NYT Crossword Answers - May 21

By Zhou Zhang and Mallory Montgomery

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Across

  1. 1Gossiped-about duoITEM
  2. 5River whose southernmost source is found in BurundiNILE
  3. 9Animal that expresses anger by spittingLLAMA
  4. 14Curbside callTAXI
  5. 15Egg's outlineOVAL
  6. 16Traditional Vietnamese garment whose name means "long shirt"AODAI
  7. 172000 Eminem single with lines from his "biggest fan"STAN
  8. 18St. Benedict, for oneMONK
  9. 19Central meeting pointsNODES
  10. 20timiLBACKWARDSCAP
  11. 2350¢ or $1: Abbr.AMT
  12. 24Fish more formally known as a batomorphRAY
  13. 25Capital of Portugal, to nativesLISBOA
  14. 29Crown of jewelsDIADEM
  15. 31Penultimate Greek letterPSI
  16. 33One of four seen on Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man"ARM
  17. 34Goat's cryMAA
  18. 35Golfer's suppor-CUTOFFTEE
  19. 38Move like a foxSKULK
  20. 40Get a lode of this!ORE
  21. 41John from BritainELTON
  22. 42EvadeMINISKIRT
  23. 44"Bad" beginningMAL
  24. 45Like news that everyone already knowsOLD
  25. 46Legal boundaries?ELS
  26. 47Kind of cat with a black-and-white coatTUXEDO
  27. 50More melted, as a marshmallowGOOIER
  28. 53Tree alongside a ski runFIR
  29. 54Bro, e.g.SIB
  30. 55P | u | n | c | h | e | sSTRIPEDSOCKS
  31. 59Sound of a perfect basketball shotSWISH
  32. 62"Beware the ___ of a patient man": John DrydenFURY
  33. 63OrderedBADE
  34. 64Increase, as interestPIQUE
  35. 65German Ms.FRAU
  36. 66Pupil's surroundingsIRIS
  37. 67Environmentalist AdamsANSEL
  38. 68Site for many stars?YELP
  39. 69Sounds of disapprovalTSKS

Down

  1. 1Short negative reviewITSBAD
  2. 2Floor covering in a Japanese tearoomTATAMI
  3. 3"Bingo!"EXACTAMUNDO
  4. 4Stole materialMINK
  5. 5Southern denialNOMAAM
  6. 6Something tickled on a pianoIVORY
  7. 7"Buy ___. They're not making it anymore" (old saying)LAND
  8. 8Philanthropic group with a clock face in its logoELKS
  9. 9The so-called "Pineapple Isle"LANAI
  10. 10Goes around and aroundLOOPS
  11. 11Make sense, with "up"ADD
  12. 12"Maggie ___," classic folk song covered by the BeatlesMAE
  13. 13ChatGPT, Claude, etc.AIS
  14. 21InflictsWREAKS
  15. 22Muse of historyCLIO
  16. 26Lasting damage from a tough experience, metaphoricallyBATTLESCARS
  17. 27Milkshake flavorOREO
  18. 28Gospel shoutAMEN
  19. 30"Fountain of Milk Spreading Itself Uselessly on Three Shoes" painter, 1945DALI
  20. 31Contented soundsPURRS
  21. 32"Changed my mind," in editing notationSTET
  22. 35CurlCOIL
  23. 36Hip-knee connectorsFEMURS
  24. 37Source of linseed oilFLAX
  25. 38It's all a hazeSMOG
  26. 39Drug bust unitKILO
  27. 43Model MirandaKERR
  28. 47Make neatTIDYUP
  29. 48Large-eyed African antelope with a duplicative nameDIKDIK
  30. 49FixateOBSESS
  31. 51Give outISSUE
  32. 52Neighbor of Ricky and Lucy, on 1950s TVETHEL
  33. 53Far from house-trainedFERAL
  34. 56DodgyIFFY
  35. 57100%PURE
  36. 58End piece?OBIT
  37. 59Belinda's business on "The White Lotus"SPA
  38. 60PrevailWIN
  39. 61Some test figs.IQS

