Daily Puzzle Solution
NYT Crossword
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
The New York Times crossword puzzle for Wednesday, May 20, 2026 features 70 clues. Today's puzzle has an average answer length of 5.5 letters. The longest answer is "OFFYEARELECTION".
Total Clues
70
Longest
OFFYEARELECTION
Avg Length
5.5
Shortest
ERR
Featured Clue
"Nontraditional time for voting someone into office"
15 Letters
OFFYEARELECTION
ALLComplete Solution List
Establishment that serves zombies, perhaps
7TIKIBAR
Adorn with raised lettering
6EMBOSS
"Drink" for vocal critics
8HATERADE
European city that "waits for you," in a Billy Joel tune
6VIENNA
Nontraditional time for voting someone into office
15OFFYEARELECTION
Redding who sang "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay"
4OTIS
God played by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel movies
4ODIN
Church cross
4ROOD
Florence-based fashion house
5GUCCI
Takes back a public statement
7RECANTS
What a waiter might offer to start you off
12SOUPOFTHEDAY
Make a boo-boo
3ERR
___ contendere (court plea)
4NOLO
Spud
5TATER
Biting
5ACERB
__ Kippur
3YOM
Actress Bow of the silent film era
5CLARA
Light show tool
5LASER
TV personality Kotb
4HODA
Clan
3KIN
Bit of movie magic
12VISUALEFFECT
"Essential" product used as an anti-acne treatment
7SAGEOIL
Take ___ of faith
5ALEAP
Place for a seafood dinner
4PIER
Classic Pontiacs
4GTOS
Arcing tennis shots
4LOBS
Condescending rhetorical question ... or what you might say about 16-, 26- and 44-Across?
15ISNTTHATSPECIAL
John in the sketch "The Fish-Slapping Dance"
6CLEESE
"Seems right," folksily
8RECKONSO
Words a teenager might say with an eye roll
6YESDAD
Says 'OK'
7ASSENTS
Mustachioed president who succeeded another mustachioed president in 1909
4TAFT
"Don't know why I thought any different!"
9ITFIGURES
Gets hyped
6KEYSUP
Fury
3IRE
Farmyard bleat
3BAA
With deftness
8ADROITLY
Clarinet, for one
4REED
Made level
6EVENED
Careful, this might be hot!
3MIC
Act of Judas
8BETRAYAL
Word with ring or roll
5ONION
Hoity-toity one
5SNOOT
Smooths, in a way
5SANDS
__ boy!
3HOO
Old Italian money
4LIRE
Musical notation that means "with vigor"
7CONBRIO
Boardroom bigwig, in brief
3CFO
Spot to drink a matcha with a Manx
7CATCAFE
Ocean prey for a 27-Down
4SEAL
Ocean predator of a 26-Down
4ORCA
Big to-do
5HOOHA
Be in charge, informally
9TAKEPOINT
Protagonist of "That '70s Show"
4ERIC
Speech full of invective
4RANT
Went back (to), as a prior state
8REVERTED
Epitome of slowness
8MOLASSES
Director Guillermo ___ Toro
3DEL
Expressed frustration, maybe
6SIGHED
Beauty company whose Nasdaq ticker symbol is its name
4ULTA
Atlanta athlete
6FALCON
Risqué
5SPICY
Walkway for newlyweds
5AISLE
They're part of what makes you you
5GENES
"___ Noche en Miami" (Bad Bunny song)
4OTRA
Low voice
4BASS
__-mo
3SLO
Org. whose staffers wear royal blue uniforms
3TSA
Lenovo products, informally
3PCS
Just get (by)
3EKE