Thwack

Crossword Answer — May 29, 2026

Answer

NYT Crossword

Friday, May 29, 2026

By Hemant Mehta

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1"Oscar" of the French film industry
  2. 6Feeling after a long hike
  3. 10Singer/composer Bareilles
  4. 14Prematurely
  5. 16Many a fund-raising target, informally
  6. 17"We have a mutual friend?!"
  7. 18Smurf who is more than 500 years old
  8. 19See 20-Across
  9. 20With 19-Across, swing dance originating in Harlem
  10. 21They're cut to defuse an explosive
  11. 22Cue ... or queue
  12. 23Only player to win three Super Bowl M.V.P. awards before turning 30
  13. 25Reducing to rubble
  14. 28Apt anagram of NOTES
  15. 29Hockey infraction
  16. 30Breezy things enjoyed at the beach
  17. 34Doesn't go at full speed
  18. 35Sack
  19. 36Walk-on
  20. 37They might make you one with everything
  21. 39"La Tulipe Noire" novelist, 1850
  22. 40Party poppers
  23. 41Makes fun of mercilessly
  24. 42Fall sign
  25. 45Agitate
  26. 46Hits
  27. 47Won't let it go
  28. 49Zendaya's role on "Euphoria"
  29. 52Fictional manufacturer of a Do-It Yourself Tornado Kit
  30. 53"Can you catch me up?"
  31. 55Time of day either way
  32. 56Author of "All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists"
  33. 57Barriers to entry, in a way
  34. 58Unravel at the edges
  35. 59Variety of cold brew

Down

  1. 1It is king, in a phrase
  2. 2Redheaded monster on TV
  3. 3Thwack
  4. 4Birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.: Abbr.
  5. 5Road maneuvers featuring lazy braking
  6. 6Without dissenting voices
  7. 7It's cut after birth
  8. 8"Yowzers!"
  9. 9What a circle lacks
  10. 10Someone attracted to intellect over looks, say
  11. 11Dream interrupter
  12. 12Currency in The Legend of Zelda
  13. 13Hoard
  14. 15Outstanding, in a way
  15. 21Eager buyer's question
  16. 22Traps in a laundry room
  17. 24Not a particular one
  18. 25Snack brand since 1934
  19. 26It might be a lot
  20. 27Last U.S. national park, alphabetically
  21. 28Return payments?
  22. 30Adhere to the kashrut dietary rules
  23. 31They're filled with bacon
  24. 32"Curses, foiled again!"
  25. 33Guff
  26. 38Co-star of 2025's "Wicked: For Good," informally
  27. 41Neither demure nor mindful
  28. 42Come to attention, in a way
  29. 43Powder in a pantry
  30. 44Child's agreement
  31. 45Avoid rage-quitting, perhaps
  32. 48Longtime college basketball coach VanDerveer
  33. 49Run amok
  34. 50Hammer-and-sickle land, for short
  35. 51Gas brand whose name sounds like two letters of the alphabet
  36. 53"R U KIDDING ME?!"
  37. 54Way to look inward, in brief?

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. "Oscar" of the French film industry — Answer: CESAR
  2. 6. Feeling after a long hike — Answer: ACHE
  3. 10. Singer/composer Bareilles — Answer: SARA
  4. 14. Prematurely — Answer: ALLTOOSOON
  5. 16. Many a fund-raising target, informally — Answer: ALUM
  6. 17. "We have a mutual friend?!" — Answer: SMALLWORLD
  7. 18. Smurf who is more than 500 years old — Answer: PAPA
  8. 19. See 20-Across — Answer: HOP
  9. 20. With 19-Across, swing dance originating in Harlem — Answer: LINDY
  10. 21. They're cut to defuse an explosive — Answer: WIRES
  11. 22. Cue ... or queue — Answer: LINE
  12. 23. Only player to win three Super Bowl M.V.P. awards before turning 30 — Answer: MAHOMES
  13. 25. Reducing to rubble — Answer: RAZING
  14. 28. Apt anagram of NOTES — Answer: TONES
  15. 29. Hockey infraction — Answer: ICING
  16. 30. Breezy things enjoyed at the beach — Answer: EASYREADS
  17. 34. Doesn't go at full speed — Answer: TROTS
  18. 35. Sack — Answer: AXE
  19. 36. Walk-on — Answer: EXTRA
  20. 37. They might make you one with everything — Answer: ZENSTATES
  21. 39. "La Tulipe Noire" novelist, 1850 — Answer: DUMAS
  22. 40. Party poppers — Answer: CORKS
  23. 41. Makes fun of mercilessly — Answer: ROASTS
  24. 42. Fall sign — Answer: SCORPIO
  25. 45. Agitate — Answer: ROIL
  26. 46. Hits — Answer: TOKES
  27. 47. Won't let it go — Answer: STEWS
  28. 49. Zendaya's role on "Euphoria" — Answer: RUE
  29. 52. Fictional manufacturer of a Do-It Yourself Tornado Kit — Answer: ACME
  30. 53. "Can you catch me up?" — Answer: WHATDIMISS
  31. 55. Time of day either way — Answer: NOON
  32. 56. Author of "All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists" — Answer: TERRYGROSS
  33. 57. Barriers to entry, in a way — Answer: DAMS
  34. 58. Unravel at the edges — Answer: FRAY
  35. 59. Variety of cold brew — Answer: NITRO

