NYT CROSSWORD • SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2026

NYT Crossword Answers May 16, 2026

Complete answer list for the May 16, 2026 New York Times Crossword. Across and Down, every clue, every answer — plus the full grid below.

By Byron WaldenEdited by Will ShortzGrid 15×1566 clues

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FRIMAY
15
2026
By Maddy Ziegler
SATMAY
16
2026
By Byron Walden
SATMAY
16
2026
By Byron Walden
SUNMAY
17
2026
By Derrick Niederman
MONMAY
18
2026
By Rena Cohen

The Grid

1U
2R
3L
4S
5S
6C
7R
8I
9M
10W
11R
12E
13N
14C
O
A
T
15P
H
O
N
E
16S
H
O
M
E
17L
U
N
A
18L
I
T
T
L
E
O
L
M
E
19A
N
D
Y
20K
I
M
21W
A
T
T
L
E
D
22D
E
B
A
T
E
23C
O
N
T
E
S
T
S
24M
E
D
A
Y
S
25H
A
G
E
L
26A
M
O
C
O
27D
I
C
E
R
28L
29I
30D
31N
U
U
K
32F
E
A
T
S
33M
A
N
I
34E
P
T
35S
E
E
P
S
36Z
A
R
F
S
37C
O
U
P
E
38V
I
R
G
O
S
39S
40E
41C
O
N
D
S
T
42R
I
N
G
E
R
43T
R
A
V
A
I
L
44E
X
C
I
S
E
45D
46R
I
V
E
R
S
E
47I
N
E
48N
O
V
A
49E
V
E
N
S
T
E
V
E
N
50A
D
E
N
51P
O
D
S
52S
P
E
W
S
53L
A
R
K

Click a clue to reveal it in the grid.

Across 66

  1. 1Modern "go-to's" ↗URLS
  2. 1Modern "go-to's" ↗URLS
  3. 5Curtain for silhouetting on stage ↗SCRIM
  4. 5Curtain for silhouetting on stage ↗SCRIM
  5. 10Bird on the South Carolina state quarter ↗WREN
  6. 10Bird on the South Carolina state quarter ↗WREN
  7. 14Capote or chesterfield ↗COAT
  8. 14Capote or chesterfield ↗COAT
  9. 15Emulates E.T., in a way ↗PHONESHOME
  10. 15Emulates E.T., in a way ↗PHONESHOME
  11. 17Roman goddess who drives a two-horse chariot ↗LUNA
  12. 17Roman goddess who drives a two-horse chariot ↗LUNA
  13. 18Precious self-reference ↗LITTLEOLME
  14. 18Precious self-reference ↗LITTLEOLME
  15. 19Name shared by the singer of the #1 hit "Rock Me Gently" (1974) and the first Korean American elected to the U.S. Senate (2024) ↗ANDYKIM
  16. 19Name shared by the singer of the #1 hit "Rock Me Gently" (1974) and the first Korean American elected to the U.S. Senate (2024) ↗ANDYKIM
  17. 21Double-___ cassowary (bird of Indonesia and Australia) ↗WATTLED
  18. 21Double-___ cassowary (bird of Indonesia and Australia) ↗WATTLED
  19. 22Matches with forensics ↗DEBATECONTESTS
  20. 22Matches with forensics ↗DEBATECONTESTS
  21. 24Occasions to relax and recharge ↗MEDAYS
  22. 24Occasions to relax and recharge ↗MEDAYS
  23. 25Obama's third secretary of defense (2013-15) ↗HAGEL
  24. 25Obama's third secretary of defense (2013-15) ↗HAGEL
  25. 26Gasoline brand that offered the Torch Club credit card ↗AMOCO
  26. 26Gasoline brand that offered the Torch Club credit card ↗AMOCO
  27. 27Aid in making salsa ↗DICER
  28. 27Aid in making salsa ↗DICER
  29. 28Operculum, e.g. ↗LID
  30. 28Operculum, e.g. ↗LID
  31. 31Capital of Greenland ↗NUUK
  32. 31Capital of Greenland ↗NUUK
  33. 32They're hard to pull off ↗FEATS
  34. 32They're hard to pull off ↗FEATS
  35. 33Spa service, in brief ↗MANI
  36. 33Spa service, in brief ↗MANI
  37. 34Up to snuff, facetiously ↗EPT
  38. 34Up to snuff, facetiously ↗EPT
  39. 35Trickles ↗SEEPS
  40. 35Trickles ↗SEEPS
  41. 36Cup holders ↗ZARFS
  42. 36Cup holders ↗ZARFS
  43. 37Many a Porsche 911 ↗COUPE
  44. 37Many a Porsche 911 ↗COUPE
  45. 38Practical types who are often perfectionists, it's said ↗VIRGOS
  46. 38Practical types who are often perfectionists, it's said ↗VIRGOS
  47. 39Don't start with me! ↗SECONDSTRINGER
  48. 39Don't start with me! ↗SECONDSTRINGER
  49. 43Difficult effort ↗TRAVAIL
  50. 43Difficult effort ↗TRAVAIL
  51. 44Cut out ↗EXCISED
  52. 44Cut out ↗EXCISED
  53. 46Setting for Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" ↗RIVERSEINE
  54. 46Setting for Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" ↗RIVERSEINE
  55. 48Cold-smoked lox ↗NOVA
  56. 48Cold-smoked lox ↗NOVA
  57. 497 up, perhaps ↗EVENSTEVEN
  58. 497 up, perhaps ↗EVENSTEVEN
  59. 50Gulf of ___, waters that abut Djibouti and Somaliland ↗ADEN
  60. 50Gulf of ___, waters that abut Djibouti and Somaliland ↗ADEN
  61. 51Vanilla units ↗PODS
  62. 51Vanilla units ↗PODS
  63. 52Spouts ↗SPEWS
  64. 52Spouts ↗SPEWS
  65. 53Romp ↗LARK
  66. 53Romp ↗LARK

