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NYT Crossword — March 2, 2026

Monday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 76 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 76 revealed
1D
2I
3T
4C
5H
6S
7C
8A
9N
10C
11L
12A
13M
14I
D
A
H
O
15L
I
N
E
16R
E
P
O
17F
O
R
E
S
18H
A
D
O
W
19A
T
O
P
20S
E
I
N
E
21A
I
S
L
E
22A
23P
24R
S
25S
T
R
26I
27K
E
G
O
L
D
28R
O
O
M
29S
30F
A
R
31N
O
S
32E
N
T
O
M
33B
34A
S
B
A
35D
36G
I
V
E
A
37S
H
O
U
T
O
38U
39T
40E
A
R
N
S
41L
E
C
H
E
42S
43P
44A
45S
46G
O
A
47S
T
O
R
K
48A
C
T
49I
O
N
P
50L
51A
52N
53O
H
M
Y
54R
U
R
A
L
55A
R
E
56A
R
57A
T
O
M
58T
59I
M
B
E
R
W
60O
61L
62F
63D
E
N
S
64H
O
B
O
65C
H
A
I
R
66E
R
G
O
67U
S
S
R
68H
O
K
E
Y

Across

35 clues
1Leave behind, informally
6Read, as a bar code
10Happy as a ___
14The Potato State
15Bit of dialogue
16Seized vehicle, in brief
17Hint at, as what's to come
19Sitting on
20Parisian river
21Wedding walkway
22Figs. that include interest
25Hit the jackpot, so to speak
28Hotel units
30Distant
31Refusals
32Place in a pyramid, as a mummified pharaoh
34"There's no such thing ___ publicity"
36Acknowledge during a broadcast, say … and a hint to the shaded squares
40Brings home the bacon
41Tres ___ cake
43Dads
46Popular coastal destination in India
47Bird featured on many baby shower decorations
48Sequence of steps to accomplish a goal
53"Good heavens!"
54In the countryside
55Toward the back
57Tiny unit of matter
58Wild canid of the Great Lakes region
63Foxholes, e.g.
64Drifter
65Committee head
66Therefore
67The Beatles' "Back in the ___"
68"The ___ Pokey" (children's dance song)

Down

41 clues
1"What's the ___?" ("Who cares?")
2Wedding vow
3Black goo
4Knight captures bishop, e.g.
5Garden faucet attachment
6Bias
7Fermented apple juice
8Year on the Yucatán
9Just purchased
10Daniel ___, 007 portrayer
11Divulges
12Moon-landing program
13Bikes with small engines
18___ and hers
21Infuses with bubbles
22"Things ___ looking up!"
23Ping's partner
24Indian flatbread
26"In that case ..."
27Afghan capital
29Obsessor over "the precious" in Tolkien lore
33British nobleman
34Sounds of satisfaction
35Sci-fi series with a "Time Lord" traveling in a TARDIS
37"___, crackle, pop"
38"Yikes ...!"
39Glossary component
42Where the stars are
43Veterans Day event
44Sharper
45Muscular
49"You are not!" retort
50Baby sheep
51___ Day (tree-planting celebration)
52Maiden name preceder
56Part of a foot
58Wed. follower
59Apple platform
60Sturdy bookcase material
61What one should let sleeping dogs do, proverbially
62Word after deep, stir or small

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

Stats & info

Monday, Mar 2, 2026
15×15
Grid size
76
Total entries
40/185
Black / letter cells
4.9
Avg entry length
13 ltrs
Longest entry
Easiest
Monday difficulty
PuzzleThe Crossword
PublishedMar 2, 2026
DayMonday
ThemeUntitled
ConstructorLeslie Benson
EditorWill Shortz
Clue split35 across · 41 down
Longest entries
36AAcknowledge during a broadcast, say … and a hint to the shaded squares13 ltrs17AHint at, as what's to come10 ltrs25AHit the jackpot, so to speak10 ltrs48ASequence of steps to accomplish a goal10 ltrs58AWild canid of the Great Lakes region10 ltrs

Monday grids are the gentlest of the week: straightforward definitions, familiar fill and almost no wordplay. This grid has 40 black squares and averages 4.9 letters per entry.