Early 2000s first lady

NYT Crossword Clue

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Wednesday, July 15, 2026

By Jonathan Raksin and Jeff Chen

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Bold way to go when bluffing
  2. 6Blade brand
  3. 10Mocked, in a way
  4. 14One of approximately three million in Finland (for a population of less than six million)
  5. 15Artery
  6. 16Place for a hero
  7. 17Giving up one's amateur status
  8. 19Valhalla V.I.P.
  9. 20Ben Jonson wrote one to himself
  10. 21Name repeated in a hit 1963 rock song
  11. 22Emulate Cicero
  12. 23Frantic rushes
  13. 25Apple variety named for the state it was developed in
  14. 28Daffy Duck characteristic
  15. 29Thing to rule, proverbially
  16. 30Moon's path
  17. 33Largest human cells
  18. 36Rapper born Tracy Lauren Marrow
  19. 37Good source of vitamin C
  20. 38Thunderstruck
  21. 39Ballpark fig.
  22. 40Liam Neeson action trilogy
  23. 41Many a rosé wine
  24. 42Budget airline of Ireland, informally
  25. 44Word with college or message
  26. 45Something it's good to pass with
  27. 50Places for hot dates?
  28. 51Moves pawn to e4, e.g.
  29. 52"Hazy" drink
  30. 55One flying in to the coast, maybe
  31. 56Competitor suggested by 17-, 23- and 45-Across ... or by the name of the inventor jumbled in the circled letters
  32. 58Mortarboard wearer
  33. 59Steve with nine N.B.A. titles as a player and coach
  34. 60Island country that's an anagram of TAHITI minus T
  35. 61Major export of Ghana
  36. 62Brit's exclamation
  37. 63Thompson who plays Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Down

  1. 1Regarding
  2. 2Hail
  3. 3Draw
  4. 4Days or Knights follower
  5. 5Finger painting?
  6. 6Many-eyed giant of Greek myth
  7. 7Hot ___ (fast-fashion company)
  8. 8Like triplets vis-à-vis twins
  9. 9Botheration
  10. 10Cute to the max
  11. 11Standard bicycle propulsion
  12. 12Upper echelon
  13. 13Patronizes a four-star restaurant, say
  14. 18Central point
  15. 22Pass over
  16. 23Atomizer output
  17. 24Came to rest
  18. 25The "E" in HOMES
  19. 26Some comfy kicks
  20. 27Spoken-word event
  21. 30Mork's planet on an old sitcom
  22. 31Narrator on "Euphoria"
  23. 32Storage container
  24. 34Peddle
  25. 35Tacks on
  26. 37Vampire double feature?
  27. 38"What a pity!"
  28. 40Catches some rays
  29. 41Sour soup
  30. 43Rates of return
  31. 44Whom Austin Powers parodies
  32. 45Like San Francisco, frequently
  33. 46Early 2000s first lady
  34. 47Hangs in there
  35. 48Work with a libretto
  36. 49Distrustful
  37. 52Sacred bird of ancient Egypt
  38. 53Contents of some carriers
  39. 54Highlight of a 48-Down
  40. 56Word with run or lift
  41. 57Burj Khalifa's home, in brief

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Bold way to go when bluffing — Answer: ALLIN
  2. 6. Blade brand — Answer: ATRA
  3. 10. Mocked, in a way — Answer: APED
  4. 14. One of approximately three million in Finland (for a population of less than six million) — Answer: SAUNA
  5. 15. Artery — Answer: ROAD
  6. 16. Place for a hero — Answer: DELI
  7. 17. Giving up one's amateur status — Answer: TURNINGPRO
  8. 19. Valhalla V.I.P. — Answer: ODIN
  9. 20. Ben Jonson wrote one to himself — Answer: ODE
  10. 21. Name repeated in a hit 1963 rock song — Answer: LOUIE
  11. 22. Emulate Cicero — Answer: ORATE
  12. 23. Frantic rushes — Answer: MADSCRAMBLES
  13. 25. Apple variety named for the state it was developed in — Answer: EMPIRE
  14. 28. Daffy Duck characteristic — Answer: LISP
  15. 29. Thing to rule, proverbially — Answer: ROOST
  16. 30. Moon's path — Answer: ORBIT
  17. 33. Largest human cells — Answer: OVA
  18. 36. Rapper born Tracy Lauren Marrow — Answer: ICET
  19. 37. Good source of vitamin C — Answer: FRUIT
  20. 38. Thunderstruck — Answer: AWED
  21. 39. Ballpark fig. — Answer: EST
  22. 40. Liam Neeson action trilogy — Answer: TAKEN
  23. 41. Many a rosé wine — Answer: BLEND
  24. 42. Budget airline of Ireland, informally — Answer: RYAN
  25. 44. Word with college or message — Answer: BOARDS
  26. 45. Something it's good to pass with — Answer: FLYINGCOLORS
  27. 50. Places for hot dates? — Answer: OASES
  28. 51. Moves pawn to e4, e.g. — Answer: OPENS
  29. 52. "Hazy" drink — Answer: IPA
  30. 55. One flying in to the coast, maybe — Answer: GULL
  31. 56. Competitor suggested by 17-, 23- and 45-Across ... or by the name of the inventor jumbled in the circled letters — Answer: SPEEDCUBER
  32. 58. Mortarboard wearer — Answer: GRAD
  33. 59. Steve with nine N.B.A. titles as a player and coach — Answer: KERR
  34. 60. Island country that's an anagram of TAHITI minus T — Answer: HAITI
  35. 61. Major export of Ghana — Answer: YAMS
  36. 62. Brit's exclamation — Answer: ISAY
  37. 63. Thompson who plays Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Answer: TESSA

