This page lists every Across and Down answer for the NYT Crossword puzzle for 21 October 2026. Two hints about each answer’s letters are folded below (first the first letter, then the first and last letter), followed by the answers in their own folds and the solved grid at the end.
Today’s grid is 15 squares wide and 15 squares high. It has 39 Across answers and 35 Down answers.
This puzzle was made by Rebecca Goldstein and edited by Will Shortz.
The empty grid below shows each answer’s number in the square where it starts.
NYT Crossword Across hints and answers for October 21, 2026
There are 39 Across answers. Each row in the tables below is one answer, identified by its number in the grid. Open the folds one at a time: first letters, then first and last letters, then answers.
Hint 1 · first letters
| No. | Letters | First letter |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | 6 | K |
| 7A | 4 | A |
| 11A | 3 | F |
| 14A | 6 | A |
| 15A | 4 | L |
| 16A | 3 | U |
| 17A | 11 | P |
| 19A | 3 | L |
| 20A | 4 | U |
| 21A | 4 | G |
| 22A | 5 | D |
| 24A | 3 | T |
| 25A | 3 | O |
| 26A | 7 | B |
| 28A | 13 | M |
| 31A | 3 | R |
| 32A | 3 | E |
| 33A | 4 | A |
| 34A | 5 | A |
| 37A | 3 | W |
| 38A | 5 | D |
| 39A | 4 | L |
| 40A | 3 | B |
| 41A | 3 | S |
| 42A | 13 | B |
| 46A | 7 | A |
| 47A | 3 | E |
| 48A | 3 | E |
| 51A | 5 | C |
| 52A | 4 | A |
| 54A | 4 | A |
| 55A | 3 | O |
| 56A | 11 | P |
| 59A | 3 | R |
| 60A | 4 | E |
| 61A | 6 | C |
| 62A | 3 | E |
| 63A | 4 | R |
| 64A | 6 | K |
Hint 2 · first and last letters
Each dot stands for one hidden letter. An answer with fewer than 4 letters shows only its first letter.
| No. | Letters | First and last letter |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | 6 | K · · · · P |
| 7A | 4 | A · · N |
| 11A | 3 | F · · |
| 14A | 6 | A · · · · E |
| 15A | 4 | L · · E |
| 16A | 3 | U · · |
| 17A | 11 | P · · · · · · · · · E |
| 19A | 3 | L · · |
| 20A | 4 | U · · S |
| 21A | 4 | G · · D |
| 22A | 5 | D · · · S |
| 24A | 3 | T · · |
| 25A | 3 | O · · |
| 26A | 7 | B · · · · · E |
| 28A | 13 | M · · · · · · · · · · · E |
| 31A | 3 | R · · |
| 32A | 3 | E · · |
| 33A | 4 | A · · D |
| 34A | 5 | A · · · N |
| 37A | 3 | W · · |
| 38A | 5 | D · · · S |
| 39A | 4 | L · · O |
| 40A | 3 | B · · |
| 41A | 3 | S · · |
| 42A | 13 | B · · · · · · · · · · · R |
| 46A | 7 | A · · · · · N |
| 47A | 3 | E · · |
| 48A | 3 | E · · |
| 51A | 5 | C · · · E |
| 52A | 4 | A · · D |
| 54A | 4 | A · · A |
| 55A | 3 | O · · |
| 56A | 11 | P · · · · · · · · · T |
| 59A | 3 | R · · |
| 60A | 4 | E · · R |
| 61A | 6 | C · · · · E |
| 62A | 3 | E · · |
| 63A | 4 | R · · L |
| 64A | 6 | K · · · · Y |
Across answers for 21 October 2026
| No. | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1A | KISSUP |
| 7A | ALAN |
| 11A | FIB |
| 14A | ARCANE |
| 15A | LANE |
| 16A | UTA |
| 17A | PARKINGFINE |
| 19A | LSD |
| 20A | UTES |
| 21A | GRAD |
| 22A | DULLS |
| 24A | TEA |
| 25A | OUI |
| 26A | BUMKNEE |
| 28A | MOVINGAVERAGE |
| 31A | REN |
| 32A | ERA |
| 33A | AMID |
| 34A | ATEIN |
| 37A | WOE |
| 38A | DIETS |
| 39A | LOMO |
| 40A | BAR |
| 41A | SON |
| 42A | BUILDINGSUPER |
| 46A | AGREEON |
| 47A | ENE |
| 48A | ELM |
| 51A | CHASE |
| 52A | ACED |
| 54A | AVIA |
| 55A | ONT |
| 56A | PASTPERFECT |
| 59A | RUE |
| 60A | EVER |
| 61A | CARRIE |
| 62A | ETS |
| 63A | REEL |
| 64A | KNOTTY |
NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for October 21, 2026
There are 35 Down answers. Each row in the tables below is one answer, identified by its number in the grid. Open the folds one at a time: first letters, then first and last letters, then answers.
