NYT Crossword Answers Today
By Daniel Bodily
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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. With 6-Across, #1 hit — Answer: CHART. Hint: A song reaching the top spot has made this coveted list! 🎵
- 6. - — Answer: TOPPER. Hint: Think of something that sits above everything else—or someone who finishes first. 👑
- 12. With 14-Across, ultimately fruitless — Answer: LEADING. Hint: Pair this with 14-Across to describe an effort that gets nowhere. 🍎
- 14. - — Answer: NOWHERE. Hint: It’s the place you go when there’s no place to go. 🗺️
- 15. With 16-Across, beverage sold in pastel-colored cans — Answer: ARIZONA. Hint: Think of the iced tea brand famous for its tall, pastel-colored cans. 🥤
- 16. - — Answer: ICEDTEA. Hint: A cool, brewed beverage often served with lemon is perfect on a hot day. 🍋
- 17. With 18-Across, measures of search engine optimization — Answer: PAGE. Hint: Think of what a search engine evaluates when ranking a website, paired with 18-Across. 🔍
- 18. - — Answer: RANKS. Hint: These can describe positions in a hierarchy or rows of soldiers. 🪖
- 20. With 22-Across, pocket ID holder — Answer: CARD. Hint: It’s the compact item that keeps your identification conveniently tucked away. 🪪
- 22. - — Answer: CASE. Hint: Think of something that holds an item or a matter argued in court. ⚖️
- 26. With 28-Across, temple services? — Answer: HEAD. Hint: Think of the body part that houses your thoughts and sits above your shoulders. 🧠
- 28. - — Answer: MASSAGES. Hint: Think of relaxing hands-on treatments that ease tension 💆
- 32. With 34-Across, sequestration of a greenhouse gas — Answer: CARBON. Hint: Think of the element plants draw from the air and climate solutions aim to lock away 🌿
- 34. - — Answer: STORAGE. Hint: A place where belongings are kept when they’re not in use 📦
- 35. With 36-Across, sparsely populated African land — Answer: WESTERN. Hint: Picture the sparsely settled desert territory along Africa’s northwest Atlantic coast, named in tandem with 36-Across. 🏜️
- 36. - — Answer: SAHARA. Hint: Think of the vast African desert known for towering dunes and scorching days. 🏜️
- 37. With 39-Across, web crawlers, e.g. — Answer: INTERNET. Hint: Think of the vast online network where search-engine bots roam. 🌐
- 39. - — Answer: BOTS. Hint: Think of automated helpers that handle tasks online without human input. 🤖
- 40. With 41-Across, loses all one's dough — Answer: GOES. Hint: Think of the verb that pairs with “broke” to describe becoming penniless. 💸
- 41. - — Answer: BUST. Hint: Think of what can happen when a plan fails—or what a police officer might make. 🚓
- 43. With 46-Across, Starbuck vis-à-vis Captain Ahab — Answer: FIRST. Hint: Think of the shipboard rank Starbuck holds under Ahab. ⚓
- 46. - — Answer: MATE. Hint: Think of the chess call that ends the game when the king cannot escape. ♟️
- 50. With 54-Across, math that underpins computer logic — Answer: BOOLEAN. Hint: Think of the yes-or-no math that powers computer logic. 💻
- 54. - — Answer: ALGEBRA. Hint: This branch of mathematics uses letters and symbols to solve for unknowns. 🧮
- 57. With 58-Across, member of the last undefeated N.C.A.A. Division I men's basketball team (1976) — Answer: INDIANA. Hint: Think of the Hoosier State, home to the undefeated 1976 college basketball champions 🏀
- 58. - — Answer: HOOSIER. Hint: Think of what you’d call someone from Indiana. 🏀
- 59. With 60-Across, tallies attendees — Answer: COUNTS. Hint: Paired with 60-Across, this verb records how many people showed up. 🧮
- 60. - — Answer: NOSES. Hint: These facial features help you sniff out a scent. 👃
Down
- 1. Michael of "Barbie" — Answer: CERA. Hint: Think of the actor who brought the quirky Allan to life in Barbie 🎬
- 2. Alexander who served under Reagan, Nixon and Ford — Answer: HAIG. Hint: This general and diplomat held top national-security roles across three Republican administrations. 🏛️
- 3. Axlike tool depicted in hieroglyphs — Answer: ADZE. Hint: Think of the ancient Egyptian woodworking tool that resembles a small axe. 🪓
- 4. City on Guanabara Bay, familiarly — Answer: RIO. Hint: Think of Brazil’s vibrant coastal city, famous for Carnival and Christ the Redeemer. 🌴
- 5. Paramount ancestor, in brief — Answer: TNN. Hint: Think of the former country-music TV channel that eventually evolved into a Paramount-branded network. 📺
- 6. Apt rhyme of "clock" — Answer: TOCK. Hint: It’s the sound that pairs with a clock’s tick. 🕒
- 7. Isn't settled up — Answer: OWES. Hint: It describes someone who still has a bill to pay 💸
- 8. High degree — Answer: PHD. Hint: This advanced academic qualification can follow years of research and study 🎓
- 9. Word with project or peeve — Answer: PET. Hint: Think of a favorite side project or a personal annoyance. 🐾
