NYT CROSSWORD • SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2026

NYT Crossword Answers May 23, 2026

Complete answer list for the May 23, 2026 New York Times Crossword. Across and Down, every clue, every answer — plus the full grid below.

By Kameron Austin CollinsEdited by Will ShortzGrid 15×1562 clues

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THUMAY
21
2026
By Zhou Zhang and Mallory Mon…
FRIMAY
22
2026
By Gene Louise De Vera
SATMAY
23
2026
By Kameron Austin Collins
SUNMAY
24
2026
By David Steinberg
MONMAY
25
2026
By Anthony Grubb

The Grid

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

Click a clue to reveal it in the grid.

Across 31

  1. 1They might be settled atop stools ↗BARBETS
  2. 8Shell, say ↗ARMOR
  3. 13Places to put fliers ↗AVIARIES
  4. 15Surgical specialty, informally ↗NEURO
  5. 16A boxer's might knock you out ↗DOGBREATH
  6. 18Substitute for "etc." ↗YADDA
  7. 19Begrudges ↗ENVIES
  8. 20Old auto company based in Lansing, Mich. ↗REO
  9. 22Jazz drummer DeRosa ↗CLEM
  10. 23One of the seven depicted in the 1995 thriller "Se7en" ↗GREED
  11. 24Daytime regulars ↗SOAPSTARS
  12. 26What some prisoners earn, in brief ↗GEDS
  13. 27Old black-and-white police autos, to Brits ↗PANDACARS
  14. 28___ weekend ↗SPA
  15. 29Walk on water? ↗GANGPLANK
  16. 30Top that screams "Look at me!" ↗LOUDSHIRT
  17. 31Clay-and-calcium-carbonate mix used in cement making ↗MARLSTONE
  18. 32"Lovely!" ↗FAB
  19. 35Chess puzzle challenge, maybe ↗MATEINONE
  20. 36Make do ↗COPE
  21. 37Many an epithet ↗DIRTYNAME
  22. 38Common con game ↗MONTE
  23. 39Petite ___ (certain French partner) ↗AMIE
  24. 40Epithet lead-in ↗AKA
  25. 41Bit of back-and-forth ↗BANTER
  26. 42Farrow with a Pulitzer for his investigative journalism ↗RONAN
  27. 44Eerie substance faked in 19th-century ghost hoaxes ↗ECTOPLASM
  28. 46Bygone leaders ↗TSARS
  29. 47Tourist nickname for a Southern mecca, to the chagrin of many locals ↗HOTLANTA
  30. 48Until, in Uruguay ↗HASTA
  31. 49Destination for wagons, once ↗THEWEST

Down 31

  1. 1No-goodniks ↗BADEGGS
  2. 2Sales job that Forbes magazine once dubbed "the original side hustle," informally ↗AVONREP
  3. 3Ancient collection of Hindu hymns ↗RIGVEDA
  4. 4Pampers ↗BABIES
  5. 5Handled something poorly, say ↗ERRED
  6. 6Gets even with? ↗TIES
  7. 7Tac preceder ↗SEA
  8. 8At least one ↗ANY
  9. 9Substance that undergoes change, as in a lab ↗REACTANT
  10. 10Magpie lookalike with black-and-white plumage ↗MUDLARK
  11. 11Bosses (around) ↗ORDERS
  12. 12Gads about ↗ROAMS
  13. 14Figurative ability to withstand almost anything ↗STRONGSTOMACH
  14. 17Canal blocker? ↗HEADPHONE
  15. 21Milky and iridescent ↗OPALINE
  16. 24Lizard predator of Africa ↗SANDSNAKE
  17. 25Close call ↗SCARE
  18. 27Swedish American model Porizkova ↗PAULINA
  19. 29Edward who wrote and illustrated "The Gashlycrumb Tinies" ↗GOREY
  20. 30Foam designs, perhaps ↗LATTEART
  21. 31Berth places ↗MARINAS
  22. 3219th-century German novelist Theodor ↗FONTANE
  23. 33Stressors for some H.S. seniors ↗APTESTS
  24. 34Accessory on a pub counter ↗BEERMAT
  25. 35Brunch beverage ↗MIMOSA
  26. 36Standard 1L course, informally ↗CONLAW
  27. 37Title for some fictional lords ↗DARTH
  28. 38Sugar ___ ↗MAPLE
  29. 41Choice for the undecided ↗BOTH
  30. 43Org. with a "Cryptographic Support Services" page on its website ↗NSA
  31. 45Little squirt ↗TOT