NYT Crossword Answers Today: August 09, 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 09, 2026 covers every clue in order.

09 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 09, 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	One bit	In the slightest	AT ALL
6	Bad jobs	Criminal undertakings	HEISTS
12	Target of an annual vaccine	Seasonal illness	FLU
15	x or y	Coordinate	AXIS
19	Swimmer’s invitation	Poolside welcome	COME ON IN, THE WATER’S FINE
23	One of two in Hawaii	Federal representative area	CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
24	Father of the river gods, in Greek myth	Titan deity	OCEANUS
25	Overwhelm	Flood with too much	SWAMP
26	Jamaican folk song about dock work	Harry Belafonte song	DAY-O
27	Ones who’ve made the team	List of players	ROSTER
28	One at the U.S. mint?	Coin inscription	UNUM
29	Long-handled tool	Garden implement	HOE
31	What might pile up during a digital detox	Unread messages	EMAIL
35	Show great fondness, in a way	Be very affectionate	DOTE
36	In the lead	Ahead	ON TOP
38	Cow	Intimidate	DAUNT
40	Oscar winner Hathaway	Actress Anne	ANNE
41	Foxlike	Cunning	SLY
42	Winter pellets	Frozen precipitation	SLEET
43	____ forgiveness	Debt-related phrase	DEBT
44	Say without saying	Imply	HINT AT
46	Godsends	Blessings	BOONS
47	Up to 150 years, for a tortoise	Potential lifespan	LIFE SPAN
49	The first “C” of Vietnam’s H.C.M.C.	Vietnamese city abbreviation	CHI
50	Beaver’s home	Lodge	LODGE
51	Communicate through a disagreement	Resolve differences	HAVE THINGS OUT
53	Counterpart of 53-Down	Present day	TODAY
54	Display perfect timing, much like dancers	Act together	MOVE AS ONE
55	Agcy. that protects the right to unionize	U.S. labor agency	NLRB
56	Some Indian flatbreads	Indian breads	ROTIS
57	First woman to play regularly in a major American men’s pro baseball league	Baseball pioneer	TONI STONE
58	Bond between Lazenby and Dalton	Actor who played Bond	MOORE
59	“Let’s do it”	Agree to participate	I’M IN
60	Setting for Ghassan Kanafani’s “All That’s Left to You” and Mourid Barghouti’s “I Saw Ramallah”	Middle Eastern setting	PALESTINE
61	Like a lion’s coat	Brownish	TAWNY
62	Reprimand that might be biting, ironically	Sharp scolding	TONGUE LASHING
64	Group of partridges	Collective noun	COVEY
65	“www” string	Web address component	URL
66	Honey boo-boo?	Painful sweet result	BEE STING
67	Like the Taj Mahal and the Hagia Sophia, architecturally	Having a curved roof	DOMED
68	Up for the day	Out of bed	ARISEN
70	Named names	Identified people	SANG
71	[Oh God …]	Expression of dismay	GROAN
72	Nurse	Take care of	SIP
75	Many a spacious apartment	Upper-level home	LOFT
76	Stand-up comic ____ Wang	Comedian Sheng	SHENG
78	Where a band might go	Body part	WRIST
79	“Gimme!”	Request	MINE
80	Go undefeated	Sweep	SWEEP
82	Enterprise letters	Star Trek ship designation	USS
83	“Let’s put a smile on your plate” chain	Restaurant chain	IHOP
84	Lover of Tristan	Arthurian heroine	ISOLDE
86	Combine, as resources	Pool	POOL
88	Nintendo villain with a “W” on his cap	Mario antagonist	WARIO
90	Bothersome recurrence	Return of a problem	FLARE-UP
91	Controversial business oversight	Monitoring by companies	CORPORATE SURVEILLANCE
96	Amusement park ride in which one’s legs dangle high off the ground	Suspended coaster	INVERTED ROLLER COASTER
97	Lip	Talk back	SASS
98	“____ bodkins!” (bygone oath)	Old exclamation	ODS
99	Comes clean, with “up”	Admits wrongdoing	FESSES
100	Old Bulgarian rulers	Historical title	TSARS

NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for August 09, 2026

No.	Clue	Hint	Answer
1	Results of some peace talks	Agreements	ACCORDS
2	“Wow!”	Expression of amazement	TOO COOL
3	Government act whose name comes from the Greek for “forgetfulness”	Legal pardon	AMNESTY
4	Papal representative	Vatican envoy	LEGATE
5	Michaels of “Saturday Night Live”	SNL creator	LORNE
6	Angry cat’s “greeting”	Feline hiss	HISS
7	Nav. rank	Naval officer rank	ENS.
8	Retort of denial	Strong denial	IT IS NOT
9	Offer emotional support (for)	Be present for	SHOW UP
10	Time that’s an artist’s name backward	Reverse of MANET	TENAM
11	Did the butterfly, e.g.	Swam a stroke	SWAM
12	Target of an annual vaccine	Seasonal illness	FLU
13	Co. whose logo depicts the god Mercury holding flowers	Florist organization	FTD
14	Dutch city with a namesake jar	Famous pottery city	DELFT
15	____ Major	Constellation	URSA
16	“Because I Got High” rapper	Hip-hop artist	AFROMAN
17	Magazine for entrepreneurs	Business publication	INC.
18	Good to go	Ready	READY
20	Branch with a stem?	Botanical wordplay	NEURON
21	Number of letters?	Alphabetic total	ALPHABET
22	Ocular affliction	Eye problem	STYE
28	Uintah and Ouray reservation people	Indigenous people	UTE
30	Surpassed	Did better than	BESTED
32	Group in support of a queen	Royal supporters	ROYALISTS
33	Rushing around	Moving frantically	HURRYING
34	Last Beatles single before Paul McCartney’s departure	Beatles classic	LET IT BE
37	Reality TV icon ____ Leakes	“Real Housewives” star	NENE
38	Edging, e.g.	Bordering	TRIM
39	Title for Macbeth	Scottish title	THANE
42	Parts of many combo meals	Side dishes	SIDES
43	Selling off, as stocks	Getting rid of	DUMPING
45	Big inits. in Dutch banking	Dutch bank	ING
46	Foretelling of	Prediction	OMEN
47	Bestowing extravagantly (on)	Giving lavishly	LAVISHING
48	Source of fragrant cones	Aromatic material	INCENSE
50	Destiny	Fate	FATE
51	Something that might not be well received when someone asks “How do I look?”	Frank assessment	HONESTY
52	Was flaky?	Snowed	SNOWED
53	Counterpart of 53-Across	Following day	TOMORROW
54	It’s not exactly fast food	Slow dining option	SLOW FOOD
56	Almsgiving and pilgrimage, for two	Islamic practices	ZAKAT AND HAJJ
57	Bit of folklore	Old tale	MYTH
58	Wonk	Policy expert	NERD
60	Hammer parts	Striking surfaces	HEADS
61	Main ingredient in salsa verde	Mexican pepper	TOMATILLO
63	Purple yam in Filipino desserts	Filipino ingredient	UBE
64	Sounds from pigeons	Bird noises	COOES
67	Simple coffee brewing method	Basic preparation	DRIP
69	Treeless tracts	Open plains	STEPPES
71	Pleasing rhythms	Musical grooves	BEATS
72	Diamond component?	Baseball feature	INFIELD
73	Gene-activating substance	Regulatory material	ENHANCER
74	Eyes, informally	Peepers	PEEPERS
77	Danced at a luau	Hawaiian dance	HULAED
78	Eddies	Swirls	VORTICES
79	Very complicated situation, so to speak	Tangled problem	MESS
81	____ People’s Campaign (1968 S.C.L.C. movement)	Civil rights campaign	POOR
83	Self-congratulatory declaration	Proud statement	I’M GREAT
85	One of the Five Pillars of Islam, referring to prayer	Islamic obligation	SALAT
87	“____ take arms against a sea of troubles”: Hamlet	Shakespearean line	WHETHER
89	Since	From then	AS
90	Some fan-made literary works, informally	Unofficial stories	FICS
91	Prefix with normative	Prefix meaning outside	NON
92	____ shoestring	On a budget	BY A
93	They’re parked in parks	Recreational vehicles	RVs
94	Some OT enders	Biblical books	ERS
95	Before, poetically	In the past	ERE

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 09, 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.