Down

  1. 1. Regarding — Answer: ASTO
  2. 2. Hail — Answer: LAUD
  3. 3. Draw — Answer: LURE
  4. 4. Days or Knights follower — Answer: INN
  5. 5. Finger painting? — Answer: NAILART
  6. 6. Many-eyed giant of Greek myth — Answer: ARGUS
  7. 7. Hot ___ (fast-fashion company) — Answer: TOPIC
  8. 8. Like triplets vis-à-vis twins — Answer: RARER
  9. 9. Botheration — Answer: ADO
  10. 10. Cute to the max — Answer: ADORBS
  11. 11. Standard bicycle propulsion — Answer: PEDALPOWER
  12. 12. Upper echelon — Answer: ELITE
  13. 13. Patronizes a four-star restaurant, say — Answer: DINES
  14. 18. Central point — Answer: NODE
  15. 22. Pass over — Answer: OMIT
  16. 23. Atomizer output — Answer: MIST
  17. 24. Came to rest — Answer: ALIT
  18. 25. The "E" in HOMES — Answer: ERIE
  19. 26. Some comfy kicks — Answer: MOCS
  20. 27. Spoken-word event — Answer: POETRYSLAM
  21. 30. Mork's planet on an old sitcom — Answer: ORK
  22. 31. Narrator on "Euphoria" — Answer: RUE
  23. 32. Storage container — Answer: BIN
  24. 34. Peddle — Answer: VEND
  25. 35. Tacks on — Answer: ADDS
  26. 37. Vampire double feature? — Answer: FANG
  27. 38. "What a pity!" — Answer: ALAS
  28. 40. Catches some rays — Answer: TANS
  29. 41. Sour soup — Answer: BORSCHT
  30. 43. Rates of return — Answer: YIELDS
  31. 44. Whom Austin Powers parodies — Answer: BOND
  32. 45. Like San Francisco, frequently — Answer: FOGGY
  33. 46. Early 2000s first lady — Answer: LAURA
  34. 47. Hangs in there — Answer: COPES
  35. 48. Work with a libretto — Answer: OPERA
  36. 49. Distrustful — Answer: LEERY
  37. 52. Sacred bird of ancient Egypt — Answer: IBIS
  38. 53. Contents of some carriers — Answer: PETS
  39. 54. Highlight of a 48-Down — Answer: ARIA
  40. 56. Word with run or lift — Answer: SKI
  41. 57. Burj Khalifa's home, in brief — Answer: UAE

The answer to “Early 2000s first lady” in the New York Times crossword is LAURA — a 5-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on July 15, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 46-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.

“Early 2000s first lady” answer

LAURA (5 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 LAURA.

Why the answer is LAURA

LAURA is the 5-letter solution that fits "Early 2000s first lady" in the NYT Crossword crossword on July 15, 2026 (46-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Early 2000s first lady” 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.

July 15, 2026 (this puzzle) → LAURA. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on July 15, 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 July 15, 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 Wednesday 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 “Early 2000s first lady”?

The answer is LAURA, a 5-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 15, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Early 2000s first lady”?

5 letters: LAURA.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on July 15, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 46-Down.

Can “Early 2000s first lady” 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 July 15, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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