- 10. Before, in a hymnbook — Answer: ERE. Hint: This old-fashioned word for “before” might appear in a traditional hymn’s poetic wording. 📖
- 11. Stephen of "V for Vendetta" — Answer: REA. Hint: Think of the Irish actor who played the determined Inspector Finch in this dystopian thriller. 🎬
- 12. One of 25 in a track 10K — Answer: LAP. Hint: Think of one circuit around the course during the race 🏃
- 13. Actress Teri — Answer: GARR. Hint: She charmed audiences in Young Frankenstein and Tootsie. 🎬
- 14. Writer Anaïs whose name is hidden in this clue — Answer: NIN. Hint: Look closely at the wording—you’ll find the writer’s surname tucked away in plain sight. 🔎
- 19. Capt.'s superior — Answer: ADM. Hint: Think of the abbreviated military rank that outranks a captain. 🎖️
- 20. Pole tossed in a Scottish game — Answer: CABER. Hint: Picture a Highland strongman hurling a hefty wooden log end over end. 🪵
- 21. Beautify — Answer: ADORN. Hint: Give something a decorative touch to make it more attractive. ✨
- 22. Stone figure? — Answer: CARAT. Hint: Think of the tiny unit used to measure a gemstone’s weight. 💎
- 23. Petri dish gels — Answer: AGARS. Hint: These seaweed-based gels help scientists grow microbes in the lab. 🧫
- 24. Company that debuted Sonic the Hedgehog — Answer: SEGA. Hint: Think of the Japanese game company behind the speedy blue mascot. 🎮
- 25. Legal termination? — Answer: ESE. Hint: Think of the distinctive language used in legal documents. ⚖️
- 26. Proverbial waste maker — Answer: HASTE. Hint: This proverb warns that rushing can lead to mistakes and wasted effort. 🐢
- 27. Some Deco works — Answer: ERTES. Hint: Think of the famous Art Deco illustrator whose name appears in possessive form here. 🎨
- 29. "Well, I have to save my ___" (Shrek line) — Answer: ASS. Hint: Shrek says this when he needs to protect his backside. 🧅
- 30. Total guesses — Answer: STABS. Hint: These are attempts made when you’re taking a shot in the dark. 🎯
- 31. "Ooh-la-la!" — Answer: SOHOT. Hint: This excited reaction praises something especially sizzling or attractive. 🔥
- 32. Our "-zoic" — Answer: CENO. Hint: Think of the geological era that includes humans and follows the age of dinosaurs 🦴
- 33. Florence-to-Venice dir. — Answer: NNE. Hint: Picture traveling from Florence to Venice: your compass would point almost straight north, with a slight tilt east 🧭
- 35. Part of a George Washington costume (though he rarely wore one) — Answer: WIG. Hint: Think of the famously powdered headwear associated with colonial gentlemen, even if the real man skipped it 🎩
- 38. Cable channel with many reruns — Answer: TBS. Hint: Think of the network famous for sitcom marathons and familiar comfort-watch reruns 📺
- 42. Site of the 2002 and 2034 Winter Olympics — Answer: UTAH. Hint: Think of the Mountain West state that hosted the 2002 Winter Games and is set to welcome them again in 2034 🏔️
- 43. Big success — Answer: FEAT. Hint: Think of an impressive accomplishment worth celebrating 🎉
- 44. Actors McKellen and McShane — Answer: IANS. Hint: These two distinguished performers share the same short first name 🎭
- 45. Messenger ___ — Answer: RNA. Hint: This genetic courier carries DNA’s instructions to the cell’s protein-making machinery 🧬
- 46. Imbroglio — Answer: MESS. Hint: Think of a chaotic, tangled situation where everything has become confusing. 🌀
- 47. Rose's lover of 1920s Broadway — Answer: ABIE. Hint: Think of the Jewish suitor in the classic stage romance about love across religious lines 💡
- 48. Número de Caballeros in a 1944 film — Answer: TRES. Hint: It’s the Spanish way to count the gallant gentlemen featured in this 1944 film. 🎬
- 49. Something that may be lent or bent — Answer: EAR. Hint: Think of the body part used for hearing that can also be tilted or offered attention. 👂
- 50. Pen letters? — Answer: BIC. Hint: Think of a familiar brand often printed on everyday ballpoint pens 🖊️
- 51. Musical Yoko — Answer: ONO. Hint: Think of the avant-garde artist famously married to John Lennon. 🎶
- 52. Sch. in Norfolk, Va. — Answer: ODU. Hint: This Norfolk university is known for its Monarchs and nautical spirit. 🏫
- 53. "Hamilton" star ___-Manuel Miranda — Answer: LIN. Hint: Think of the acclaimed creator of the musicals Hamilton and In the Heights 🎭
- 55. Apt name for a groundskeeper? — Answer: LON. Hint: Think of a name that sounds especially fitting for someone who cares for grassy outdoor spaces. 🌱
- 56. Word that becomes its own synonym when "p" is added to the end — Answer: GOO. Hint: Think of a sticky, slimy substance whose name becomes another word for the same mess when one letter is added at the end. 🫠
Next NYT Crossword update in
A new puzzle unlocks at 10 p.m. Eastern on weekdays and 6 p.m. Eastern on weekends (Thu, Aug 6, 2:00 AM UTC).
