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 30, 2026 covers every clue in order.
30 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.
NYT Crossword Across hints and answers for August 30, 2026
Start with the hint if you’d like to keep solving on your own. The answer is listed directly underneath.
| Clue | Hint | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Across: “Aladdin” villain | Jafar’s occupation in the animated classic | JAFAR |
| 6 Across: “It’s yours!” | Something a seller might say after a purchase | SOLD |
| 10 Across: Sarcastic “Sure” | A skeptical two-word-style response compressed into four letters | IBET |
| 14 Across: Heat setting, in brief? | Basketball-related wordplay | NBA |
| 17 Across: Dutch Caribbean isle | A well-known Caribbean island | ARUBA |
| 18 Across: Explosive sound | A comic-book-style explosion | KABOOM |
| 20 Across: Lacking constraints | Unrestricted or unrestricted in form | FREEFORM |
| 22 Across: MARTIN SHEEN | Rearrange the letters to find another famous name | HENRI MATISSE |
| 24 Across: LIAM NEESON | Rearrange the letters to find another celebrity | SAL MINEO |
| 25 Across: Chef Hussain of “The Great British Bake Off” fame | British-Pakistani chef and television personality | NADIYA |
| 26 Across: Discount Chinese e-tailer | Popular online shopping company | TEMU |
| 28 Across: Jumbo shrimp | A large shrimp | PRAWN |
| 29 Across: Ben & Jerry’s alternative | Another ice cream brand | EDY’S |
| 31 Across: Pink-slips | Fires from a job, informally | CANS |
| 33 Across: NORMAN REEDUS | Rearrange the letters into another famous name | DONNA SUMMER |
| 37 Across: GREG KINNEAR | Another celebrity formed from the same letters | REGINA KING |
| 40 Across: Conditions of equilibrium | States of balance | STASES |
| 41 Across: Historian’s division | A period of history | ERA |
| 42 Across: Undying? | Still living | ALIVE |
| 43 Across: Offer illegally, as tickets | Resell tickets at inflated prices | SCALP |
| 45 Across: Publicly proclaim | Declare openly | AVOW |
| 46 Across: Scatters messily | Throws or spreads around untidily | STREWS |
| 48 Across: MORGAN FREEMAN | Another famous name using the same letters | GEORGE FOREMAN |
| 55 Across: Class for some recent arrivals, for short | Language class for newcomers | ESL |
| 56 Across: Kind of green | A type of green vegetable | PEA |
| 59 Across: Chemist Lilly | Famous chemist whose name is associated with pharmaceuticals | ELI |
| 60 Across: Chilean poet who served as a Communist senator | Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet | NERUDA |
| 61 Across: Four to two, e.g. | A numerical relationship represented by a square | SQUARE |
| 64 Across: Friar with a famous “razor” | William of Ockham’s namesake | OCCAM |
| 68 Across: Turns on the waterworks | Starts crying | CRIES |
| 69 Across: Ones making periodic appearances … or the link between the capitalized clues and their answers | The puzzle’s theme revealer | RECURRING CHARACTERS |
| 73 Across: 2024’s “Joker: ___ à Deux” | French word completing the movie title | FOLIE |
| 74 Across: Alfresco area | Outdoor space attached to a home | PATIO |
| 75 Across: “Everything cool between us?” | Casual way to ask if there is no problem | WE GOOD? |
| 76 Across: Poorly nourished | Not adequately fed | ILL-FED |
| 78 Across: Fill at a fill-up | What you put in your tank | GAS |
| 80 Across: ___ card | SIM card | SIM |
| 81 Across: Rite Aid rival | Major pharmacy chain | CVS |
| 84 Across: CHRISTIAN SLATER | Same-letter celebrity transformation | ELAINE STRITCH |
| 89 Across: City on the Illinois River | Illinois city | PEORIA |
