Wednesday, July 22, 2026
By Rebecca Goldstein
Tap a square to reveal a letter.
Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
NYT Crossword Clues
Across
Down
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Object of an extensive search — Answer: GRAIL. Hint: This legendary item often represents a quest for something sacred or elusive! 🏆
- 6. Regional life forms — Answer: BIOTA. Hint: Think of the collection of plants and animals that thrive in a specific area! 🌍
- 11. Lead-in to destination and determination — Answer: PRE. Hint: It’s a prefix that often indicates something that comes before! 🚀
- 14. Cry after an accident — Answer: OOPSY. Hint: When you make a blunder, sometimes all you can say is this! 😅
- 15. Take over — Answer: USURP. Hint: When someone illegitimately seizes control, they might be trying to do this! 👑
- 16. Deli supply — Answer: LOX. Hint: This tasty fish is often paired with bagels and cream cheese! 🥯
- 17. With 60-Across, invitation to play 38-Down — Answer: STEPRIGHTUP. Hint: It's time to join the fun and take your turn! 🎉
- 19. Seller's bottom lines, for short? — Answer: UPC. Hint: These codes can help you find the price on the shelf! 🏷️
- 20. Mister — Answer: SIR. Hint: A polite term for addressing a gentleman awaits you! 🎩
- 21. Victorian or Edwardian — Answer: ERA. Hint: Think about a significant period in history often associated with fancy hats and strict manners! 🎩
- 22. "Hmm, I'm thinking ..." — Answer: LETSSEE. Hint: When you're pondering a decision, what might you say? 🤔
- 24. Privy to — Answer: INON. Hint: What do you call something that's kept hidden away from others? 🤫
- 26. Qualified, say — Answer: ABLE. Hint: You might be this if you have the skills to tackle a challenge! 💪
- 28. Some STEM degrees — Answer: PHDS. Hint: Think of advanced studies that often lead to significant research contributions in science and technology! 🎓
- 29. Ace, e.g. — Answer: PILOT. Hint: Think of someone who navigates through the skies! ✈️
- 31. Wild ___ — Answer: OATS. Hint: These grains are often associated with untamed nature and a hearty breakfast! 🌾
- 33. "You are correct about that" — Answer: ITIS. Hint: This phrase confirms agreement in a casual way! 👍
- 34. Hawk's hook — Answer: TALON. Hint: Think of a bird of prey and what it uses to catch its dinner! 🦅
- 36. It doesn't include the Apocrypha — Answer: CANON. Hint: Think of a standard list that keeps things official in literature! 📚
- 38. Tall-eared cats from Devon or Cornwall — Answer: REXES. Hint: These playful felines are known for their unique fur and charming personalities! 🐾
- 39. It's a celebration — Answer: PARTY. Hint: Gather your friends and get ready to have some fun! 🎉
- 40. Toxin in castor beans — Answer: RICIN. Hint: This potent substance comes from a plant that's also used for oil—just be careful! 🌱
- 41. Surname that derives from the Sanskrit word for "lion" — Answer: SINGH. Hint: This last name is often associated with bravery and royalty in South Asian culture. 🦁
- 42. Actor Eric of "Troy" — Answer: BANA. Hint: This Australian actor's last name might sound like a type of fruit! 🍌
- 43. Get in bad with? — Answer: ABET. Hint: Sometimes, helping someone can lead you down a shady path! 🤔
- 45. Raises the temperature of — Answer: HEATS. Hint: When you want to make something warm, you give it a little boost! 🔥
- 49. Many a tech alum: Abbr. — Answer: ENGR. Hint: This abbreviation often describes graduates who design and build cool things! 🔧
- 50. Wood sculptor's tool — Answer: RASP. Hint: Think of a tool that smooths and shapes wood, often used by craftsmen! 🪵
- 52. Pop top? — Answer: BCAP. Hint: Think of a way to elevate your drinks above the competition! 🍻
- 53. Organic chemistry experiment? — Answer: HOTDATE. Hint: Sometimes, chemistry can lead to some sizzling romance! 🔥
- 56. ___ Maria, dark coffee liqueur — Answer: TIA. Hint: Think of a friendly toast often associated with drinks! 🍹
- 58. Exec overseeing A.I. integration — Answer: CIO. Hint: This tech-savvy title often leads the charge in digital transformation! 💻
- 59. Annual video game competition, for short — Answer: EVO. Hint: It's the ultimate showdown for fighting game fans every year! 🎮
- 60. See 17-Across — Answer: TRYYOURLUCK. Hint: Sometimes, taking a chance can lead to unexpected surprises! 🍀
- 63. "___ Misérables" — Answer: LES. Hint: This French word might often come before a classic story about struggle and redemption! 📖
- 64. Keep busy — Answer: TIEUP. Hint: Think about a way to engage someone's time or attention fully! ⏳
- 65. Israeli politician Dayan — Answer: MOSHE. Hint: This name might remind you of a famous biblical figure and a legendary story! 🕊️
- 66. Some people doing residencies: Abbr. — Answer: DRS. Hint: Think about the folks who may have a white coat and a stethoscope! 🩺
- 67. They're typical — Answer: NORMS. Hint: Think about the usual standards that guide behavior in a group! 📏
- 68. Handful in a beer garden? — Answer: STEIN. Hint: Think of a traditional vessel you might have in your hand while enjoying a cold brew! 🍻
