NYT Crossword Answers Today: August 04, 2026

Searching for the NYT Crossword answers today? If today’s New York Times Crossword has a few clues standing in the way, this guide has everything needed to finish the puzzle.

Below, you’ll find a spoiler-light overview, followed by hints for every Across and Down clue before revealing the complete answers. Whether only one square is missing or the entire grid needs solving, today’s guide for August 04, 2026 covers every clue in order.

04 August 2026 – NYT Crossword overview

Today’s crossword offers a balanced challenge with a clever central theme that gradually becomes apparent as more of the grid is completed. Several clues rely on wordplay and misdirection, while a handful of modern abbreviations and pop culture references may slow down even experienced solvers.

The puzzle is approachable for regular crossword players but still contains enough tricky clues to make the final solve satisfying. Looking for hints first? Start with the sections below before scrolling to the complete answers.

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NYT Crossword Across hints and answers for August 04, 2026

Start with the hint if you’d like to keep solving on your own. The answer is listed directly underneath.

No.	Clue	Hint	Answer
1	“Handy” kitchen item	Countertop appliance	MIXER
5	Smears with goo	Covers messily	SLIMES
11	Music genre with offbeat rhythms	Jamaican genre	SKA
14	So-called “servebot” in tennis, essentially	Weak server	ACER
15	Action on the front lines	Military engagement	COMBAT
16	Hunk of cash	Large sum	WAD
17	Words uttered while sorting potential gowns for an Indian wedding?	Themed pun	SARI NOT SARI
19	Word aptly hidden in “moldy”	Concealed word	OLD
20	Some marksmen	Precision shooters	SNIPERS
21	Stringed instruments of old	Ancient harps	LYRES
23	Inc. alternative	Business suffix	LLC
24	Kind of whale	Baleen whale	BALEEN
27	Wedding feast delivery from India’s capital?	Themed pun	DELHI PLATTERS
31	Unwelcome responsibility	Burden	ONUS
33	Rawboned	Gaunt	GAUNT
34	“Deadline” for a rush order	Immediate due date	NOW
35	Bit of tailoring	Hem	HEM
36	Writer Rand	Ayn	AYN
38	Great Leap Forward leader	Mao	MAO
39	Longoria with three Screen Actors Guild awards	Eva	EVA
40	Celestial sphere	Orb	ORB
41	Hold power, as a ruler	Reign	REIGN
43	“You said it!”	Agreement	AMEN
44	Tying the knot during a colorful Hindu festival?	Themed pun	HOLI MATRIMONY
48	One who makes a lasting impression while just scratching the surface	Themed description	ETCHER
49	Part of NATO: Abbr.	Treaty organization	ORG
50	When repeated, “You get the gist”	Familiar phrase	YADA YADA
52	Enter furtively	Creep in	CREEP
56	Mysterious sight at night	UFO	UFO
57	“Esteemed reception guests, we regret to report that we’ve run out of flatbread,” e.g.?	Themed pun	NAAN APOLOGY
61	Scratch the surface of, say	Mar	MAR
62	Like the physicist Niels Bohr and the astronomer Tycho Brahe	Danish	DANISH
63	Stock market unveilings, for short	Initial public offerings	IPOS
64	“___ you done?”	Informal question	ARE
65	Luxury transports	Yachts	YACHTS
66	Common workout target	Core	CORE

NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for August 04, 2026

No.	Clue	Hint	Answer
1	The “m” in many a physics equation	Mass	MASS
2	Self-assured words	“I got this”	I CAN
3	Actress Polo	Teri	TERI
4	Toughest hits to get when hitting for the cycle in baseball	Triples	TRIPLES
5	Sear	Burn	SINGE
6	“___ of luck!”	Expression of sympathy	OUTTA
7	Quick communications, in brief	Instant messages	IMS
8	Postgraduate deg. with management courses	MBA	MBA
9	Musician’s asset	Ear	EAR
10	Stylish shoe feature	Platform sole	PLATFORM
11	Someone you will never stop despising	Sworn enemy	NEMESIS
12	Green smoothie staple	Kale	KALE
13	Tosses in	Adds	ADDS
18	“Little” Dickens girl	Nell	NELL
22	Up to this point	Thus far	YET
24	___-free (plastics label)	BPA	BPA
25	Tina Fey and Amy Poehler vis-à-vis Saturday Night Live	Alumni	ALUMS
26	Singer ___ Del Rey	Lana	LANA
27	Longtime Hogwarts headmaster	Dumbledore	DUMBLEDORE
28	Set aflame	Lit	LIT
29	Wander	Roam	ROAM
30	Graceful bird	Tern	TERN
31	“Pick me! Pick me!”	Over here!	OVER HERE
32	Infamous Roman ruler	Nero	NERO
36	Attractive plus-one	Arm candy	ARM CANDY
37	“You said it!”	I agree	OH YES
42	Canine warning	Growl	GROWL
43	Like a cherub	Angelic	ANGELIC
45	“___ be a real honor”	It’d	IT’D
46	Transforms	Alters	ALTERS
47	Cookie with an “enrobed” variety in the U.K.	Oreo	OREO
50	Arizona city or county	Yuma	YUMA
51	At a distance	Afar	AFAR
52	Film information on IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes	Credits	CREDITS
53	Cops, in slang	Fuzz	FUZZ
54	Iconic lab assistant of film	Igor	IGOR
55	Where Anheuser-Busch is “BUD”	NYSE	NYSE
58	Battery for a mouse	AA	AA
59	Anti-apartheid org.	ANC	ANC
60	U.S. medical research agcy.	NIH	NIH

Tips for solving the NYT Crossword

Even if today’s crossword proved difficult, a few strategies can make future puzzles much easier.

• Fill in the shortest clues first to build crossing letters.
• Skip clues that seem impossible and return later with more letters in place.
• Watch for question marks, as they often signal puns or wordplay.
• Look for common crossword abbreviations, initials, and shortened forms.
• Don’t ignore theme clues, as they often unlock multiple answers throughout the puzzle.
• Use crossing answers to verify uncertain guesses instead of forcing words that don’t fit.

Consistently solving a few puzzles each week also helps build familiarity with recurring clue styles commonly used in the NYT Crossword.

Final thoughts

The NYT Crossword for August 04, 2026 delivers another enjoyable daily challenge with a satisfying mix of straightforward clues, clever wordplay, and a memorable theme. Whether only a couple of answers were needed or the complete solution was required, hopefully this guide helped finish today’s puzzle.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for another complete set of NYT Crossword hints and answers, including spoiler-free clues followed by the full solution.