Down

  1. 1. It is king, in a phrase — Answer: CASH
  2. 2. Redheaded monster on TV — Answer: ELMO
  3. 3. Thwack — Answer: SLAP
  4. 4. Birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.: Abbr. — Answer: ATL
  5. 5. Road maneuvers featuring lazy braking — Answer: ROLLINGSTOPS
  6. 6. Without dissenting voices — Answer: ASONE
  7. 7. It's cut after birth — Answer: CORD
  8. 8. "Yowzers!" — Answer: HOLYMOSES
  9. 9. What a circle lacks — Answer: END
  10. 10. Someone attracted to intellect over looks, say — Answer: SAPIOSEXUAL
  11. 11. Dream interrupter — Answer: ALARM
  12. 12. Currency in The Legend of Zelda — Answer: RUPEE
  13. 13. Hoard — Answer: AMASS
  14. 15. Outstanding, in a way — Answer: OWING
  15. 21. Eager buyer's question — Answer: WHEREDOISIGN
  16. 22. Traps in a laundry room — Answer: LINTSCREENS
  17. 24. Not a particular one — Answer: ANY
  18. 25. Snack brand since 1934 — Answer: RITZ
  19. 26. It might be a lot — Answer: ACRE
  20. 27. Last U.S. national park, alphabetically — Answer: ZION
  21. 28. Return payments? — Answer: TAXES
  22. 30. Adhere to the kashrut dietary rules — Answer: EATKOSHER
  23. 31. They're filled with bacon — Answer: ATMS
  24. 32. "Curses, foiled again!" — Answer: DRAT
  25. 33. Guff — Answer: SASS
  26. 38. Co-star of 2025's "Wicked: For Good," informally — Answer: ARI
  27. 41. Neither demure nor mindful — Answer: ROWDY
  28. 42. Come to attention, in a way — Answer: STAND
  29. 43. Powder in a pantry — Answer: COCOA
  30. 44. Child's agreement — Answer: OKMOM
  31. 45. Avoid rage-quitting, perhaps — Answer: RETRY
  32. 48. Longtime college basketball coach VanDerveer — Answer: TARA
  33. 49. Run amok — Answer: RIOT
  34. 50. Hammer-and-sickle land, for short — Answer: USSR
  35. 51. Gas brand whose name sounds like two letters of the alphabet — Answer: ESSO
  36. 53. "R U KIDDING ME?!" — Answer: WTF
  37. 54. Way to look inward, in brief? — Answer: MRI

The answer to “Thwack” in the New York Times crossword is SLAP — a 4-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on May 29, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 3-Down. If it's the entry standing between you and a clean grid, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, plus links to the day's other clues if more than one square is giving you trouble.

“Thwack” answer

SLAP (4 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is SLAP.

Why the answer is SLAP

SLAP is the 4-letter solution that fits "Thwack" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 29, 2026 (3-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Thwack” appeared?

New York Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up before, and what the answer was each time — handy if you landed here from a puzzle on another date.

May 29, 2026 (this puzzle) → SLAP. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on May 29, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for May 29, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Friday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Thwack”?

The answer is SLAP, a 4-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 29, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Thwack”?

4 letters: SLAP.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on May 29, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 3-Down.

Can “Thwack” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for May 29, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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