Down
- 1. Spread dirt — Answer: GOSSIP. Hint: It's like sharing the latest buzz about someone! 🗣️
- 2. Corkscrew-shaped pasta — Answer: ROTINI. Hint: Think of a spiral staircase, but in pasta form! 🍝
- 3. Orange-colored liqueur served in a namesake spritz — Answer: APEROL. Hint: Think of a refreshing Italian drink that brightens up your summer days! 🍹
- 4. Means of making some connections, for short — Answer: ISP. Hint: Think of the service that helps you browse the web! 🌐
- 5. Relative of a harp — Answer: LYRE. Hint: This string instrument is often found in ancient myths and tales! 🎶
- 6. Pet peeves — Answer: BUGABOOS. Hint: Those little nuisances that really get under your skin! 😣
- 7. Estimation suffix — Answer: ISH. Hint: Sometimes used to soften a description or approximate a state of being! 🤔
- 8. Power source — Answer: OUTLET. Hint: Think about where you plug in your devices for energy! 🔌
- 9. "You are correct about that" — Answer: TRUE. Hint: This word is often used to confirm something is accurate or honest. ✅
- 10. Calendar notation: Abbr. — Answer: APPT. Hint: This abbreviation is often used to mark important meetings or events on your schedule! 📅
- 11. Prize dangling from a 38-Down booth — Answer: PLUSHTOY. Hint: Think about what you might win at a carnival game! 🎡
- 12. Voluntold, say — Answer: ROPEDIN. Hint: When you're enlisted without asking, you might feel a bit tied up! 🎣
- 13. More than necessary — Answer: EXCESS. Hint: Think about what happens when you have too much of a good thing! 🍰
- 18. Something you might put stock in, for short — Answer: IRA. Hint: Consider a retirement account that could help your future savings grow! 💰
- 23. Risqué game that teenagers might give a whirl? — Answer: SPINTHEB. Hint: Think of a playful pastime that often gets a little cheeky! 🎡
- 25. Memory jogger — Answer: NOTECARD. Hint: Think of a handy tool for quick reminders and studying! 📝
- 27. PC hookup — Answer: LAN. Hint: Think about how computers can connect with each other in a local space! 🌐
- 30. Cab — Answer: TAXI. Hint: For a ride around town, this vehicle is a popular pick! 🚖
- 32. Digitize, maybe — Answer: SCAN. Hint: Think about how you might turn a physical document into something you can see on your computer! 📄
- 35. Dunham who wrote the memoir "Famesick" — Answer: LENA. Hint: This talented star is known for more than just her writing; she also created a hit TV show! 🎬
- 37. "I'm so frustrated!" — Answer: ARGH. Hint: When words fail, this exclamation captures your feelings perfectly! 😤
- 38. Carnival game depicted in this puzzle — Answer: RINGTOSS. Hint: This game involves tossing something circular for prizes; it’s a classic at fairs! 🎯
- 39. Brief bathroom breaks, slangily — Answer: PITSTOPS. Hint: Think of quick pauses during a race, but for more personal reasons! 🚽
- 40. Trampled — Answer: RANOVER. Hint: Imagine a car's journey over something that shouldn't have been in the way! 🚗
- 41. Habitat with a wet floor — Answer: SEA. Hint: Think of a vast body of water where many creatures reside! 🌊
- 42. Eyeballed — Answer: BEHELD. Hint: Think about a word that means to have looked upon something intently! 👀
- 44. Ice cream eponym — Answer: BREYER. Hint: This brand of ice cream shares its name with a famous family synonymous with frozen treats! 🍦
- 46. Play the blame game with — Answer: ACCUSE. Hint: When something goes wrong, who do you point fingers at? 🤔
- 47. Chinese martial art — Answer: TAICHI. Hint: This slow-moving practice often helps with relaxation and balance. 🥋
- 48. Not sung, say — Answer: SPOKEN. Hint: Think about how we communicate without melodies! 🎤
- 51. More, musically — Answer: PIU. Hint: Think of a word that means 'more' in Italian, often used in musical directions! 🎶
- 54. Abbr. atop a memo — Answer: ATTN. Hint: It's what you write to grab someone's focus in a note! 📩
- 55. Charlie's Angels or the Chipmunks — Answer: TRIO. Hint: Think of a group of three that often teams up for adventures! 🎶
- 57. Body parts linked in a square dance, maybe — Answer: ARMS. Hint: Think about the limbs that get twirled around during a lively dance! 💃
- 61. "Tasty!" — Answer: YUM. Hint: When something is delicious, you might exclaim this! 😋
- 62. Auction offering — Answer: LOT. Hint: This term refers to a collection of items sold together at an auction! 🎨
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Wednesday, July 22, 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 July 22?” 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 July 22, 2026
The full solution for the July 22 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, July 22.
Hints for the July 22 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The July 22 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 July 22, 2026?
Every answer for the Wednesday, July 22, 2026 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
Where can I find today's NYT Crossword answers?
Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.
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