NYT Crossword Answers - May 20

By Kathleen Duncan

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Across

  1. 1Establishment that serves zombies, perhapsTIKIBAR
  2. 8Adorn with raised letteringEMBOSS
  3. 14"Drink" for vocal criticsHATERADE
  4. 15European city that "waits for you," in a Billy Joel tuneVIENNA
  5. 16Nontraditional time for voting someone into officeOFFYEARELECTION
  6. 18Redding who sang "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay"OTIS
  7. 19God played by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel moviesODIN
  8. 20Church crossROOD
  9. 21Florence-based fashion houseGUCCI
  10. 24Takes back a public statementRECANTS
  11. 26What a waiter might offer to start you offSOUPOFTHEDAY
  12. 29Make a boo-booERR
  13. 30___ contendere (court plea)NOLO
  14. 31SpudTATER
  15. 35BitingACERB
  16. 37___ KippurYOM
  17. 39Actress Bow of the silent film eraCLARA
  18. 40Light show toolLASER
  19. 41TV personality KotbHODA
  20. 43ClanKIN
  21. 44Bit of movie magicVISUALEFFECT
  22. 48"Essential" product used as an anti-acne treatmentSAGEOIL
  23. 51Take ___ of faithALEAP
  24. 52Place for a seafood dinnerPIER
  25. 53Classic PontiacsGTOS
  26. 55Arcing tennis shotsLOBS
  27. 58Condescending rhetorical question ... or what you might say about 16-, 26- and 44-Across?ISNTTHATSPECIAL
  28. 62John in the sketch "The Fish-Slapping Dance"CLEESE
  29. 63"Seems right," folksilyRECKONSO
  30. 64Words a teenager might say with an eye rollYESDAD
  31. 65Says OKASSENTS

Down

  1. 1Mustachioed president who succeeded another mustachioed president in 1909TAFT
  2. 2"Don't know why I thought any different!"ITFIGURES
  3. 3Gets hypedKEYSUP
  4. 4FuryIRE
  5. 5Farmyard bleatBAA
  6. 6With deftnessADROITLY
  7. 7Clarinet, for oneREED
  8. 8Made levelEVENED
  9. 9Careful, this might be hot!MIC
  10. 10Act of JudasBETRAYAL
  11. 11Word with ring or rollONION
  12. 12Hoity-toity oneSNOOT
  13. 13Smooths, in a waySANDS
  14. 14"___ boy!"HOO
  15. 17Old Italian moneyLIRE
  16. 22Musical notation that means "with vigor"CONBRIO
  17. 23Boardroom bigwig, in briefCFO
  18. 25Spot to drink a matcha with a ManxCATCAFE
  19. 26Ocean prey for a 27-DownSEAL
  20. 27Ocean predator of a 26-DownORCA
  21. 28Big to-doHOOHA
  22. 32Be in charge, informallyTAKEPOINT
  23. 33Protagonist of "That '70s Show"ERIC
  24. 34Speech full of invectiveRANT
  25. 36Went back (to), as a prior stateREVERTED
  26. 38Epitome of slownessMOLASSES
  27. 42Director Guillermo ___ ToroDEL
  28. 45Expressed frustration, maybeSIGHED
  29. 46Beauty company whose Nasdaq ticker symbol is its nameULTA
  30. 47Atlanta athleteFALCON
  31. 48RisquéSPICY
  32. 49Walkway for newlywedsAISLE
  33. 50They're part of what makes you youGENES
  34. 54"___ Noche en Miami" (Bad Bunny song)OTRA
  35. 56Low voiceBASS
  36. 57___-moSLO
  37. 59Org. whose staffers wear royal blue uniformsTSA
  38. 60Lenovo products, informallyPCS
  39. 61Just get (by)EKE

