Wednesday, May 20, 2026
By Kathleen Duncan
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Establishment that serves zombies, perhaps
- 8Adorn with raised lettering
- 14"Drink" for vocal critics
- 15European city that "waits for you," in a Billy Joel tune
- 16Nontraditional time for voting someone into office
- 18Redding who sang "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay"
- 19God played by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel movies
- 20Church cross
- 21Florence-based fashion house
- 24Takes back a public statement
- 26What a waiter might offer to start you off
- 29Make a boo-boo
- 30___ contendere (court plea)
- 31Spud
- 35Biting
- 37___ Kippur
- 39Actress Bow of the silent film era
- 40Light show tool
- 41TV personality Kotb
- 43Clan
- 44Bit of movie magic
- 48"Essential" product used as an anti-acne treatment
- 51Take ___ of faith
- 52Place for a seafood dinner
- 53Classic Pontiacs
- 55Arcing tennis shots
- 58Condescending rhetorical question ... or what you might say about 16-, 26- and 44-Across?
- 62John in the sketch "The Fish-Slapping Dance"
- 63"Seems right," folksily
- 64Words a teenager might say with an eye roll
- 65Says OK
Down
- 1Mustachioed president who succeeded another mustachioed president in 1909
- 2"Don't know why I thought any different!"
- 3Gets hyped
- 4Fury
- 5Farmyard bleat
- 6With deftness
- 7Clarinet, for one
- 8Made level
- 9Careful, this might be hot!
- 10Act of Judas
- 11Word with ring or roll
- 12Hoity-toity one
- 13Smooths, in a way
- 14"___ boy!"
- 17Old Italian money
- 22Musical notation that means "with vigor"
- 23Boardroom bigwig, in brief
- 25Spot to drink a matcha with a Manx
- 26Ocean prey for a 27-Down
- 27Ocean predator of a 26-Down
- 28Big to-do
- 32Be in charge, informally
- 33Protagonist of "That '70s Show"
- 34Speech full of invective
- 36Went back (to), as a prior state
- 38Epitome of slowness
- 42Director Guillermo ___ Toro
- 45Expressed frustration, maybe
- 46Beauty company whose Nasdaq ticker symbol is its name
- 47Atlanta athlete
- 48Risqué
- 49Walkway for newlyweds
- 50They're part of what makes you you
- 54"___ Noche en Miami" (Bad Bunny song)
- 56Low voice
- 57___-mo
- 59Org. whose staffers wear royal blue uniforms
- 60Lenovo products, informally
- 61Just get (by)
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Establishment that serves zombies, perhaps — Answer: TIKIBAR
- 8. Adorn with raised lettering — Answer: EMBOSS
- 14. "Drink" for vocal critics — Answer: HATERADE
- 15. European city that "waits for you," in a Billy Joel tune — Answer: VIENNA
- 16. Nontraditional time for voting someone into office — Answer: OFFYEARELECTION
- 18. Redding who sang "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" — Answer: OTIS
- 19. God played by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel movies — Answer: ODIN
- 20. Church cross — Answer: ROOD
- 21. Florence-based fashion house — Answer: GUCCI
- 24. Takes back a public statement — Answer: RECANTS
- 26. What a waiter might offer to start you off — Answer: SOUPOFTHEDAY
- 29. Make a boo-boo — Answer: ERR
- 30. ___ contendere (court plea) — Answer: NOLO
- 31. Spud — Answer: TATER
- 35. Biting — Answer: ACERB
- 37. ___ Kippur — Answer: YOM
- 39. Actress Bow of the silent film era — Answer: CLARA
- 40. Light show tool — Answer: LASER
- 41. TV personality Kotb — Answer: HODA
- 43. Clan — Answer: KIN
- 44. Bit of movie magic — Answer: VISUALEFFECT
- 48. "Essential" product used as an anti-acne treatment — Answer: SAGEOIL
- 51. Take ___ of faith — Answer: ALEAP
- 52. Place for a seafood dinner — Answer: PIER
- 53. Classic Pontiacs — Answer: GTOS
- 55. Arcing tennis shots — Answer: LOBS
- 58. Condescending rhetorical question ... or what you might say about 16-, 26- and 44-Across? — Answer: ISNTTHATSPECIAL
- 62. John in the sketch "The Fish-Slapping Dance" — Answer: CLEESE
- 63. "Seems right," folksily — Answer: RECKONSO
- 64. Words a teenager might say with an eye roll — Answer: YESDAD
- 65. Says OK — Answer: ASSENTS
Down
- 1. Mustachioed president who succeeded another mustachioed president in 1909 — Answer: TAFT
- 2. "Don't know why I thought any different!" — Answer: ITFIGURES
- 3. Gets hyped — Answer: KEYSUP
- 4. Fury — Answer: IRE
- 5. Farmyard bleat — Answer: BAA
- 6. With deftness — Answer: ADROITLY
- 7. Clarinet, for one — Answer: REED
- 8. Made level — Answer: EVENED
- 9. Careful, this might be hot! — Answer: MIC
- 10. Act of Judas — Answer: BETRAYAL
- 11. Word with ring or roll — Answer: ONION
- 12. Hoity-toity one — Answer: SNOOT
- 13. Smooths, in a way — Answer: SANDS
- 14. "___ boy!" — Answer: HOO
- 17. Old Italian money — Answer: LIRE
- 22. Musical notation that means "with vigor" — Answer: CONBRIO
- 23. Boardroom bigwig, in brief — Answer: CFO
- 25. Spot to drink a matcha with a Manx — Answer: CATCAFE
- 26. Ocean prey for a 27-Down — Answer: SEAL
- 27. Ocean predator of a 26-Down — Answer: ORCA
- 28. Big to-do — Answer: HOOHA
- 32. Be in charge, informally — Answer: TAKEPOINT
- 33. Protagonist of "That '70s Show" — Answer: ERIC
- 34. Speech full of invective — Answer: RANT
- 36. Went back (to), as a prior state — Answer: REVERTED
- 38. Epitome of slowness — Answer: MOLASSES
- 42. Director Guillermo ___ Toro — Answer: DEL
- 45. Expressed frustration, maybe — Answer: SIGHED
- 46. Beauty company whose Nasdaq ticker symbol is its name — Answer: ULTA
- 47. Atlanta athlete — Answer: FALCON
- 48. Risqué — Answer: SPICY
- 49. Walkway for newlyweds — Answer: AISLE
- 50. They're part of what makes you you — Answer: GENES
- 54. "___ Noche en Miami" (Bad Bunny song) — Answer: OTRA
- 56. Low voice — Answer: BASS
- 57. ___-mo — Answer: SLO
- 59. Org. whose staffers wear royal blue uniforms — Answer: TSA
- 60. Lenovo products, informally — Answer: PCS
- 61. Just get (by) — Answer: EKE
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.
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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