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Gossiped-about duo — Answer: ITEM
  2. 5. River whose southernmost source is found in Burundi — Answer: NILE
  3. 9. Animal that expresses anger by spitting — Answer: LLAMA
  4. 14. Curbside call — Answer: TAXI
  5. 15. Egg's outline — Answer: OVAL
  6. 16. Traditional Vietnamese garment whose name means "long shirt" — Answer: AODAI
  7. 17. 2000 Eminem single with lines from his "biggest fan" — Answer: STAN
  8. 18. St. Benedict, for one — Answer: MONK
  9. 19. Central meeting points — Answer: NODES
  10. 20. timiL — Answer: BACKWARDSCAP
  11. 23. 50¢ or $1: Abbr. — Answer: AMT
  12. 24. Fish more formally known as a batomorph — Answer: RAY
  13. 25. Capital of Portugal, to natives — Answer: LISBOA
  14. 29. Crown of jewels — Answer: DIADEM
  15. 31. Penultimate Greek letter — Answer: PSI
  16. 33. One of four seen on Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" — Answer: ARM
  17. 34. Goat's cry — Answer: MAA
  18. 35. Golfer's suppor- — Answer: CUTOFFTEE
  19. 38. Move like a fox — Answer: SKULK
  20. 40. Get a lode of this! — Answer: ORE
  21. 41. John from Britain — Answer: ELTON
  22. 42. Evade — Answer: MINISKIRT
  23. 44. "Bad" beginning — Answer: MAL
  24. 45. Like news that everyone already knows — Answer: OLD
  25. 46. Legal boundaries? — Answer: ELS
  26. 47. Kind of cat with a black-and-white coat — Answer: TUXEDO
  27. 50. More melted, as a marshmallow — Answer: GOOIER
  28. 53. Tree alongside a ski run — Answer: FIR
  29. 54. Bro, e.g. — Answer: SIB
  30. 55. P | u | n | c | h | e | s — Answer: STRIPEDSOCKS
  31. 59. Sound of a perfect basketball shot — Answer: SWISH
  32. 62. "Beware the ___ of a patient man": John Dryden — Answer: FURY
  33. 63. Ordered — Answer: BADE
  34. 64. Increase, as interest — Answer: PIQUE
  35. 65. German Ms. — Answer: FRAU
  36. 66. Pupil's surroundings — Answer: IRIS. Hint: The colored ring around the eye’s central opening helps regulate incoming light. 👁️
  37. 67. Environmentalist Adams — Answer: ANSEL
  38. 68. Site for many stars? — Answer: YELP
  39. 69. Sounds of disapproval — Answer: TSKS

Down

  1. 1. Short negative review — Answer: ITSBAD
  2. 2. Floor covering in a Japanese tearoom — Answer: TATAMI
  3. 3. "Bingo!" — Answer: EXACTAMUNDO
  4. 4. Stole material — Answer: MINK
  5. 5. Southern denial — Answer: NOMAAM
  6. 6. Something tickled on a piano — Answer: IVORY
  7. 7. "Buy ___. They're not making it anymore" (old saying) — Answer: LAND
  8. 8. Philanthropic group with a clock face in its logo — Answer: ELKS
  9. 9. The so-called "Pineapple Isle" — Answer: LANAI
  10. 10. Goes around and around — Answer: LOOPS
  11. 11. Make sense, with "up" — Answer: ADD
  12. 12. "Maggie ___," classic folk song covered by the Beatles — Answer: MAE
  13. 13. ChatGPT, Claude, etc. — Answer: AIS
  14. 21. Inflicts — Answer: WREAKS
  15. 22. Muse of history — Answer: CLIO
  16. 26. Lasting damage from a tough experience, metaphorically — Answer: BATTLESCARS
  17. 27. Milkshake flavor — Answer: OREO
  18. 28. Gospel shout — Answer: AMEN
  19. 30. "Fountain of Milk Spreading Itself Uselessly on Three Shoes" painter, 1945 — Answer: DALI
  20. 31. Contented sounds — Answer: PURRS
  21. 32. "Changed my mind," in editing notation — Answer: STET
  22. 35. Curl — Answer: COIL
  23. 36. Hip-knee connectors — Answer: FEMURS
  24. 37. Source of linseed oil — Answer: FLAX
  25. 38. It's all a haze — Answer: SMOG
  26. 39. Drug bust unit — Answer: KILO
  27. 43. Model Miranda — Answer: KERR
  28. 47. Make neat — Answer: TIDYUP
  29. 48. Large-eyed African antelope with a duplicative name — Answer: DIKDIK
  30. 49. Fixate — Answer: OBSESS
  31. 51. Give out — Answer: ISSUE
  32. 52. Neighbor of Ricky and Lucy, on 1950s TV — Answer: ETHEL
  33. 53. Far from house-trained — Answer: FERAL
  34. 56. Dodgy — Answer: IFFY
  35. 57. 100% — Answer: PURE
  36. 58. End piece? — Answer: OBIT
  37. 59. Belinda's business on "The White Lotus" — Answer: SPA
  38. 60. Prevail — Answer: WIN
  39. 61. Some test figs. — Answer: IQS

