Our NYT Crossword Hints for October 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 October 21, 2026
You’ll find hints for all of the crossword clues for the NYT Crossword on 10/21/26. 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. Teacher's pet, say, in slang
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7A. Cumming who won a Tony for "Cabaret"
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11A. White lie
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14A. Not well known
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15A. Driving range?
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16A. N.H.L.'s Mammoth, on scoreboards
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17A. Driver's Ed: B
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19A. Alt tab?
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20A. Sporty vehicles, in brief
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21A. Reunion attendee, for short
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22A. Blunts
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24A. Crop whose trade contributed to the Opium Wars
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25A. Parisian permission
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26A. Tender bend-er
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28A. Gym: B+
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31A. ___ faire (festival with jousting)
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32A. Life phase, informally
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33A. In the thick of
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34A. Had dinner at home
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37A. Great sorrow
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38A. Nutrition sources
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39A. ___ saltado (Peruvian stir-fry dish)
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40A. Tavern
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41A. Baby boy
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42A. Wood shop: A
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46A. Have the same opinion about
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47A. Chemical suffix that indicates a double bond
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48A. "A Nightmare on ___ Street"
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51A. Scene that may begin "Follow that car!"
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52A. Like a tennis player who didn't even swing, maybe
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54A. Sneaker brand
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55A. Province with Niagara Falls: Abbr.
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56A. History: A+
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59A. Look back on with regret
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60A. At any point
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61A. Stephen King's telekinetic teen of horror
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62A. Figures in some rumored landings, for short
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63A. Short Instagram posting
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64A. Difficult, as a problem
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1D. Wrecked
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2D. Like a passionate solver discovering a filled-in airline magazine crossword, say
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3D. Edvard Munch painting, with "The"
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4D. Fifth Avenue retailer
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5D. Mono-
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6D. Bird that gives pebbles as a courtship gesture
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7D. Bravo preceder
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8D. Made public
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9D. Actress Dowd of "The Handmaid's Tale"
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10D. "Can I help?"
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11D. First and last, say
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12D. "That checks out"
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13D. Rotten apples
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18D. Sly look, say
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23D. Kyiv's country
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25D. Bake-off need
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27D. Sch. that's home to Thomas Jefferson's Academical Village
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29D. Birds with a Baltimore species
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30D. Physicist Ohm
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34D. White tuna
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35D. One that's hard to crack
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36D. Airline headquartered in Dubai
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37D. "Are you ready for this?"
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38D. Fabulous, in slang
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40D. Info that might include "Originally from ..."
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41D. Open-air part of a cruise ship
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43D. More profound
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44D. Soak slowly
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45D. Backslide
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49D. Allowed
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50D. Fellow crew member
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53D. Shortcut key
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54D. Musical lead-in to beat
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57D. Blvd. crosser
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58D. Tried for office
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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