NYT Crossword Answers Today: August 12, 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 12, 2026 covers every clue in order.

12 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 12, 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	Mentions by username, on social media	Social media callouts	TAGS
5	High range	Upper musical range	TREBLE
11	Hits up on Insta, say	Sends messages	DMS
14	___ vez (again, in Spanish)	Spanish phrase	OTRA
15	Torment	Cause distress	HARROW
16	On the sea, it’s akin to “Sí”	Spanish affirmative at sea	AYE
17	Where Docs and Sheets are stored	Google platform	GOOGLE DRIVE
19	Jordan joined it in 1984, for short	Basketball league	NBA
20	Pal	Friend	AMIGO
21	Only number that appears twice in the Fibonacci sequence	Fibonacci number	ONE
22	Rip-off	Scam	SCAM
23	Measurements of Wi-Fi performance	Wireless metrics	NETWORK SPEEDS
27	Didn’t have a match in Go Fish, say	Had to draw	DREW
28	Feeling little to no amorous attraction, in L.G.B.T.Q.+ lingo	Romantic orientation	AROMANTIC
29	Identity prefix	Identity-related prefix	CIS
32	Baldwin with a record 17 appearances as “Saturday Night Live” host	Actor and comedian	ALEC
35	Unwanted divisions	Splits	RIFTS
38	Web volume measured in hits … or a hint to 17-, 23-, 49- and 61-Across	Online activity	INTERNET TRAFFIC
42	2024 film that won Best Picture	Oscar-winning film	ANORA
43	Boba tea flavor	Tea flavor	TARO
44	Word with run or resort	Ski ___	SKI
45	Throw, for instance	Toss	RUG
46	Buddhist leader	Spiritual leader	LAMA
49	Major consequence of a virus, perhaps	Computer problem	COMPUTER CRASH
55	Extreme craving	Strong desire	LUST
56	“OK,” in Osaka	Japanese affirmative	HAI
57	“Like ___!” (“Whatever!”)	Dismissive phrase	I CARE
60	“Sorry, it’s ___ from me”	Negative response	NO
61	Cause of some slow data transfers	Network problem	SERVER DELAY
64	Highly monitored area, for short	Medical setting	ICU
65	Flowery	Ornate	ORNATE
66	Affinity for something, so to speak	Instinct for it	NOSE
67	Home of Emanuel Leutze’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware,” with “the”	New York museum	MET
68	Snipes of “White Men Can’t Jump”	Actor Wesley	WESLEY SNIPES
69	Baking amts.	Kitchen measures	TSP

NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for August 12, 2026

No.	Clue	Hint	Answer
1	Party wrap	Costume worn at a party	TOGA
2	Bit of chemistry	Tiny particle	ATOM
3	Bad thing to pull while running	Muscle injury	HAMSTRING
4	Failed under pressure, in a way	Broke down	CRACKED
5	Hot French beverage	Warm French drink	CAFE
6	“Sick, dude!”	Expression of approval	RAD
7	What a bug may cause	Computer problem	ERROR
8	Cusp	Border	VERGE
9	Is gaga for	Loves	ADORES
10	Farm female	Female chicken	HEN
11	“Battles” of those busting moves	Dance competitions	DANCE-OFFS
12	“I messed up”	Admission of error	I ERRED
13	Lines in mines	Underground veins	ORE VEINS
18	Tolkien fantasy series inits.	Middle-earth abbreviation	LOTR
22	Little flourish on a letter	Decorative stroke	SERIF
24	Break off gradually	Slowly taper	TAPER
25	Barn nestling	Young farm animal	FOAL
26	Lawyer’s aide, informally	Legal assistant	PARALEGAL
29	Org. in the Jack Ryan movies	Intelligence agency	CIA
30	Tabard ___, locale in “The Canterbury Tales”	Famous inn	INN
31	Leaves in a huff	Storms out	STORMS
33	Greek letter representing elasticity in economics	Greek letter	EPSILON
34	PC “copy” shortcut	Keyboard command	CTRL-C
36	___Tok	Social media platform	TIK
37	STEM part: Abbr.	Science field	ENG.
39	Go ballistic	Lose one’s temper	RAGE
40	Big name in pasta sauce	Sauce brand	RAGU
41	Pride sound	Lion’s cry	ROAR
47	___ Marian (English folklore heroine)	Robin Hood character	MAID
48	It’s on the up and up	Legitimate	LEVEL
49	Fraud victim’s filing	Legal complaint	CLAIM
50	Perfumery unit	Small volume measure	ML
51	“And…voilà!”	Presentation flourish	TA-DA
52	Comes to deserve	Earns	EARNS
53	Measure up to, as in competition	Equal	MATCH
54	Nickname for M.L.B.’s Angels	Los Angeles team nickname	HALOS
58	Feature of one’s voice following a loud concert, say	Hoarse quality	HOARSENESS
59	Potato discards	Potato bits removed	EYES
61	Farm female	Female pig	SOW
62	It ends in septembre	French summer	ÉTÉ
63	Singer Lana Del ___	Pop singer	REY

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 12, 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.