| 92 Across: Grumpy grimace | A facial expression of displeasure | MOUE |
| 93 Across: Discontinued Swedish cars | Former Swedish automobile brand | SAABS |
| 96 Across: Inauthentic | Fake or not genuine | PHONY |
| 97 Across: “Catch-22” topic | The novel’s wartime setting | WAR |
| 100 Across: Join, as two metal surfaces | Connect with solder | SOLDER |
| 102 Across: ISABELLA ROSSELLINI | Same-letter celebrity transformation | BRIE LARSON |
| 104 Across: KEVIN KLINE | Same-letter celebrity transformation | EVEL KNIEVEL |
| 107 Across: Erté’s style, informally | Decorative art style associated with Erté | DECO |
| 108 Across: Canadian fuel brand | Canadian gas-station brand | ESSO |
| 109 Across: All-vowel musical refrain | The familiar farm-animal song refrain | EIEIO |
| 110 Across: Actress Falco with four Emmys | Actress Edie Falco | EDIE |
| 112 Across: Sugary secretion | Sweet substance produced by flowers | NECTAR |
| 114 Across: BEA ARTHUR | Same-letter celebrity transformation | BABE RUTH |
| 118 Across: MARLON BRANDO | Same-letter celebrity transformation | ORLANDO BLOOM |
| 122 Across: Submitted by the deadline | Turned in on time | IN ON TIME |
| 123 Across: B.L.T. or P.B.J., cutesily | A playful name for a sandwich | SAMMIE |
| 124 Across: Musician/actress Haim | One of the Haim sisters | ALANA |
| 125 Across: Syllable of censure | A disapproving sound | TSK |
| 126 Across: Instants | Seconds, informally | SECS |
| 127 Across: High-protein bean | Soybean | SOYA |
| 128 Across: Big name in truck rentals | Truck rental company | RYDER |
NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for August 30, 2026
| Clue | Hint | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Down: God, to Bob Marley | Rastafarian name for God | JAH |
| 2 Down: “___ you done?” | Phrase asking what someone has finished | ARE |
| 3 Down: Musical comedy that was 1968’s highest-grossing film | Famous Barbra Streisand musical | FUNNY GIRL |
| 4 Down: Caustic | Harsh or corrosive | ABRASIVE |
| 5 Down: Bootlegger’s concern | Something a bootlegger fears | RAID |
| 6 Down: Like 666, popularly | Associated with the devil | SATANIC |
| 7 Down: Band that’s big in Japan? | A Japanese clothing accessory | OBI |
| 8 Down: Disoriented | Confused or directionless | LOST |
| 9 Down: Administered, as a drug | Gave a medication | DOSED |
| 10 Down: Potentialities | Possibilities | IFS |
| 11 Down: Something found under a top | Undergarment | BRA |
| 12 Down: Wriggler in a stream | Slithering aquatic creature | EEL |
| 13 Down: “___ fugit” | Latin phrase meaning “time flies” | TEMPUS |
| 14 Down: Star’s opposite | An unknown or insignificant person | NO NAME |
| 15 Down: Stout figure? | A person associated with brewing | BREWER |
| 16 Down: Supreme Egyptian god | Egyptian sun god | AMON-RA |
| 18 Down: Inuit watercraft | Traditional Inuit boat | KAYAKS |
| 19 Down: Office messages | Workplace communications | MEMOS |
| 21 Down: Like some mattresses and offers | Describes firm mattresses and firm offers | FIRM |
| 23 Down: Mineral that makes cosmetics shimmer | Shimmery mineral | MICA |
| 27 Down: Remove an identifier from, as on Instagram | Remove a social-media tag | UNTAG |
| 29 Down: Clear | Remove or erase | ERASE |
| 30 Down: Shoulder press targets, to trainers | Shoulder muscles | DELTS |
| 32 Down: Hit a ___ | Encounter an obstacle | SNAG |
| 34 Down: Where a flock may gather | Part of a church | NAVE |
| 35 Down: Beginning on | Starting from a particular date | AS OF |
| 36 Down: Attach with a needle and thread | Sew into place | SEW ON |
| 38 Down: Unused | Brand new or untouched | NEW |