Looking for today's NYT Crossword answers? The complete solution to the daily New York Times puzzle — dated August 5, 2026 — is at the top of this page, updated the moment the new grid is released. The Times crossword is the most famous puzzle in the world and, later in the week, one of the hardest, so getting wedged in a corner is part of the experience. Whether you want to confirm a finished grid, unlock a single square, or see the whole solution, every across and down answer is listed below.
Full NYT Crossword answer list for today
Every clue from today's grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.
Across
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | With 6-Across, #1 hit | CHART |
| 6 | - | TOPPER |
| 12 | With 14-Across, ultimately fruitless | LEADING |
| 14 | - | NOWHERE |
| 15 | With 16-Across, beverage sold in pastel-colored cans | ARIZONA |
| 16 | - | ICEDTEA |
| 17 | With 18-Across, measures of search engine optimization | PAGE |
| 18 | - | RANKS |
| 20 | With 22-Across, pocket ID holder | CARD |
| 22 | - | CASE |
| 26 | With 28-Across, temple services? | HEAD |
| 28 | - | MASSAGES |
| 32 | With 34-Across, sequestration of a greenhouse gas | CARBON |
| 34 | - | STORAGE |
| 35 | With 36-Across, sparsely populated African land | WESTERN |
| 36 | - | SAHARA |
| 37 | With 39-Across, web crawlers, e.g. | INTERNET |
| 39 | - | BOTS |
| 40 | With 41-Across, loses all one's dough | GOES |
| 41 | - | BUST |
| 43 | With 46-Across, Starbuck vis-à-vis Captain Ahab | FIRST |
| 46 | - | MATE |
| 50 | With 54-Across, math that underpins computer logic | BOOLEAN |
| 54 | - | ALGEBRA |
| 57 | With 58-Across, member of the last undefeated N.C.A.A. Division I men's basketball team (1976) | INDIANA |
| 58 | - | HOOSIER |
| 59 | With 60-Across, tallies attendees | COUNTS |
| 60 | - | NOSES |
Down
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael of "Barbie" | CERA |
| 2 | Alexander who served under Reagan, Nixon and Ford | HAIG |
| 3 | Axlike tool depicted in hieroglyphs | ADZE |
| 4 | City on Guanabara Bay, familiarly | RIO |
| 5 | Paramount ancestor, in brief | TNN |
| 6 | Apt rhyme of "clock" | TOCK |
| 7 | Isn't settled up | OWES |
| 8 | High degree | PHD |
| 9 | Word with project or peeve | PET |
| 10 | Before, in a hymnbook | ERE |
| 11 | Stephen of "V for Vendetta" | REA |
| 12 | One of 25 in a track 10K | LAP |
| 13 | Actress Teri | GARR |
| 14 | Writer Anaïs whose name is hidden in this clue | NIN |
| 19 | Capt.'s superior | ADM |
| 20 | Pole tossed in a Scottish game | CABER |
| 21 | Beautify | ADORN |
| 22 | Stone figure? | CARAT |
| 23 | Petri dish gels | AGARS |
| 24 | Company that debuted Sonic the Hedgehog | SEGA |
| 25 | Legal termination? | ESE |
| 26 | Proverbial waste maker | HASTE |
| 27 | Some Deco works | ERTES |
| 29 | "Well, I have to save my ___" (Shrek line) | ASS |
| 30 | Total guesses | STABS |
| 31 | "Ooh-la-la!" | SOHOT |
| 32 | Our "-zoic" | CENO |
| 33 | Florence-to-Venice dir. | NNE |
| 35 | Part of a George Washington costume (though he rarely wore one) | WIG |
| 38 | Cable channel with many reruns | TBS |
| 42 | Site of the 2002 and 2034 Winter Olympics | UTAH |
| 43 | Big success | FEAT |
| 44 | Actors McKellen and McShane | IANS |
| 45 | Messenger ___ | RNA |
| 46 | Imbroglio | MESS |
| 47 | Rose's lover of 1920s Broadway | ABIE |
| 48 | Número de Caballeros in a 1944 film | TRES |
| 49 | Something that may be lent or bent | EAR |
| 50 | Pen letters? | BIC |
| 51 | Musical Yoko | ONO |
| 52 | Sch. in Norfolk, Va. | ODU |
| 53 | "Hamilton" star ___-Manuel Miranda | LIN |
| 55 | Apt name for a groundskeeper? | LON |
| 56 | Word that becomes its own synonym when "p" is added to the end | GOO |
Today's NYT Crossword answers
Today's full solution appears above, organised into Across and Down exactly as the puzzle numbers them. If you only need one answer, each is listed separately so you can reveal the clue that's blocking you and keep solving the rest. The grid is confirmed and refreshed daily as soon as the Times publishes it, and — because the puzzle's difficulty climbs through the week — we keep the layout identical every day so you always know where to look.
