Home/Archive/Jul 23, 2026

NYT Crossword — July 23, 2026

Thursday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 74 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 74 revealed

1D

2E

3A

4T

5H

6S

7T

8A

9R

10A

11P

12E

13E

N

C

H

I

L

A

D

A

14S

15A

R

O

D

16I

D

L

E

G

O

S

S

I

P

17S

M

O

G

18H

O

T

19N

O

20S

C

O

R

E

21Q

22U

23I

P

P

E

24D

25U

S

E

R

I

D

26S

U

P

R

A

S

27N

28I

S

A

N

29T

O

P

S

Y

30R

A

C

E

31T

32R

33O

34T

35A

T

E

36O

L

E

37A

A

H

38B

A

D

39U

40A

T

A

D

41C

42A

N

T

I

43N

44A

M

I

B

45M

O

L

T

E

N

46S

47C

48A

R

A

B

49S

50W

A

N

S

O

N

51O

R

D

E

A

L

52S

53A

D

V

54L

E

D

A

55E

P

56I

C

D

E

57F

58E

59A

60T

61I

P

O

D

62D

A

R

K

E

N

E

R

G

Y

63D

E

N

64S

T

O

N

E

W

A

R

E

Across

33 clues

1More than just a disapproving look

10Scruff of the neck

13Fondita offerings

15Three-time A.L. M.V.P. of the 2000s, familiarly

16"The Devil's radio"

17Pollution portmanteau

18Really peeved

19What a pointless game has?

25Password preceder

26Former Toyota sports cars named for a Latin prefix

27Passover month

31Home run hitter's gait

36Part in a play

37"That's the spot!"

38"Tyrone" singer Erykah

41"Will you let me?"

43Desert for which an African country is named

45Like obsidian rock, once

46Symbol of rebirth in ancient Egypt

51Trials by fire

53Wholly, but not holey or holy, e.g.: Abbr.

54Helen of Troy's mother

55Ignominious outcome

61Tech product discontinued in 2022

62Proposed cosmological phenomenon that could make up 70% of the universe — and six squares in this puzzle's grid?

64Pottery so named for its hardness

Down

41 clues

2Word after tight or defensive

3Knee stabilizer, in brief

5Attractive feature of a job

6Single-masted vessels

8Podcast interruptions

9Frequent forecast in Seattle

11Unleavened South Asian flatbread

12Follower of double or gilt

14Champion, as a cause

20Org. with a list of popular baby names

21Minimum, in a way

23Letters before ".gov"

24Forensic facilities

26Sign abbr. meaning "founded in"

28Coffee or tea specification

30Unleavened South Asian flatbread

32Sought comfort from, say

34Unnamed article

40Didn't stay on topic

41Come together

42Lou Gehrig's disease, for short

44One level below the majors

47Crinkly fabric

50Totally bizarre

52Places to get masks

56Original N.Y.C. subway line

59Cabinet dept. since 1889

60Gospel musician Tribbett

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

Stats & info

Thursday, Jul 23, 2026

15×15

Grid size

74

Total entries

42/183

Black / letter cells

4.9

Avg entry length

10 ltrs

Longest entry

Tricky

Thursday difficulty

PuzzleThe Crossword

PublishedJul 23, 2026

DayThursday

ThemeUntitled

ConstructorDamon Gulczynski

EditorWill Shortz

Clue split33 across · 41 down

Longest entries

13AFondita offerings10 ltrs 16A"The Devil's radio"10 ltrs 55AIgnominious outcome10 ltrs 62AProposed cosmological phenomenon that could make up 70% of the universe — and six squares in this puzzle's grid?10 ltrs 1AMore than just a disapproving look9 ltrs

Thursday is the gimmick day: rebus squares, reversed entries and other tricks are fair game. This grid has 42 black squares and averages 4.9 letters per entry.