Our NYT Crossword Hints for May 21, 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 May 21, 2026
You’ll find hints for all of the crossword clues for the NYT Crossword on 5/21/26. 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. Gossiped-about duo
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5A. River whose southernmost source is found in Burundi
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9A. Animal that expresses anger by spitting
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14A. Curbside call
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15A. Egg’s outline
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16A. Traditional Vietnamese garment whose name means "long shirt"
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17A. 2000 Eminem single with lines from his "biggest fan"
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18A. St. Benedict, for one
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19A. Central meeting points
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20A. TimiL
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23A. 50¢ or $1: Abbr.
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24A. Fish more formally known as a batomorph
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25A. Capital of Portugal, to natives
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29A. Crown of jewels
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31A. Penultimate Greek letter
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33A. One of four seen on Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man"
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34A. Goat's cry
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35A. Golfer's suppor-
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38A. Move like a fox
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40A. Get a lode of this!
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41A. John from Britain
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42A. Evade
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44A. Bad beginning?
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45A. Like news that everyone already knows
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46A. Legal boundaries?
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47A. Kind of cat with a black-and-white coat
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50A. More melted, as a marshmallow
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53A. Tree alongside a ski run
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54A. Bro, e.g.
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55A. P | u | n | c | h | e | s
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59A. Sound of a perfect basketball shot
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62A. "Beware the ___ of a patient man": John Dryden
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63A. Ordered
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64A. Increase, as interest
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65A. German Ms.
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66A. Pupil's surroundings
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67A. Environmentalist Adams
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68A. Site for many stars?
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69A. Sounds of disapproval
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1D. Short negative review
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2D. Floor covering in a Japanese tearoom
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3D. Bingo
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4D. Stole material
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5D. Southern denial
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6D. Something tickled on a piano
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7D. "Buy ___. They're not making it anymore" (old saying)
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8D. Philanthropic group with a clock face in its logo
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9D. The so-called "Pineapple Isle"
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10D. Goes around and around
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11D. Make sense, with “up”
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12D. "Maggie ___," classic folk song covered by the Beatles
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13D. ChatGPT, Claude, etc.
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21D. Inflicts
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22D. Muse of history
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26D. Lasting damage from a tough experience, metaphorically
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27D. Milkshake flavor
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28D. Gospel shout
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30D. "Fountain of Milk Spreading Itself Uselessly on Three Shoes" painter, 1945
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31D. Contented sounds
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32D. "Changed my mind," in editing notation
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35D. Curl
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36D. Hip-knee connectors
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37D. Source of linseed oil
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38D. It's all a haze
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39D. Drug bust unit
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43D. Model Miranda
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47D. Make neat
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48D. Large-eyed African antelope with a duplicative name
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49D. Fixate
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51D. Give (out)
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52D. Neighbor of Ricky and Lucy, on 1950s TV
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53D. Far from house-trained
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56D. Dodgy
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57D. 100%
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58D. End piece
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59D. Belinda's business on "The White Lotus"
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60D. Prevail
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61D. Some test figs.
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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