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Establishment that serves zombies, perhaps — Answer: TIKIBAR
  2. 8. Adorn with raised lettering — Answer: EMBOSS
  3. 14. "Drink" for vocal critics — Answer: HATERADE
  4. 15. European city that "waits for you," in a Billy Joel tune — Answer: VIENNA
  5. 16. Nontraditional time for voting someone into office — Answer: OFFYEARELECTION
  6. 18. Redding who sang "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" — Answer: OTIS
  7. 19. God played by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel movies — Answer: ODIN
  8. 20. Church cross — Answer: ROOD
  9. 21. Florence-based fashion house — Answer: GUCCI
  10. 24. Takes back a public statement — Answer: RECANTS
  11. 26. What a waiter might offer to start you off — Answer: SOUPOFTHEDAY
  12. 29. Make a boo-boo — Answer: ERR
  13. 30. ___ contendere (court plea) — Answer: NOLO
  14. 31. Spud — Answer: TATER
  15. 35. Biting — Answer: ACERB. Hint: Think of a taste that's sharp or sour, often described as a little harsh! 🍋
  16. 37. ___ Kippur — Answer: YOM. Hint: This short word precedes Kippur in the holiday's name. 🕍
  17. 39. Actress Bow of the silent film era — Answer: CLARA
  18. 40. Light show tool — Answer: LASER
  19. 41. TV personality Kotb — Answer: HODA
  20. 43. Clan — Answer: KIN
  21. 44. Bit of movie magic — Answer: VISUALEFFECT
  22. 48. "Essential" product used as an anti-acne treatment — Answer: SAGEOIL
  23. 51. Take ___ of faith — Answer: ALEAP
  24. 52. Place for a seafood dinner — Answer: PIER
  25. 53. Classic Pontiacs — Answer: GTOS
  26. 55. Arcing tennis shots — Answer: LOBS
  27. 58. Condescending rhetorical question ... or what you might say about 16-, 26- and 44-Across? — Answer: ISNTTHATSPECIAL
  28. 62. John in the sketch "The Fish-Slapping Dance" — Answer: CLEESE
  29. 63. "Seems right," folksily — Answer: RECKONSO
  30. 64. Words a teenager might say with an eye roll — Answer: YESDAD
  31. 65. Says OK — Answer: ASSENTS

Down

  1. 1. Mustachioed president who succeeded another mustachioed president in 1909 — Answer: TAFT
  2. 2. "Don't know why I thought any different!" — Answer: ITFIGURES
  3. 3. Gets hyped — Answer: KEYSUP
  4. 4. Fury — Answer: IRE. Hint: A fiery burst of intense anger 🔥
  5. 5. Farmyard bleat — Answer: BAA. Hint: Think of what a sheep says when it's hungry! 🐑
  6. 6. With deftness — Answer: ADROITLY
  7. 7. Clarinet, for one — Answer: REED
  8. 8. Made level — Answer: EVENED
  9. 9. Careful, this might be hot! — Answer: MIC
  10. 10. Act of Judas — Answer: BETRAYAL
  11. 11. Word with ring or roll — Answer: ONION
  12. 12. Hoity-toity one — Answer: SNOOT
  13. 13. Smooths, in a way — Answer: SANDS
  14. 14. "___ boy!" — Answer: HOO
  15. 17. Old Italian money — Answer: LIRE
  16. 22. Musical notation that means "with vigor" — Answer: CONBRIO
  17. 23. Boardroom bigwig, in brief — Answer: CFO
  18. 25. Spot to drink a matcha with a Manx — Answer: CATCAFE
  19. 26. Ocean prey for a 27-Down — Answer: SEAL
  20. 27. Ocean predator of a 26-Down — Answer: ORCA
  21. 28. Big to-do — Answer: HOOHA
  22. 32. Be in charge, informally — Answer: TAKEPOINT
  23. 33. Protagonist of "That '70s Show" — Answer: ERIC
  24. 34. Speech full of invective — Answer: RANT
  25. 36. Went back (to), as a prior state — Answer: REVERTED
  26. 38. Epitome of slowness — Answer: MOLASSES
  27. 42. Director Guillermo ___ Toro — Answer: DEL
  28. 45. Expressed frustration, maybe — Answer: SIGHED
  29. 46. Beauty company whose Nasdaq ticker symbol is its name — Answer: ULTA
  30. 47. Atlanta athlete — Answer: FALCON
  31. 48. Risqué — Answer: SPICY
  32. 49. Walkway for newlyweds — Answer: AISLE
  33. 50. They're part of what makes you you — Answer: GENES
  34. 54. "___ Noche en Miami" (Bad Bunny song) — Answer: OTRA
  35. 56. Low voice — Answer: BASS
  36. 57. ___-mo — Answer: SLO. Hint: Complete the phrase for motion captured at a reduced speed 🎥
  37. 59. Org. whose staffers wear royal blue uniforms — Answer: TSA
  38. 60. Lenovo products, informally — Answer: PCS
  39. 61. Just get (by) — Answer: EKE

