Home/Archive/Feb 17, 2026

NYT Crossword — February 17, 2026

Tuesday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 78 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 78 revealed
1S
2K
3A
4S
5I
6N
7C
8E
9A
10B
11A
12S
13H
14P
A
L
15O
P
E
R
A
16D
A
R
L
A
17A
L
B
18I
N
O
R
A
T
19O
R
I
O
N
20N
E
A
T
O
21F
I
S
22T
23I
A
M
S
24S
N
A
F
25U
26G
U
E
27S
S
S
O
28N
A
I
L
A
R
29T
30P
E
A
T
31O
L
A
Y
32S
A
33G
34T
A
35P
36A
37S
38P
A
N
39B
A
R
O
40Q
41U
E
42A
C
H
43E
D
S
44E
L
45D
E
N
46U
P
T
O
47A
T
48M
49S
50D
I
51S
B
A
N
D
52P
53E
R
S
O
N
54A
55T
A
E
B
O
56S
A
R
A
57P
O
P
58S
59F
R
E
R
60E
61L
U
R
C
62H
63O
R
A
64L
E
X
A
M
S
65A
L
O
H
A
66Z
O
N
E
S
67R
A
P
68W
I
R
E
D
69E
N
D
I
T
70S
L
Y

Across

39 clues
1Forerunner of reggae
4Because
9Fluster with embarrassment
14Buddy
15"L'Orfeo" or "Idomeneo"
16Spoiled girl in "Finding Nemo"
17White rodent often used in lab research
19Hunter in the night sky
20"Cool!"
21Hit maker?
23Big name in pet food
24Complete fiasco
26"I suppose that's right"
28Some fancy finger painting
30Flavoring in an earthy whiskey
31Classic skin-care brand
32Film performers' union, for short
34Spanish appetizers
38Prospector's receptacle
39Music genre for the words hidden in this puzzle's circled letters ... or a punny description for them?
42German cry of dismay
43Old Ford Motor offering
45Site for hibernation … or a Super Bowl party
46No more than
47Sources of quick $$$
50Break up, as a group
52Someone's public identity
55Workout inspired by martial arts
56"Nobody doesn't like ___ Lee" (classic food slogan)
57Daddy-o
59"___ Jacques" (children's song)
61"The Addams Family" butler
63Spoken evaluations
65Island greeting
66Starts daydreaming, with "out"
67Sound heard at the door
68Amped up
69Call off the relationship
70Furtive

Down

39 clues
1Distance from end to end
2Leafy side dish rich in vitamin K
3Residents of Tirana
4"Oh, that stupid little punk ..."
5Wall Street debut, for short
6Toy brand with foam ammo
7Daniel of the "Knives Out" movies
8Devours
9Fuss and flurry
10Many a Starbucks employee
11Highlights of a 15-Across
12Smartphone video effect
13Film composer Zimmer
18Boot out of Europe?
22Item stored in a small hole in a golf cart
25___ Major
27Fill fully
28"Uh-uh"
29Material for a roof repair
33Mars, but not Earth
35Tough-but-loving fathers, informally
36"Don't be so weird!"
37Equipped with footwear
39Sandwiches often on toasted bread
40Proof-ending inits.
41Troop group
44Aural ailment
46Standard option on a rideshare app
48Shaggy head of hair
49Get some Z's
51Least risky
52Physicist Wolfgang who proposed the "exclusion principle"
53Blunder
54Front part of a stage
56Barbecue side dish
58Material in a classical timepiece
60Sneak a peek at
62Suckered
64Ring of flowers

Click a clue for its own page with the answer and a short explanation.

Stats & info

Tuesday, Feb 17, 2026
15×15
Grid size
78
Total entries
36/189
Black / letter cells
4.8
Avg entry length
9 ltrs
Longest entry
Easy
Tuesday difficulty
PuzzleThe Crossword
PublishedFeb 17, 2026
DayTuesday
ThemeUntitled
ConstructorStephan Prock and Jeff Chen
EditorWill Shortz
Clue split39 across · 39 down
Longest entries
17AWhite rodent often used in lab research9 ltrs63ASpoken evaluations9 ltrs2DLeafy side dish rich in vitamin K9 ltrs3DResidents of Tirana9 ltrs35DTough-but-loving fathers, informally9 ltrs

Tuesday sits one notch above Monday, usually with a light theme and a few playful clues. This grid has 36 black squares and averages 4.8 letters per entry.