Hint 1 · first letters
| No. | Letters | First letter |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 5 | K |
| 2D | 5 | I |
| 3D | 6 | S |
| 4D | 4 | S |
| 5D | 3 | U |
| 6D | 7 | P |
| 7D | 4 | A |
| 8D | 8 | L |
| 9D | 3 | A |
| 10D | 6 | N |
| 11D | 8 | F |
| 12D | 8 | I |
| 13D | 8 | B |
| 18D | 4 | G |
| 23D | 7 | U |
| 25D | 4 | O |
| 27D | 3 | U |
| 29D | 7 | O |
| 30D | 5 | G |
| 34D | 8 | A |
| 35D | 8 | T |
| 36D | 8 | E |
| 37D | 8 | W |
| 38D | 4 | D |
| 40D | 3 | B |
| 41D | 7 | S |
| 43D | 6 | D |
| 44D | 4 | S |
| 45D | 6 | R |
| 49D | 5 | L |
| 50D | 5 | M |
| 53D | 4 | C |
| 54D | 4 | A |
| 57D | 3 | A |
| 58D | 3 | R |
Hint 2 · first and last letters
Each dot stands for one hidden letter. An answer with fewer than 4 letters shows only its first letter.
| No. | Letters | First and last letter |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 5 | K · · · T |
| 2D | 5 | I · · · E |
| 3D | 6 | S · · · · M |
| 4D | 4 | S · · S |
| 5D | 3 | U · · |
| 6D | 7 | P · · · · · N |
| 7D | 4 | A · · A |
| 8D | 8 | L · · · · · · E |
| 9D | 3 | A · · |
| 10D | 6 | N · · · · E |
| 11D | 8 | F · · · · · · E |
| 12D | 8 | I · · · · · · T |
| 13D | 8 | B · · · · · · S |
| 18D | 4 | G · · N |
| 23D | 7 | U · · · · · E |
| 25D | 4 | O · · N |
| 27D | 3 | U · · |
| 29D | 7 | O · · · · · S |
| 30D | 5 | G · · · G |
| 34D | 8 | A · · · · · · E |
| 35D | 8 | T · · · · · · T |
| 36D | 8 | E · · · · · · S |
| 37D | 8 | W · · · · · · E |
| 38D | 4 | D · · E |
| 40D | 3 | B · · |
| 41D | 7 | S · · · · · K |
| 43D | 6 | D · · · · R |
| 44D | 4 | S · · P |
| 45D | 6 | R · · · · T |
| 49D | 5 | L · · · T |
| 50D | 5 | M · · · Y |
| 53D | 4 | C · · L |
| 54D | 4 | A · · O |
| 57D | 3 | A · · |
| 58D | 3 | R · · |
Down answers for 21 October 2026
| No. | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1D | KAPUT |
| 2D | IRATE |
| 3D | SCREAM |
| 4D | SAKS |
| 5D | UNI |
| 6D | PENGUIN |
| 7D | ALFA |
| 8D | LAIDBARE |
| 9D | ANN |
| 10D | NEEDME |
| 11D | FULLNAME |
| 12D | ITSLEGIT |
| 13D | BADSEEDS |
| 18D | GRIN |
| 23D | UKRAINE |
| 25D | OVEN |
| 27D | UVA |
| 29D | ORIOLES |
| 30D | GEORG |
| 34D | ALBACORE |
| 35D | TOUGHNUT |
| 36D | EMIRATES |
| 37D | WANNASEE |
| 38D | DOPE |
| 40D | BIO |
| 41D | SUNDECK |
| 43D | DEEPER |
| 44D | SEEP |
| 45D | REVERT |
| 49D | LICIT |
| 50D | MATEY |
| 53D | CTRL |
| 54D | AFRO |
| 57D | AVE |
| 58D | RAN |
NYT Crossword solved grid for October 21, 2026
The fold below hides a picture of the full grid with every answer filled in. Open it after finishing the puzzle.
Show the solved grid
More NYT Crossword: Yesterday’s puzzle · Play NYT Crossword on The New York Times
Also today: Wordle · Connections · Strands · Pips · Phrazle · Quordle · Keyword · Colordle · Unwordle · Hurdle · NYT Mini · NYT Midi · Jumble · Spelling Bee · Letter Boxed · Parseword · Poeltl
Earlier days: 20 Oct · 19 Oct · 18 Oct · 17 Oct · 16 Oct · 15 Oct · 14 Oct
Questions about NYT Crossword
How is NYT Crossword played?
The grid has white and black squares. Each numbered clue has one answer, written one letter per white square from the square bearing the clue’s number, Across from left to right or Down from top to bottom. Where an Across answer and a Down answer cross, they share that letter.
Where can a person play NYT Crossword?
Play on The New York Times Games site or in the NYT Games app: NYT Crossword.
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