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 19 May 2026NYT Crossword 18 May 2026NYT Crossword 17 May 2026NYT Crossword 16 May 2026NYT Crossword 15 May 2026NYT Crossword 14 May 2026NYT Crossword 13 May 2026

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Wednesday, May 20, 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 20?” 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 20, 2026

The full solution for the May 20 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 Wednesday, May 20.

Full NYT Crossword answer list for May 20, 2026

Every clue from the May 20 grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Establishment that serves zombies, perhapsTIKIBAR
8Adorn with raised letteringEMBOSS
14"Drink" for vocal criticsHATERADE
15European city that "waits for you," in a Billy Joel tuneVIENNA
16Nontraditional time for voting someone into officeOFFYEARELECTION
18Redding who sang "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay"OTIS
19God played by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel moviesODIN
20Church crossROOD
21Florence-based fashion houseGUCCI
24Takes back a public statementRECANTS
26What a waiter might offer to start you offSOUPOFTHEDAY
29Make a boo-booERR
30___ contendere (court plea)NOLO
31SpudTATER
35BitingACERB
37___ KippurYOM
39Actress Bow of the silent film eraCLARA
40Light show toolLASER
41TV personality KotbHODA
43ClanKIN
44Bit of movie magicVISUALEFFECT
48"Essential" product used as an anti-acne treatmentSAGEOIL
51Take ___ of faithALEAP
52Place for a seafood dinnerPIER
53Classic PontiacsGTOS
55Arcing tennis shotsLOBS
58Condescending rhetorical question ... or what you might say about 16-, 26- and 44-Across?ISNTTHATSPECIAL
62John in the sketch "The Fish-Slapping Dance"CLEESE
63"Seems right," folksilyRECKONSO
64Words a teenager might say with an eye rollYESDAD
65Says OKASSENTS

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Mustachioed president who succeeded another mustachioed president in 1909TAFT
2"Don't know why I thought any different!"ITFIGURES
3Gets hypedKEYSUP
4FuryIRE
5Farmyard bleatBAA
6With deftnessADROITLY
7Clarinet, for oneREED
8Made levelEVENED
9Careful, this might be hot!MIC
10Act of JudasBETRAYAL
11Word with ring or rollONION
12Hoity-toity oneSNOOT
13Smooths, in a waySANDS
14"___ boy!"HOO
17Old Italian moneyLIRE
22Musical notation that means "with vigor"CONBRIO
23Boardroom bigwig, in briefCFO
25Spot to drink a matcha with a ManxCATCAFE
26Ocean prey for a 27-DownSEAL
27Ocean predator of a 26-DownORCA
28Big to-doHOOHA
32Be in charge, informallyTAKEPOINT
33Protagonist of "That '70s Show"ERIC
34Speech full of invectiveRANT
36Went back (to), as a prior stateREVERTED
38Epitome of slownessMOLASSES
42Director Guillermo ___ ToroDEL
45Expressed frustration, maybeSIGHED
46Beauty company whose Nasdaq ticker symbol is its nameULTA
47Atlanta athleteFALCON
48RisquéSPICY
49Walkway for newlywedsAISLE
50They're part of what makes you youGENES
54"___ Noche en Miami" (Bad Bunny song)OTRA
56Low voiceBASS
57___-moSLO
59Org. whose staffers wear royal blue uniformsTSA
60Lenovo products, informallyPCS
61Just get (by)EKE

Hints for the May 20 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 20 puzzle fell on a Wednesday, 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 Wednesday 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 20, 2026?

Every answer for the Wednesday, May 20, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

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