NYT Crossword hints and answer for May 16, 2026
Hints that get gradually more specific, then the answer if you need it. Nothing is revealed until you tap.
Clues132
Across66
Down66
ConstructorByron Walden
Today’s NYT Crossword clues, hints & answers
Every clue from this puzzle with a hint and the answer behind separate buttons, so you only see what you need. Click a clue for its own page.
Across
1A
Modern "go-to's" (4)
Starts with U, ends with SURLS→
1A
Modern "go-to's" (4)
Starts with U, ends with SURLS→
5A
Curtain for silhouetting on stage (5)
Starts with S, ends with MSCRIM→
5A
Curtain for silhouetting on stage (5)
Starts with S, ends with MSCRIM→
10A
Bird on the South Carolina state quarter (4)
Starts with W, ends with NWREN→
10A
Bird on the South Carolina state quarter (4)
Starts with W, ends with NWREN→
14A
Capote or chesterfield (4)
Starts with C, ends with TCOAT→
14A
Capote or chesterfield (4)
Starts with C, ends with TCOAT→
15A
Emulates E.T., in a way (10)
Starts with P, ends with EPHONESHOME→
15A
Emulates E.T., in a way (10)
Starts with P, ends with EPHONESHOME→
17A
Roman goddess who drives a two-horse chariot (4)
Starts with L, ends with ALUNA→
17A
Roman goddess who drives a two-horse chariot (4)
Starts with L, ends with ALUNA→
18A
Precious self-reference (10)
Starts with L, ends with ELITTLEOLME→
18A
Precious self-reference (10)
Starts with L, ends with ELITTLEOLME→
19A
19A
21A
Double-___ cassowary (bird of Indonesia and Australia) (7)
Starts with W, ends with DWATTLED→
21A
Double-___ cassowary (bird of Indonesia and Australia) (7)
Starts with W, ends with DWATTLED→
22A
Matches with forensics (14)
Starts with D, ends with SDEBATECONTESTS→
22A
Matches with forensics (14)
Starts with D, ends with SDEBATECONTESTS→
24A
Occasions to relax and recharge (6)
Starts with M, ends with SMEDAYS→
24A
Occasions to relax and recharge (6)
Starts with M, ends with SMEDAYS→
25A
Obama's third secretary of defense (2013-15) (5)
Starts with H, ends with LHAGEL→
25A
Obama's third secretary of defense (2013-15) (5)
Starts with H, ends with LHAGEL→
26A
Gasoline brand that offered the Torch Club credit card (5)
Starts with A, ends with OAMOCO→
26A
Gasoline brand that offered the Torch Club credit card (5)
Starts with A, ends with OAMOCO→
27A
Aid in making salsa (5)
Starts with D, ends with RDICER→
27A
Aid in making salsa (5)
Starts with D, ends with RDICER→
28A
Operculum, e.g. (3)
Starts with L, ends with DLID→
28A
Operculum, e.g. (3)
Starts with L, ends with DLID→
31A
Capital of Greenland (4)
Starts with N, ends with KNUUK→
31A
Capital of Greenland (4)
Starts with N, ends with KNUUK→
32A
They're hard to pull off (5)
Starts with F, ends with SFEATS→
32A
They're hard to pull off (5)
Starts with F, ends with SFEATS→
33A
Spa service, in brief (4)
Starts with M, ends with IMANI→
33A
Spa service, in brief (4)
Starts with M, ends with IMANI→
34A
Up to snuff, facetiously (3)
Starts with E, ends with TEPT→
34A
Up to snuff, facetiously (3)
Starts with E, ends with TEPT→
35A
Trickles (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSEEPS→
35A
Trickles (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSEEPS→
36A
Cup holders (5)
Starts with Z, ends with SZARFS→
36A
Cup holders (5)
Starts with Z, ends with SZARFS→
37A
Many a Porsche 911 (5)
Starts with C, ends with ECOUPE→
37A
Many a Porsche 911 (5)
Starts with C, ends with ECOUPE→
38A
Practical types who are often perfectionists, it's said (6)
Starts with V, ends with SVIRGOS→
38A
Practical types who are often perfectionists, it's said (6)
Starts with V, ends with SVIRGOS→
39A
Don't start with me! (14)
Starts with S, ends with RSECONDSTRINGER→
