Home/Archive/Mar 9, 2026

NYT Crossword — March 9, 2026

Monday’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

1U

2R

3S

4A

5S

6T

7E

8A

9M

10A

11W

12W

13N

A

T

O

14C

O

U

L

D

A

15P

R

E

16F

I

E

L

17D

H

O

C

K

E

Y

18P

A

T

19E

S

P

20O

I

N

K

21A

22G

E

N

T

23D

I

S

24A

R

M

25S

26T

27O

N

E

A

G

E

28N

O

S

I

E

29R

30U

P

S

E

L

L

S

31N

O

T

32O

33G

R

E

34S

E

T

35F

O

36S

T

E

R

D

37O

38G

39A

40B

41C

42T

I

M

E

43B

U

44S

45L

E

A

46D

47S

O

N

48T

49B

O

N

E

50S

51B

E

R

R

Y

P

I

52E

53R

I

S

E

U

54P

55E

F

R

E

M

56X

57M

A

S

58H

B

O

59R

I

O

60B

61E

62S

T

A

C

T

63R

E

S

S

64T

E

T

65O

R

I

O

L

E

66I

R

I

S

67A

R

S

68L

A

D

L

E

69G

E

N

E

Across

37 clues

1Constellation word before Major or Minor

5Something to blow off or let off

10"So-o-o cute!"

13Western defense grp.

14"I ___ been a contender ..."

15Lead-in to natal or nuptial

16*Outdoor sport with sticks (1979, 1984)

19Letters for a mind reader

20Grunt from a pigpen

21Athlete's representative

23Take weapons away from

25*Period for Fred, Wilma and Pebbles (2016, 2023)

28More in-your-business

30Encourages to buy a more expensive model, say

31Ernest Hemingway's "To Have and Have ___"

32Monster of folk tales

34Goal for collectors

35*Temporary guest from a canine shelter (1988, 1991)

42"Pencils down!"

43Double-decker, e.g.

45Strings along

51*Popular fruit dessert (2001)

53Rebel as a group

55Zimbalist Jr. of "77 Sunset Strip"

56Plastic Ono Band's "Happy ___ (War Is Over)"

58Network for "The Wire" and "Euphoria"

59Birthplace of the bossa nova, informally

60Academy Award category ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues

64Vietnamese holiday with a palindromic name

65Baltimore baseball pro

66Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower

67"___ gratia artis" (classic MGM motto)

68Chicken noodle scoop

69Heredity unit

Down

37 clues

1Like expired parking meters

3Bobby, Peter or Greg, to Carol Brady

4Internet pioneer

5"Coming ___ to a theater near you"

6Partner of nips

7Relative of a reindeer

8Suffix with lemon or orange

9Ancient Central American pyramid builders

10They go to a higher court

11Round up, as cattle

12Receiving the most rain

14Grandfather clock sound

17Piquant triangular chip

26Small castle tower

27Guest opinion column

29Corkscrew-shaped pasta

36"Enough already!"

37Double-reed woodwind player

38Biceps, boastfully

39Canadian province north of Montana

41Bugs Bunny's supply

44"Now, you listen to me ..."

46Beats by ___ (headphone brand)

47Word with sex or status

49Support for a knee or a neck

50Enters a game at the half, say

52Praise enthusiastically

54Group assisting a sheriff

57Like a bull or buck

61Memorable period

62Caesar of old comedy

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

Stats & info

Monday, Mar 9, 2026

15×15

Grid size

74

Total entries

40/185

Black / letter cells

5.0

Avg entry length

11 ltrs

Longest entry

Easiest

Monday difficulty

PuzzleThe Crossword

PublishedMar 9, 2026

DayMonday

ThemeUntitled

ConstructorChristina Iverson and Andrea Carla Michaels

EditorWill Shortz

Clue split37 across · 37 down

Longest entries

16A*Outdoor sport with sticks (1979, 1984)11 ltrs 60AAcademy Award category ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues11 ltrs 35A*Temporary guest from a canine shelter (1988, 1991)9 ltrs 25A*Period for Fred, Wilma and Pebbles (2016, 2023)8 ltrs 51A*Popular fruit dessert (2001)8 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 5.0 letters per entry.