"Things are only going to get worse" ... or a hint to answering the seven italicized clues in this puzzle Crossword Clue

We have the 22-letter answer for "Things are only going to get worse" ... or a hint to answering the seven italicized clues in this puzzle crossword clue, last seen in the NYT Crossword February 15, 2026 puzzle. This answer will help you finish the puzzle you’re working on.

"Things are only going to get worse" ... or a hint to answering the seven italicized clues in this puzzle Crossword Answer

→73.

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Find more clues, hints, and info below.

Helpful Hints

Hint 1: Clue Definitions

ANSWERING (adjective)
1. replying
THINGS (noun)
1. any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

More NYT Crossword (2/15/2026) Answers

Across

1. Do a little too well?

5. Tops

9. Resident of Ayrshire or Lanarkshire

13. No time at all

19. Discouraged action

20. Mouthy?

21. [What a relief!]

22. Brought (out)

24. Completely destroy with a blast

27. Gaia, by another name

28. Something typically taken every 10 years

29. Doodled

30. Certain bridge positions

32. Segment of a timeline, perhaps

33. The moon's "maria"

36. Circa

38. "Rhoda" actress Valerie

40. Version of a textbook designed for instruction

44. Salon substance

45. Muppet who loves pigeons

46. "My life is over"

47. Sharpness

48. Sarcastic response to a show-off

52. Walked gingerly

53. Product with Pro, Air and Mini varieties

55. Conical shelter

57. Use salt instead of sugar while baking, say

58. Skewered Indonesian dish

60. ___ Winter, basketball coach who famously innovated the "triangle offense"

61. Had a brain fart

66. Top-left PC key

69. Like some simple repair jobs, in brief

70. Grilled South American fare

72. Smoothed (out)

78. Science-and-nature magazine, familiarly

79. Muckety-muck

80. Frequently, poetically

81. Fair-hiring inits.

82. Chemical element whose use led to the first known law against poisoning

84. Herman ___ (potato chip entrepreneur)

85. More sardonic

87. Rest area

90. Speeds of slow-moving traffic

92. "It's ___ real"

93. Delicate, as beauty

96. Photo-editing technique used to create a smooth transition

100. Wear (out)

102. Middle-of-the-night woe

104. Duchess of ___ (noted Spanish title)

105. Made younger-looking in an editing studio, say

107. Reality TV franchise created by Tyra Banks

108. Philosophy symbolized by yin and yang

111. Ruby lookalike

112. Throw in modern slang

113. Fort Collins sch.

114. Calls to task?

116. Company behind the machine used to make Slurpees

118. Kind of paper in a lab

123. In back

125. "Wait, are we done?"

129. Queen of the fairies

130. Dueling weapon

131. Skin softener

132. Fruit also known as a "uniq"

133. Largest bird in North America

134. X-ray units

135. Immodest

136. "You can't make me!," e.g.

All Answers

Down

1. "The Exchange" airer

2. Flaw in an argument

3. Unknown author, for short

4. Squabbles

5. Unresolved parts of a plot

6. Org. to which you might provide your bank account info

7. Renewable energy structure

8. Lost traction

9. Globelike shape

10. Dress down

11. Poetic contraction

12. Many middle schoolers

13. Ones pressed for cash?

14. Top of a latte

15. Mucho

16. M.L.B. team that once went by OAK on scoreboards

17. In hot water

18. Fashion designer Carolina

23. Shortage

25. Behind

26. Certain public transit network

31. Singer whose "Hello" was the fastest video ever to reach 1 billion views on YouTube

34. "People ___ Strange" (the Doors song)

35. Conduct inciting an insurrection

37. World's first billion-dollar corporation

39. Sac fly result

40. Game piece in Rummikub

41. Royal title

42. Where jet-setters may rub elbows

43. Chalice

49. P.D. alert

50. Prefix meaning "sun"

51. Heavens to Betsy!

54. Subscription-only website feature

56. Look (into)

59. Contribute

60. Chicago paper, informally

62. N.Y.C. neighborhood that's home to the Grey Art Museum

63. Lower body exercise

64. Occupational suffix

65. J.F.K. predecessor

67. Aromatic herb

68. Hold tightly

70. Mariner's greeting

71. Natural attraction

73. Two peas ___ pod

74. Pitch

75. French wine region

76. LeBron James or Nikola Jokic

77. Delivery person's assignment: Abbr.

83. Wheels

85. Beverage infused with THC

86. Fixed, as a "m-i-t-s-a-k-e"

88. County in western New York

89. Deck out

91. Shoe with a thick sole

92. Part of an equestrian's ensemble

94. Small songbird

95. Benefit plan option, in brief

96. Wealthy sort

97. Stretchy

98. "Next on my list"

99. ___ chi

101. Lit up, in a way

103. ___ Valley (San Francisco neighborhood)

106. Less challenging

109. Shell out

110. Video game character aptly celebrated on Mar. 10

115. Bicyclist's setting

117. Latin list ender

119. Lead-in to a conclusion

120. ___ Millions (multistate lottery)

121. Some addresses

122. Dos + cuatro

124. China's largest ethnic group

126. Wellness resort offering

127. Horn contents at a Viking feast

128. Depressed

All Answers