Our NYT Crossword Hints for January 2, 2026 puzzle will help you move through the grid if you’ve found yourself stuck on a clue. The NYT Crossword is a daily crossword 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 paper and is also available online.
NYT Crossword Hints, January 2, 2026
You’ll find hints for all of the crossword clues for the NYT Crossword on 1/2/26. The clues are listed below, and you can click/tap on a clue to go to its page for more detail, including definitions, but if you don’t want to be immediately spoiled, you can reveal letter by letter to still offer yourself more of a challenge before revealing the full solution.
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1A. Havanese greeting
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4A. Tolstoy book whose title asks a question
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13A. Reluctantly stoop
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16A. They rate up to 350,000 on the Scoville scale
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17A. H.S. class for tough life lessons?
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18A. "Just tell me when it's over"
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19A. Dance move also known as a backslide
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21A. Skims, as soup stock
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22A. Fig. that cannot start with 9
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23A. Org. for The Rock and Brock Lesnar
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24A. Tunnel-making machine
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25A. Not many
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27A. Windfalls
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28A. Keep coming up
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30A. One might lead to pay back
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34A. Make some introductions, say
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35A. The Cowboys of the N.C.A.A.
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36A. Word from the Lakota for "they dwell"
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37A. Emotional manipulation tactic
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39A. Meaty meal
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40A. Attraction on the western side of Carson Range
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41A. 'Oof!'
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42A. Seems less impressive, so to speak
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43A. Spray in the kitchen
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44A. German stock market index
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47A. Cumbrous
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49A. One-to-one relationship
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51A. Exchanges blows
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53A. Up to
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54A. Eggless bread spread
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55A. "A-a-a-and ___!" (improv show ender)
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56A. High-carb snack
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57A. May day celebrant
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1D. President who wrote "Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it"
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2D. Default outcomes, perhaps
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3D. Kind of sequence that that proceeds 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ...
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4D. Duration
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5D. Modern security threat
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6D. Org. with the Rule of Law Initiative
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7D. Cylindrical oven
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8D. Extremely well-liked?
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9D. Personal opinion?
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10D. Hooting and hollering
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11D. Part of an underground network?
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12D. Pithy put-downs
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14D. Main ingredient in an aviation cocktail
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15D. "I like the sound of that!"
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20D. "So adorable!"
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24D. Prepare to ship, say
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26D. Delivery means to a gas station
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27D. "Count" in the Blues Hall of Fame
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28D. On the ___ (frequently, informally)
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29D. Bird whose eggs are sometimes a canvas for Aboriginal art
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30D. Capotes are flapped at them
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31D. "Let's go, sleepyhead!"
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32D. Booking, for short
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33D. Server's obstacle
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38D. Word on the street is ...
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41D. ___ Brown, author of "The Da Vinci Code"
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42D. Night of lawlessness in a long-running horror franchise, with "the"
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43D. Try hard
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45D. Kind of acid
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46D. Stem component
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47D. Capitulate
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48D. Lender's security
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49D. Table outside
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50D. Big purveyor of health supplements
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52D. Gender-neutral term in a family
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.
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.
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.
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