About the New York Times Crossword
The NYT Crossword has run since 1942 and has been edited by Will Shortz since 1993, making it the benchmark against which every other American crossword is measured. The weekday puzzle is a 15×15 grid; Sundays expand to a 21×21 grid with a title and theme. It's known for clever, layered clues — misdirection, puns, and themed twists — and for its “crosswordese,” the small stock of vowel-heavy words (ETUI, OREO, ERA, ALOE) that recur because they fit tight grids. Solving it requires a Games subscription, which is why so many solvers search for the answers when a clue defeats them.
The Monday-to-Saturday difficulty curve
The single most important thing to know about the Times crossword is that it gets harder as the week goes on — the grid size stays the same, but the cluing grows trickier:
| Day | Difficulty | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Easiest | Straightforward, direct clues |
| Tuesday | Easy | A little more wordplay |
| Wednesday | Medium | Themes get more inventive |
| Thursday | Tricky | Rebus puzzles and gimmicks appear |
| Friday | Hard | Themeless, wide-open grids |
| Saturday | Hardest | The toughest cluing of the week |
| Sunday | Medium–hard | Large 21×21 themed puzzle |
So if a Thursday clue seems to make no sense, that's by design — Thursdays often hide a trick, like multiple letters crammed into one square (a rebus). Knowing the day tells you how devious the clues are likely to be.
How to break a stubborn NYT clue
- Solve the crossings first. In a 15×15 grid, every hard answer is crossed by others; three or four crossing letters usually reveal it.
- Question the clue's angle. A question mark at the end of a clue signals a pun or play on words — read it less literally.
- Mind the tense and number. Plurals end in S, past-tense answers often end in ED — free letters once you spot them.
- Know the day. A baffling clue on a Monday is probably you overthinking; the same on a Saturday is probably genuine misdirection.
- Use the solver for one answer. Our crossword solver lets you enter the clue and your known letters to reveal a single answer without spoiling the rest of the grid.
Browse past NYT Crossword answers
Every previous New York Times puzzle is archived on this page by date, with its complete across and down solutions. It's the fastest way to check yesterday's grid, revisit a Sunday you didn't finish, or look up a clue that's been nagging you. The archive updates automatically each day — today's answers roll into it as the next puzzle publishes — so it stays complete without spoiling the current day. Use the date picker above to jump to any past puzzle.
Browse more puzzles on the crossword solver, or use it to crack any clue from any publication.
Frequently asked questions
What are today's NYT Crossword answers?
The full Across and Down solution for today's puzzle (August 5, 2026) is listed at the top of this page, updated as soon as the Times releases it.
What time does the NYT Crossword come out?
The daily puzzle is released at 10 p.m. Eastern the night before on weekdays (7 p.m. Pacific) and 6 p.m. Eastern before weekends. We post the answers as soon as it goes live.
Why is the NYT Crossword harder later in the week?
By design: Monday is the easiest and Saturday the hardest, with cluing growing trickier each day. The Sunday puzzle is larger (21×21) and themed, at a medium-hard level.
How do I reveal just one answer?
Each answer is listed separately here, or use the crossword solver to reveal a single clue's answer from your known letters — without seeing the rest of the grid.
Where can I find past NYT Crossword answers?
Every previous puzzle is in the archive on this page, listed by date with full solutions, updated automatically each day.