Home/Archive/Jan 16, 2026

NYT Crossword — January 16, 2026

Friday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 72 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 72 revealed

1B

2A

3B

4Y

5S

6H

7O

8W

9E

10R

11W

12R

13A

14P

15A

N

Y

O

N

E

H

O

M

E

16A

A

V

E

17S

I

N

K

O

R

S

W

I

M

18G

N

A

T

19I

T

O

O

20D

U

S

T

21S

E

A

L

S

22C

A

W

23F

I

R

24G

A

S

C

A

N

25J

A

N

E

26G

27R

E

Y

28R

N

A

29J

30A

31D

I

N

G

32L

E

T

S

33R

O

C

K

34O

P

E

N

35C

36H

O

P

S

37A

S

H

E

38B

O

O

K

39F

A

I

R

40A

41M

U

S

E

S

42O

L

D

43A

T

S

Y

44M

B

O

L

45F

L

O

46T

U

S

47E

A

T

48M

49O

50P

51F

O

R

E

X

52N

53E

E

D

54F

I

V

E

55E

V

A

N

56C

A

R

T

R

57A

I

L

E

R

58R

I

N

D

59A

N

I

M

A

L

F

A

R

M

60S

I

T

S

61F

A

K

E

P

L

A

N

T

S

Across

35 clues

1Coming-out party?

16Dialect featured in the literature of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, for short

17Scenario calling for self-reliance

19Classic 1926 poem associated with the Harlem Renaissance

20Do some cleaning

21Creatures that can turn into humans on land, in Scottish folklore

22Sound around a summer cornfield

23Wood used for flooring

25Shortest-reigning English monarch (9 days)

28Molecule that can self-splice

29Enthusiasm-curbing

32"Here we go!"

35Some cuts of meat

37Tennis great who had a tennis scholarship from U.C.L.A.

38Place for trading stories?

42It takes a long time to get this

43Leading character on social media?

45White House partner, for short

47Assume, as costs

48Do some cleaning

51Market for currencies, informally

52Financial aid basis

55Ian : Scotland :: ___ : Wales

56One might help you hitch a ride

58Parmesan cheese feature

59Novel whence the line "Four legs good, two legs bad"

61They're green year-round

Down

37 clues

2Oscar-winning musical role for Rita Moreno

4"The Memory Police" author ___ Ogawa

5Brand lead-in to Caps or Balls

6Unwieldy situation, metaphorically

10Kind of cycle

11Listing on a W-2 form

12Stumbled upon

13Overwhelming amount

14Some terrarium denizens

23Tai chi accessory

24Receives unfair criticism

25Nimble, zigzagging maneuver

26Best Original Song Oscar winner from 2014's "Selma"

29Invitations to come on board

30First NASA mission broadcast live from orbit

31Secret offering?

33Julia of "The Addams Family"

36___ Excellency

39Like leatherette

44Start of a secret invitation, perhaps

48Locale of a semiannual fashion week

49Opposite of subtle

50Makes do for a while?

52Gram, by another name

53Composer Satie

54Goal-oriented global org.?

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

Stats & info

Friday, Jan 16, 2026

15×15

Grid size

72

Total entries

28/197

Black / letter cells

5.5

Avg entry length

11 ltrs

Longest entry

Hard

Friday difficulty

PuzzleThe Crossword

PublishedJan 16, 2026

DayFriday

ThemeThemeless

ConstructorKyle Dolan

EditorWill Shortz

Clue split35 across · 37 down

Longest entries

6DUnwieldy situation, metaphorically11 ltrs 24DReceives unfair criticism11 ltrs 1AComing-out party?10 ltrs 15A"Hello-o-o?"10 ltrs 17AScenario calling for self-reliance10 ltrs

Friday puzzles run themeless, so the fill leans on long open entries and wordplay clues rather than a central gimmick. This grid has 28 black squares and averages 5.5 letters per entry.