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 September 15, 2026 covers every clue in order.
15 September 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 September 15, 2026
Start with the hint if you’d like to keep solving on your own. The answer is listed directly underneath.
| No. | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | Laffy ___, candy with a rhyming name | TAFFY |
| 6A | Poker buy-in | ANTE |
| 10A | “The windows to the soul,” metaphorically | EYES |
| 14A | Frighten | SCARE |
| 15A | Villain’s hideout | LAIR |
| 16A | American Girl toy | DOLL |
| 17A | Cringey ad campaign going viral, for example | PR DISASTER |
| 19A | Madonna’s “La ___ Bonita” | ISLA |
| 20A | Goes out with | SEES |
| 21A | Piglet and Pooh’s marsupial friend | ROO |
| 22A | “Well, in that case …” | OK THEN |
| 24A | Clic Stic and Wite-Out brand | BIC |
| 26A | Character at the heart of the “Who shot …?” cliffhanger of 1980s TV | J.R. EWING |
| 27A | Colombian cornmeal cake | AREPA |
| 29A | San José, ___ Rica | COSTA |
| 30A | Oculus Rift or Meta Quest 3 | VR HEADSET |
| 32A | Opposite of chaos | ORDER |
| 36A | Texter’s “I think …” | IMO |
| 37A | Started a game of blackjack, say | DEALT |
| 38A | 18-wheeler | SEMI |
| 39A | Agrees nonverbally | NODS |
| 41A | Red root vegetables | BEETS |
| 44A | Kind of rally at high school | PEP |
| 45A | Put up, as a building | ERECT |
| 47A | Many characters on “The Pitt” | ER DOCTORS |
| 49A | “Quick!” | HURRY |
| 51A | Group holding a nominating convention | PARTY |
| 52A | Scannable squares often used in place of paper menus | QR CODES |
| 55A | ___-Wan Kenobi | OBI |
| 56A | Rang, as a bell | TOLLED |
| 57A | Pooch’s bark | ARF |
| 59A | Paddington Bear’s country of origin | PERU |
| 63A | What a light bulb represents, in comics | IDEA |
| 64A | Puppet dragon of 1960s kids’ TV | H.R. PUFNSTUF |
| 67A | Bottom-heavy fruit | PEAR |
| 68A | Britney Spears’s “___! … I Did It Again” | OOPS |
| 69A | Perform better than | OUTDO |
| 70A | Daughters’ brothers | SONS |
| 71A | Exam | TEST |
| 72A | French fries-to-be | SPUDS |
NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for September 15, 2026
| No. | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | Cough syrup amts. | TSPS |
| 2D | Farmland measure | ACRE |
| 3D | Haircut that transitions from shorter sides to longer top | FADE |
| 4D | Ultimate ___ (team sport) | FRISBEE |
| 5D | Word of consent | YES |
| 6D | Too | ALSO |
| 7D | Grp. with a phonetic alphabet | NATO |
| 8D | Cause for overtime | TIE |
| 9D | Screw-ups | ERRORS |
| 10D | Conflicts over Wikipedia content | EDIT WARS |
| 11D | Mario’s dinosaur sidekick | YOSHI |
| 12D | Actress Pompeo of “Grey’s Anatomy” | ELLEN |
| 13D | Vernacular found in Urban Dictionary | SLANG |
| 18D | Place for coin-op game machines | ARCADE |
| 23D | Kind of high-fat diet | KETO |
| 25D | Tablet with Pro, Air and mini versions | IPAD |
| 26D | Scribbled (down) | JOTTED |
| 27D | Knight’s wear | ARMOR |
| 28D | The “R” in R.I. | RHODE |
| 29D | The “log” in “ants on a log” | CELERY |
| 30D | Trellis-climbing plant | VINE |
| 31D | “Light” Jedi weapons | SABERS |
| 33D | Railroad station | DEPOT |
| 34D | Manicurist’s filing board | EMERY |
| 35D | Laces (into) | RIPS |
| 40D | Well-educated sorts | SCHOLARS |
| 42D | Fill back to capacity, as a glass | TOP OFF |
| 43D | Healing cover | SCAB |
| 46D | “Lose the ___, dude!” | TUDE |
| 48D | Causes to make a mistake | TRIPS UP |
| 50D | Bit of fiery cinnamon candy | RED HOT |
| 52D | Cotton swabs not recommended for ear canal use | Q-TIPS |
| 53D | Cowboy contest | RODEO |
| 54D | Fresh from the dishwasher | CLEAN |
| 57D | Grindr and Tinder, for two | APPS |
| 58D | Sign of decay | RUST |
| 60D | “___, Brute?” | ET TU |
| 61D | “Ant-Man” star Paul | RUDD |
| 62D | Sights that make you go “What the …?!” | UFOS |
| 65D | ___ v. Wade (1973 Supreme Court decision) | ROE |
| 66D | Rejections | NOS |
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 September 15, 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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