnia or sunflower — Answer: ANNUAL
- 10. Director DuVernay — Answer: AVA
- 11. Attempt something — Answer: GIVEITAGO
- 12. "Au revoir!" — Answer: ADIEU
- 13. Puts on the line — Answer: RISKS
- 18. Oscar winner Jared — Answer: LETO
- 22. English town famous for its salts — Answer: EPSOM
- 26. Throw out of office — Answer: OUST
- 27. Long (for) — Answer: YEARN
- 28. Holiday Inn competitor — Answer: RAMADA
- 29. Sent by post — Answer: MAILED
- 31. Writes to on WhatsApp, in brief — Answer: IMS
- 32. Puppy school command — Answer: SIT
- 33. Roll of two ones — Answer: SNAKEEYES
- 35. "Ta-ta," in a text — Answer: CYA
- 36. Camera company known for its "moments" — Answer: KODAK
- 38. With it — Answer: HIP
- 39. Unreturned serve — Answer: ACE
- 41. Distorts, as data — Answer: SKEWS
- 42. Ticket price — Answer: FARE
- 47. The "terrible twos" and the "threenager" years, for example — Answer: PHASES
- 49. Chapters of history — Answer: ERAS
- 50. Squander — Answer: WASTE
- 51. Outlandishly over the top, in modern slang — Answer: EXTRA
- 52. Houston baseballer — Answer: ASTRO
- 53. Swiss ___ (salad green) — Answer: CHARD
- 54. Marsupial often mistermed a "bear" — Answer: KOALA
- 55. Apportion — Answer: ALLOT
- 56. There are 100 of these in every Scrabble game — Answer: TILES
- 60. Apple desktop — Answer: IMAC
- 62. Superlative suffix — Answer: EST
- 64. Down Under bounder, for short — Answer: ROO
- 65. Prefix between bi- and tetra- — Answer: TRI
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Monday, May 18, 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 18?” 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 18, 2026
The full solution for the May 18 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 Monday, May 18.
Hints for the May 18 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 18 puzzle fell on a Monday, 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 Monday 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 18, 2026?
Every answer for the Monday, May 18, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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