Down 66

  1. 1Victor over Washington on 11/12/1955 in "Back to the Future, Pt. II" — and in real life ↗UCLA
  2. 1Victor over Washington on 11/12/1955 in "Back to the Future, Pt. II" — and in real life ↗UCLA
  3. 2Cattle call ↗ROUNDEMUP
  4. 2Cattle call ↗ROUNDEMUP
  5. 3Went wide or long, as a tennis ball ↗LANDEDOUT
  6. 3Went wide or long, as a tennis ball ↗LANDEDOUT
  7. 4"No closer!" ↗STAYBACK
  8. 4"No closer!" ↗STAYBACK
  9. 5Takes off ↗SPLITS
  10. 5Takes off ↗SPLITS
  11. 6Wind pipe? ↗CHIME
  12. 6Wind pipe? ↗CHIME
  13. 7Blight ↗ROT
  14. 7Blight ↗ROT
  15. 8Getting a break on Broadway? ↗INTWOACTS
  16. 8Getting a break on Broadway? ↗INTWOACTS
  17. 9Medleys ↗MELANGES
  18. 9Medleys ↗MELANGES
  19. 10Marriott property with the slogan "Whatever Whenever" ↗WHOTEL
  20. 10Marriott property with the slogan "Whatever Whenever" ↗WHOTEL
  21. 11Triumphs smoothly ↗ROLLS
  22. 11Triumphs smoothly ↗ROLLS
  23. 12___ Brickowski ("The Lego Movie" protagonist) ↗EMMET
  24. 12___ Brickowski ("The Lego Movie" protagonist) ↗EMMET
  25. 13"What this country ___ …" ↗NEEDS
  26. 13"What this country ___ …" ↗NEEDS
  27. 16Certain volleyballer ↗SETTER
  28. 16Certain volleyballer ↗SETTER
  29. 20Deck ↗KAYO
  30. 20Deck ↗KAYO
  31. 23Once-popular terra-cotta figurine ↗CHIAPET
  32. 23Once-popular terra-cotta figurine ↗CHIAPET
  33. 24Trigger hair ↗MANE
  34. 24Trigger hair ↗MANE
  35. 27State in which Gulliver is discovered by the Lilliputians ↗DEEPSLEEP
  36. 27State in which Gulliver is discovered by the Lilliputians ↗DEEPSLEEP
  37. 28Combo meal upgrade ↗LARGESODA
  38. 28Combo meal upgrade ↗LARGESODA
  39. 29Going back ages ↗INFOREVER
  40. 29Going back ages ↗INFOREVER
  41. 30___ track ↗DISS
  42. 30___ track ↗DISS
  43. 32Folks who enjoy a well-aged beef? ↗FEUDISTS
  44. 32Folks who enjoy a well-aged beef? ↗FEUDISTS
  45. 33Borderline ↗MARGINAL
  46. 33Borderline ↗MARGINAL
  47. 35Echolocation systems ↗SONARS
  48. 35Echolocation systems ↗SONARS
  49. 36Element between copper and gallium on the periodic table ↗ZINC
  50. 36Element between copper and gallium on the periodic table ↗ZINC
  51. 37Spelling combinations? ↗COVENS
  52. 37Spelling combinations? ↗COVENS
  53. 38They're concerned with feeding kits ↗VIXENS
  54. 38They're concerned with feeding kits ↗VIXENS
  55. 39Pharyngeal woe ↗STREP
  56. 39Pharyngeal woe ↗STREP
  57. 40Cynthia ___, Tony winner for "The Color Purple" ↗ERIVO
  58. 40Cynthia ___, Tony winner for "The Color Purple" ↗ERIVO
  59. 41Buckled ↗CAVED
  60. 41Buckled ↗CAVED
  61. 42Extend, in a way ↗RENEW
  62. 42Extend, in a way ↗RENEW
  63. 45Chilly and damp ↗DANK
  64. 45Chilly and damp ↗DANK
  65. 47"___ noticed" ↗IVE
  66. 47"___ noticed" ↗IVE