Home/Archive/May 23, 2026

NYT Crossword — May 23, 2026

Saturday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 62 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 62 revealed
1B
2A
3R
4B
5E
6T
7S
8A
9R
10M
11O
12R
13A
V
I
A
R
I
E
14S
15N
E
U
R
O
16D
O
G
B
R
E
A
T
17H
18Y
A
D
D
A
19E
N
V
I
E
S
20R
E
21O
22C
L
E
M
23G
R
E
E
D
24S
O
A
P
25S
T
A
R
S
26G
E
D
S
27P
A
N
D
A
C
A
R
S
28S
P
A
29G
A
N
G
P
L
A
N
K
30L
O
U
D
S
H
I
R
T
31M
A
R
L
S
T
O
N
E
32F
33A
34B
35M
A
T
E
I
N
O
N
E
36C
O
P
E
37D
I
R
T
Y
N
A
M
E
38M
O
N
T
E
39A
M
I
E
40A
K
A
41B
A
N
T
E
R
42R
O
N
A
43N
44E
C
45T
O
P
L
A
S
M
46T
S
A
R
S
47H
O
T
L
A
N
T
A
48H
A
S
T
A
49T
H
E
W
E
S
T

Across

31 clues
1They might be settled atop stools
8Shell, say
13Places to put fliers
15Surgical specialty, informally
16A boxer's might knock you out
18Substitute for "etc."
19Begrudges
20Old auto company based in Lansing, Mich.
22Jazz drummer DeRosa
23One of the seven depicted in the 1995 thriller "Se7en"
24Daytime regulars
26What some prisoners earn, in brief
27Old black-and-white police autos, to Brits
28___ weekend
29Walk on water?
30Top that screams "Look at me!"
31Clay-and-calcium-carbonate mix used in cement making
32"Lovely!"
35Chess puzzle challenge, maybe
36Make do
37Many an epithet
38Common con game
39Petite ___ (certain French partner)
40Epithet lead-in
41Bit of back-and-forth
42Farrow with a Pulitzer for his investigative journalism
44Eerie substance faked in 19th-century ghost hoaxes
46Bygone leaders
47Tourist nickname for a Southern mecca, to the chagrin of many locals
48Until, in Uruguay
49Destination for wagons, once

Down

31 clues
1No-goodniks
2Sales job that Forbes magazine once dubbed "the original side hustle," informally
3Ancient collection of Hindu hymns
4Pampers
5Handled something poorly, say
6Gets even with?
7Tac preceder
8At least one
9Substance that undergoes change, as in a lab
10Magpie lookalike with black-and-white plumage
11Bosses (around)
12Gads about
14Figurative ability to withstand almost anything
17Canal blocker?
21Milky and iridescent
24Lizard predator of Africa
25Close call
27Swedish American model Porizkova
29Edward who wrote and illustrated "The Gashlycrumb Tinies"
30Foam designs, perhaps
31Berth places
3219th-century German novelist Theodor
33Stressors for some H.S. seniors
34Accessory on a pub counter
35Brunch beverage
36Standard 1L course, informally
37Title for some fictional lords
38Sugar ___
41Choice for the undecided
43Org. with a "Cryptographic Support Services" page on its website
45Little squirt

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

Stats & info

Saturday, May 23, 2026
15×15
Grid size
62
Total entries
34/191
Black / letter cells
6.2
Avg entry length
13 ltrs
Longest entry
Hardest
Saturday difficulty
PuzzleThe Crossword
PublishedMay 23, 2026
DaySaturday
ThemeThemeless
ConstructorKameron Austin Collins
EditorWill Shortz
Clue split31 across · 31 down
Longest entries
14DFigurative ability to withstand almost anything13 ltrs16AA boxer's might knock you out9 ltrs24ADaytime regulars9 ltrs27AOld black-and-white police autos, to Brits9 ltrs29AWalk on water?9 ltrs

Saturday is the hardest grid of the week, themeless and clued as obliquely as the editor allows. This grid has 34 black squares and averages 6.2 letters per entry.