NYT Crossword Answers Today: July 23, 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 July 23, 2026 covers every clue in order.

23 July 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 July 23, 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	More than just a disapproving look	Intense glare	DEATH STARE
10	Scruff of the neck	Back of the neck	NAPE
13	Fondita offerings	Mexican dishes	ENCHILADAS
15	Three-time A.L. M.V.P. of the 2000s, familiarly	Baseball legend Rodriguez	A-ROD
16	“The Devil’s radio”	False rumors	IDLE GOSSIP
17	Pollution portmanteau	Smoke + fog	SMOG
18	Really peeved	Extremely angry	HOT
19	What a pointless game has?	Theme entry	NO SCORE
21	Outfitted	Equipped	EQUIPPED
25	Password preceder	Login field	USER ID
26	Former Toyota sports cars named for a Latin prefix	Toyota models	SUPRAS
27	Passover month	Hebrew calendar month	NISAN
29	___-turvy	Common phrase	TOPSY
30	Sprint, e.g.	Foot race	RACE
31	Home run hitter’s gait	Baseball celebration	TROT
35	Downed	Consumed	ATE
36	Part in a play	Character role	ROLE
37	“That’s the spot!”	Expression during a massage	AAH
38	“Tyrone” singer Erykah	Singer Badu	BADU
40	Not much	Barely any	A TAD
41	“Will you let me?”	Request for permission	CAN I
43	Desert for which an African country is named	Famous desert	NAMIB
45	Like obsidian rock, once	Molten	MOLTEN
46	Symbol of rebirth in ancient Egypt	Sacred bird	SCARAB
49	Last hurrah	Final effort	SWAN SONG
51	Trials by fire	Difficult tests	ORDEALS
53	Wholly, but not holey or holy, e.g.: Abbr.	Grammar notation	ADV.
54	Helen of Troy’s mother	Greek mythology	LEDA
55	Ignominious outcome	Epic failure	EPIC DEFEAT
61	Tech product discontinued in 2022	Apple’s music player	IPOD
62	Proposed cosmological phenomenon that could make up 70% of the universe — and six squares in this puzzle’s grid?	Theme revealer	DARK ENERGY
63	Not admit	Refuse	DENY
64	Pottery so named for its hardness	Durable pottery	STONEWARE

NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for July 23, 2026

No.	Clue	Hint	Answer
1	Agnus ___	Religious phrase	DEI
2	Word after tight or defensive	Sports formation	END
3	Knee stabilizer, in brief	Sports support	ACL
4	Not just any	Distinctive	THE
5	Attractive feature of a job	Benefit	HIGH PAY
6	Single-masted vessels	Sailing boats	SLOOPS
7	Sweet or sour	Taste category	TART
8	Podcast interruptions	Advertisements	ADS
9	Frequent forecast in Seattle	Rain	RAIN
10	Strong suit?	Protective clothing	ARMOR
11	Unleavened South Asian flatbread	Indian bread	PARATHA
12	Follower of double or gilt	Printing paper	EDGE
14	Champion, as a cause	Support publicly	ESPouse
15	Budding	Emerging	ASPIRING
20	Org. with a list of popular baby names	Government agency	SSA
21	Minimum, in a way	At least	QUORUM
22	Increased	Went up	UPPED
23	Letters before “.gov”	Web address prefix	HTTP
24	Forensic facilities	Crime laboratories	DNA LABS
26	Sign abbr. meaning “founded in”	Historical abbreviation	EST.
28	Coffee or tea specification	Milk or sugar request	ICED
30	Unleavened South Asian flatbread	Flatbread	ROTI
32	Sought comfort from, say	Leaned on emotionally	RAN TO
33	Like granola	OATY	OATY
34	Unnamed article	Grammar term	THE
39	Ill-prepared	Not ready	UNDERDONE
40	Didn’t stay on topic	Went off track	RANTED
41	Come together	Unite	COALESCE
42	Lou Gehrig’s disease, for short	Neurological illness	ALS
44	One level below the majors	Baseball classification	AA
45	Infuriate	Enrage	MADDEN
46	Sphere, e.g.	Three-dimensional shape	SOLID
47	Crinkly fabric	Lightweight cloth	CREPE
48	Extension	Addition	ADD-ON
50	Totally bizarre	Extremely strange	WEIRD
52	Places to get masks	Spas	SPAS
56	Original N.Y.C. subway line	Early subway	IRT
57	Handful	Small amount	FEW
58	Long stretch	Extended period	EON
59	Cabinet dept. since 1889	Agriculture Department	USDA
60	Gospel musician Tribbett		GINO

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 July 23, 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.