39A
Don't start with me! (14)
Starts with S, ends with RSECONDSTRINGER→
43A
Difficult effort (7)
Starts with T, ends with LTRAVAIL→
43A
Difficult effort (7)
Starts with T, ends with LTRAVAIL→
44A
Cut out (7)
Starts with E, ends with DEXCISED→
44A
Cut out (7)
Starts with E, ends with DEXCISED→
46A
Setting for Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" (10)
Starts with R, ends with ERIVERSEINE→
46A
Setting for Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" (10)
Starts with R, ends with ERIVERSEINE→
48A
Cold-smoked lox (4)
Starts with N, ends with ANOVA→
48A
Cold-smoked lox (4)
Starts with N, ends with ANOVA→
49A
7 up, perhaps (10)
Starts with E, ends with NEVENSTEVEN→
49A
7 up, perhaps (10)
Starts with E, ends with NEVENSTEVEN→
50A
Gulf of ___, waters that abut Djibouti and Somaliland (4)
Starts with A, ends with NADEN→
50A
Gulf of ___, waters that abut Djibouti and Somaliland (4)
Starts with A, ends with NADEN→
51A
Vanilla units (4)
Starts with P, ends with SPODS→
51A
Vanilla units (4)
Starts with P, ends with SPODS→
52A
Spouts (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSPEWS→
52A
Spouts (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSPEWS→
Down
1D
Victor over Washington on 11/12/1955 in "Back to the Future, Pt. II" — and in real life (4)
Starts with U, ends with AUCLA→
1D
Victor over Washington on 11/12/1955 in "Back to the Future, Pt. II" — and in real life (4)
Starts with U, ends with AUCLA→
2D
Cattle call (9)
Starts with R, ends with PROUNDEMUP→
2D
Cattle call (9)
Starts with R, ends with PROUNDEMUP→
3D
Went wide or long, as a tennis ball (9)
Starts with L, ends with TLANDEDOUT→
3D
Went wide or long, as a tennis ball (9)
Starts with L, ends with TLANDEDOUT→
4D
"No closer!" (8)
Starts with S, ends with KSTAYBACK→
4D
"No closer!" (8)
Starts with S, ends with KSTAYBACK→
5D
Takes off (6)
Starts with S, ends with SSPLITS→
5D
Takes off (6)
Starts with S, ends with SSPLITS→
6D
Wind pipe? (5)
Starts with C, ends with ECHIME→
6D
Wind pipe? (5)
Starts with C, ends with ECHIME→
7D
Blight (3)
Starts with R, ends with TROT→
7D
Blight (3)
Starts with R, ends with TROT→
8D
Getting a break on Broadway? (9)
Starts with I, ends with SINTWOACTS→
8D
Getting a break on Broadway? (9)
Starts with I, ends with SINTWOACTS→
9D
Medleys (8)
Starts with M, ends with SMELANGES→
9D
Medleys (8)
Starts with M, ends with SMELANGES→
10D
Marriott property with the slogan "Whatever Whenever" (6)
Starts with W, ends with LWHOTEL→
10D
Marriott property with the slogan "Whatever Whenever" (6)
Starts with W, ends with LWHOTEL→
11D
Triumphs smoothly (5)
Starts with R, ends with SROLLS→
11D
Triumphs smoothly (5)
Starts with R, ends with SROLLS→
12D
___ Brickowski ("The Lego Movie" protagonist) (5)
Starts with E, ends with TEMMET→
12D
___ Brickowski ("The Lego Movie" protagonist) (5)
Starts with E, ends with TEMMET→
13D
"What this country ___ …" (5)
Starts with N, ends with SNEEDS→
13D
"What this country ___ …" (5)
Starts with N, ends with SNEEDS→
16D
Certain volleyballer (6)
Starts with S, ends with RSETTER→
16D
Certain volleyballer (6)
Starts with S, ends with RSETTER→
23D
Once-popular terra-cotta figurine (7)
Starts with C, ends with TCHIAPET→
23D
Once-popular terra-cotta figurine (7)
Starts with C, ends with TCHIAPET→
24D
Trigger hair (4)
Starts with M, ends with EMANE→
24D
Trigger hair (4)
Starts with M, ends with EMANE→
27D
State in which Gulliver is discovered by the Lilliputians (9)
Starts with D, ends with PDEEPSLEEP→
27D
State in which Gulliver is discovered by the Lilliputians (9)
Starts with D, ends with PDEEPSLEEP→
28D
Combo meal upgrade (9)
Starts with L, ends with ALARGESODA→