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Crossword 20 May 2026NYT Crossword 19 May 2026NYT Crossword 18 May 2026NYT Crossword 17 May 2026NYT Crossword 16 May 2026NYT Crossword 15 May 2026NYT Crossword 14 May 2026

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Thursday, May 21, 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 21?” 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 21, 2026

The full solution for the May 21 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 Thursday, May 21.

Full NYT Crossword answer list for May 21, 2026

Every clue from the May 21 grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Gossiped-about duoITEM
5River whose southernmost source is found in BurundiNILE
9Animal that expresses anger by spittingLLAMA
14Curbside callTAXI
15Egg's outlineOVAL
16Traditional Vietnamese garment whose name means "long shirt"AODAI
172000 Eminem single with lines from his "biggest fan"STAN
18St. Benedict, for oneMONK
19Central meeting pointsNODES
20timiLBACKWARDSCAP
2350¢ or $1: Abbr.AMT
24Fish more formally known as a batomorphRAY
25Capital of Portugal, to nativesLISBOA
29Crown of jewelsDIADEM
31Penultimate Greek letterPSI
33One of four seen on Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man"ARM
34Goat's cryMAA
35Golfer's suppor-CUTOFFTEE
38Move like a foxSKULK
40Get a lode of this!ORE
41John from BritainELTON
42EvadeMINISKIRT
44"Bad" beginningMAL
45Like news that everyone already knowsOLD
46Legal boundaries?ELS
47Kind of cat with a black-and-white coatTUXEDO
50More melted, as a marshmallowGOOIER
53Tree alongside a ski runFIR
54Bro, e.g.SIB
55P | u | n | c | h | e | sSTRIPEDSOCKS
59Sound of a perfect basketball shotSWISH
62"Beware the ___ of a patient man": John DrydenFURY
63OrderedBADE
64Increase, as interestPIQUE
65German Ms.FRAU
66Pupil's surroundingsIRIS
67Environmentalist AdamsANSEL
68Site for many stars?YELP
69Sounds of disapprovalTSKS

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Short negative reviewITSBAD
2Floor covering in a Japanese tearoomTATAMI
3"Bingo!"EXACTAMUNDO
4Stole materialMINK
5Southern denialNOMAAM
6Something tickled on a pianoIVORY
7"Buy ___. They're not making it anymore" (old saying)LAND
8Philanthropic group with a clock face in its logoELKS
9The so-called "Pineapple Isle"LANAI
10Goes around and aroundLOOPS
11Make sense, with "up"ADD
12"Maggie ___," classic folk song covered by the BeatlesMAE
13ChatGPT, Claude, etc.AIS
21InflictsWREAKS
22Muse of historyCLIO
26Lasting damage from a tough experience, metaphoricallyBATTLESCARS
27Milkshake flavorOREO
28Gospel shoutAMEN
30"Fountain of Milk Spreading Itself Uselessly on Three Shoes" painter, 1945DALI
31Contented soundsPURRS
32"Changed my mind," in editing notationSTET
35CurlCOIL
36Hip-knee connectorsFEMURS
37Source of linseed oilFLAX
38It's all a hazeSMOG
39Drug bust unitKILO
43Model MirandaKERR
47Make neatTIDYUP
48Large-eyed African antelope with a duplicative nameDIKDIK
49FixateOBSESS
51Give outISSUE
52Neighbor of Ricky and Lucy, on 1950s TVETHEL
53Far from house-trainedFERAL
56DodgyIFFY
57100%PURE
58End piece?OBIT
59Belinda's business on "The White Lotus"SPA
60PrevailWIN
61Some test figs.IQS

Hints for the May 21 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 21 puzzle fell on a Thursday, 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 Thursday 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?

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Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Crossword answers on May 21, 2026?

Every answer for the Thursday, May 21, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

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Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.

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