NYT Crossword February 23 2026 Answers (2/23/26)

We have all of the answers to the NYT Crossword puzzle for February 23 2026 to help you finish it up!

Our NYT Crossword February 23, 2026 answers guide should help you finish today’s crossword if you’ve found yourself stuck on a crossword clue. The NYT Crossword is a daily puzzle that tests solvers’ knowledge and vocabulary. It’s one of the most popular crosswords in the world, known for its challenging clues and clever wordplay. The puzzle is published in the print edition of The New York Times and is also available online.

NYT Crossword February 23, 2026 Answers

If you need help solving the NYT Crossword on 2/23/26, we’ve listed all of the crossword clues below so you can find the answer(s) you need. You can search for the clue and then select the appropriate clue to get the answer. We have done it this way so that if you’re just looking for a handful of clues, you won’t spoil other ones you’re working on!

Looking for answers to another NYT Crossword puzzle? Check out our archive of NYT Crossword Answers.

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# Clue
1A Buffoons
6A Paula of "American Idol"
11A Final use for an old T-shirt
14A Enraged
15A What "my guitar gently" does, in a classic George Harrison song
16A Mesozoic or Paleozoic
17A Home for a single guy
19A Animation sheet
20A Hole for threading a lace
21A ___ fide (genuine)
22A "Please like and subscribe" and the like, on YouTube videos
25A Dr. Seuss book with the quote "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
28A ___ Today
29A Kind of computer port
31A Like the smell of trees
32A Showed again
34A Zoom past
37A Psychotherapy switcheroos ... or what are hidden in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across?
41A Text on a red, white and blue sticker
42A Gender-neutral possessive
44A Ran after
47A Opposite of WNW
49A To and ___
50A Time machine car in "Back to the Future"
53A Made a grand speech
55A Brother of Abel
56A Times between dusk and dawn
58A Had lunch, say
59A Fruit with a "bellybutton"
64A What planets revolve around
65A How often the time is 12:00 each day
66A Decorate
67A Mini-albums
68A ___ of Troy
69A Sat for a portrait
1D Accessory for a baby in a highchair
2D British singer Rita
3D Efron of "The Greatest Showman"
4D Last multiple-choice option, often
5D Rude goodbye to an enemy
6D Soldier who has failed to report
7D Military cap
8D One of the three dimensions
9D Kick ___ fuss
10D Counterculture drug, in brief
11D 4.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per Guinness
12D Concert venues
13D Milky Way, e.g.
18D Not as much
21D "I crushed it!!!"
22D Not just my
23D ___-friendly
24D Root used in making poi
26D Large jug
27D Cage for crustaceans
30D "American Psycho" author ___ Easton Ellis
33D Cartoonist Bechdel
35D Mass ___ (Boston thoroughfare)
36D Give up
38D Was a passenger
39D Democrats and Socialists, with "the"
40D Father
43D Axle, e.g.
44D Jewel box
45D Start to escalate
46D Extraterrestrials
48D London theater district
51D Object hitting people's heads in old cartoons
52D Sibling's daughter
54D South American barbecue
57D Valley
59D High degree
60D Response to seeing an aurora, maybe
61D Rejections
62D College sr.'s test
63D 63-Down, in this puzzle

We also recommend trying your hand at the NYT Mini Crossword, which is definitely easier (on all days!) as it is a 5×5, compared to the full-sized crossword (which is 15×15, and the Sunday edition is 21×21!). New crosswords are released at 10PM ET on weekdays and 6PM ET on weekends.

The New York Times crossword was first published in The New York Times in 1942 and has been a daily feature ever since. It is known for its high level of difficulty and for its clever, often playful, clues and themes. The puzzles range in size from 15x15 grids on weekdays to larger 21x21 grids on Sundays, with varying levels of difficulty.

Interior Nyt Crossword 002

The New York Times crossword is created by a team of skilled puzzle constructors and editors, who work to ensure that each puzzle is both entertaining and challenging for solvers. The puzzles are often themed, with clues and answers related to a particular subject or concept, and they frequently feature wordplay and puns.

NYT Crossword (Main Grid)
Image via NYT Crossword

Solving the New York Times crossword has become a beloved pastime for many, and there are even competitions and clubs devoted to crossword puzzle solving. The New York Times crossword is available in print in the newspaper and online, and it has a dedicated following of loyal solvers who eagerly await each day's puzzle.

If you’re still struggling to solve your NYT crosswords, consider practicing with the Eugene Sheffer and Thomas Joseph dailies first. If you’re looking for similarly challenging crosswords, we recommend the WSJ Crossword and LA Times Crossword.

Christine Mielke

Christine Mielke

Christine Mielke has been an avid fan of word games and puzzles for over two decades. She loves to unscramble words, challenge herself to crossword puzzles and try out the latest word games. As a published author and database architect, it was natural for her to take her love for all things word games to the next level!

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