28D
Combo meal upgrade (9)
Starts with L, ends with ALARGESODA→
29D
Going back ages (9)
Starts with I, ends with RINFOREVER→
29D
Going back ages (9)
Starts with I, ends with RINFOREVER→
30D
___ track (4)
Starts with D, ends with SDISS→
30D
___ track (4)
Starts with D, ends with SDISS→
32D
Folks who enjoy a well-aged beef? (8)
Starts with F, ends with SFEUDISTS→
32D
Folks who enjoy a well-aged beef? (8)
Starts with F, ends with SFEUDISTS→
33D
Borderline (8)
Starts with M, ends with LMARGINAL→
33D
Borderline (8)
Starts with M, ends with LMARGINAL→
35D
Echolocation systems (6)
Starts with S, ends with SSONARS→
35D
Echolocation systems (6)
Starts with S, ends with SSONARS→
36D
Element between copper and gallium on the periodic table (4)
Starts with Z, ends with CZINC→
36D
Element between copper and gallium on the periodic table (4)
Starts with Z, ends with CZINC→
37D
Spelling combinations? (6)
Starts with C, ends with SCOVENS→
37D
Spelling combinations? (6)
Starts with C, ends with SCOVENS→
38D
They're concerned with feeding kits (6)
Starts with V, ends with SVIXENS→
38D
They're concerned with feeding kits (6)
Starts with V, ends with SVIXENS→
39D
Pharyngeal woe (5)
Starts with S, ends with PSTREP→
39D
Pharyngeal woe (5)
Starts with S, ends with PSTREP→
40D
Cynthia ___, Tony winner for "The Color Purple" (5)
Starts with E, ends with OERIVO→
40D
Cynthia ___, Tony winner for "The Color Purple" (5)
Starts with E, ends with OERIVO→
41D
Buckled (5)
Starts with C, ends with DCAVED→
41D
Buckled (5)
Starts with C, ends with DCAVED→
42D
Extend, in a way (5)
Starts with R, ends with WRENEW→
42D
Extend, in a way (5)
Starts with R, ends with WRENEW→
45D
Chilly and damp (4)
Starts with D, ends with KDANK→
45D
Chilly and damp (4)
Starts with D, ends with KDANK→
47D
"___ noticed" (3)
Starts with I, ends with EIVE→
47D
"___ noticed" (3)
Starts with I, ends with EIVE→
How to solve the NYT Crossword
Fill the grid so that every Across and Down answer matches its clue. Numbered squares mark where answers begin. Theme answers, usually the longest entries, share a twist that the puzzle's title or a revealer clue explains. Thursday puzzles are known for rebus squares and other tricks that bend the normal rules.
Want the full method? Read our NYT Crossword strategy and tips, or check how to play the NYT Crossword on the hub.
NYT Crossword tips for tomorrow
- Start with Monday-level clues. Even on a Saturday, a handful of clues are straightforward. Find them and build outward from the crossings.
- Hunt for the revealer. A clue that references other entries or ends in "?" often explains the theme. Solving it first unlocks the long answers.
- Respect the day of the week. Thursday means tricks like rebus squares; Friday and Saturday mean long, clever fill with misleading clues.
Done for today? Try The Mini, The Midi, LA Times Crossword, all with hints first and answers behind a reveal.
Previous NYT Crossword puzzles
NYT Crossword FAQ
How many clues are in the NYT Crossword for May 16, 2026?+
132 clues: 66 Across and 66 Down. The puzzle was constructed by Byron Walden and edited by Will Shortz.
What are some answers in today’s NYT Crossword?+
For example: Modern "go-to's" (URLS); Modern "go-to's" (URLS); Curtain for silhouetting on stage (SCRIM).
What time does the NYT Crossword come out?+
The next day's puzzle is released at 10:00 pm Eastern Time Monday to Friday and at 6:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Where can I find past NYT Crossword answers?+
Every puzzle in our archive has its own page with all Across and Down answers, plus a page for each clue. Click any date above.