| 39 Down: Extreme happiness | Great joy | GLEE |
| 44 Down: Double-breasted pieces of menswear | Formal coats | POLO COATS |
| 47 Down: Trigger | Cause or prompt | SPUR |
| 49 Down: Like Scrooge McDuck | Very wealthy | RICH |
| 50 Down: Right-hand page of a book | Recto is the right-hand page | RECTO |
| 51 Down: Made muffs | Made mistakes | ERRED |
| 52 Down: John ___ Day (California commemoration) | Environmentalist and conservationist | MUIR |
| 53 Down: Citrus refreshments | Lemonades and similar drinks | ADES |
| 54 Down: “N.Y. State of Mind” rapper | New York rapper Nas | NAS |
| 57 Down: 1994 Costner title role | Kevin Costner’s character in the Western | EARP |
| 58 Down: Diva’s time to shine | An operatic solo | ARIA |
| 61 Down: “Dune” genre | Science fiction | SCI-FI |
| 62 Down: Mary or Elizabeth | A royal title | QUEEN |
| 63 Down: Towering creature in “The Two Towers” | Tolkien’s tree-like creature | ENT |
| 65 Down: Sound in a cornfield | A crow’s cry | CAW |
| 66 Down: Half brother of Apollo | Greek god and Apollo’s half brother | ARES |
| 67 Down: Christmas presence? | Biblical visitors bearing gifts | MAGI |
| 69 Down: Sushi bar serving | A piece of sushi | ROLL |
| 70 Down: Jazz great Fitzgerald | Legendary jazz singer | ELLA |
| 71 Down: Along with “CODA” and “Argo,” the only other four-letter Best Picture winner | Classic film title | GIGI |
| 72 Down: Give gratis | Give for free | COMP |
| 73 Down: Shakespearean shout | An archaic exclamation | FIE |
| 77 Down: That’s the spirit! | A playful supernatural answer | DEMON |
| 79 Down: Strike defier | A worker who crosses a picket line | SCAB |
| 81 Down: Part of an intersection | Crossing road component | CROSSROAD |
| 82 Down: Barolos e Brunellos | Italian wines | VINOS |
| 83 Down: Turn someone down | Reject someone | SAY NO |
| 85 Down: Unshared numbers | Numbers performed individually | SOLI |
| 86 Down: Hostile manner, informally | An unfriendly attitude | TUDE |
| 87 Down: Actor and disability activist Christopher | Christopher Reeve | REEVE |
| 88 Down: Like some liquors | Describes stronger alcoholic drinks | HARD |
| 90 Down: Org. regulating air quality | U.S. environmental agency | EPA |
| 91 Down: “You sure about that?” | A skeptical response | OH REALLY |
| 94 Down: Periods of 730 days | Two-year periods | BIENNIA |
| 95 Down: Withdraw from a union | Leave a federation or organization | SECEDE |
| 97 Down: Teensy amount | A tiny bit | WEE BIT |
| 98 Down: Feathered fliers | Birds | AVIANS |
| 99 Down: Shoe brand named for an antelope | Athletic footwear brand | REEBOK |
| 100 Down: Hybrid tennis bottoms | Shorts/skirt combination | SKORTS |
| 101 Down: Second tries | Attempts again | REDOS |
| 103 Down: El Pollo ___ (chicken chain) | Complete the restaurant name | LOCO |
| 105 Down: Creditor’s claim | A legal claim against property | LIEN |
| 106 Down: Turkish money | Currency of Turkey | LIRAS |
| 111 Down: Fad toy of 1996 | Popular children’s toy | ELMO |
| 113 Down: Snowboarder’s transport | A tow system at a ski resort | T-BAR |
| 115 Down: Often-illegal turn, slangily | A forbidden U-turn | UIE |
| 116 Down: Cinephile’s cable choice | Movie-focused cable channel | TMC |
| 117 Down: Boars and bulls | Male animals | HE’S |
| 119 Down: Comedian Sedaris | Comedian Amy Sedaris | AMY |
| 120 Down: I, to Augustus | Roman numeral/name reference | ONE |
| 121 Down: Smudge or smear, say | A mark left by rubbing | MAR |
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 30, 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.







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