Daily Puzzle Solution
NYT Crossword
Thursday, July 16, 2026
The New York Times crossword puzzle for Thursday, July 16, 2026 features 81 clues. Today's puzzle has an average answer length of 4.9 letters. The longest answer is "IRONMANTRIATHLON".
Total Clues
81
Longest
IRONMANTRIATHLON
Avg Length
4.9
Shortest
CID
Featured Clue
"*Yes — three arduous ones"
16 Letters
IRONMANTRIATHLON
ALLComplete Solution List
Smart __
4POSH
Sensation
5SMASH
Acquisition on the big day
5INLAW
That's a good one!
4HAHA
Galápagos island that was home to Lonesome George, the last tortoise of his subspecies
5PINTA
Who knows what preceded the Big Bang
5NOONE
*Yes — three arduous ones
16IRONMANTRIATHLON
February 14, informally
4VDAY
Scratch that!
4ITCH
El ___
3CID
Like novices
5GREEN
Spoil
6DEFILE
Preceder of how, way or where
3ANY
*Yes — sometimes more than 1,000
9MILLIPEDE
Patooties
5BUTTS
Little dipper
3TOE
"Tout à fait!"
3OUI
Tire
4FLAG
*Yes — exactly one, in common usage
12DIRECTFLIGHT
First line on many a form
4NAME
Common garnish in a chirashi bowl
3ROE
Had at present?
3HAS
Article of lab wear
5SMOCK
*No — but it does have three feet
9YARDSTICK
Elizabethan curse
3POX
Country that las islas Canarias are part of
6ESPANA
Important blood line
5AORTA
"___ is the proper task of life": Nietzsche
3ART
Business whose rewards program gives "Stackholder Perks"
4IHOP
Raving
4AVID
Question during a brainstorming session ... or of the answers to the starred clues
16DOESTHISHAVELEGS
Popular Japanese brew
5ASAHI
Alcohol, slangily
5SAUCE
Literary heroine who says "I would always rather be happy than dignified"
4EYRE
Its capital is Sanaa
5YEMEN
Heavens
5ETHER
Debugging component?
4DEET
Letter after upsilon
3PHI
Trireme tool
3OAR
Cleared, as snow
8SHOVELED
Messiah composer
6HANDEL
Neuter
4SPAY
What a big hand indicates: Abbr.
3MIN
Its colony can be considered one superorganism
3ANT
Struggle
6STRIFE
World's most populous Creole-speaking country
5HAITI
Pretty much assured
8INTHEBAG
Japanese drama
3NOH
Feline in a 2000s meme
6LOLCAT
Dub ... or rub
6ANOINT
Fast-food restaurant that sells Frostys
6WENDYS
___-pedi
4MANI
Oft-injured part of the knee, for short
3ACL
Clock-setting std.
3GMT
___ Bravo (México/Tejas border)
3RIO
Certain tie score
5DEUCE
Mince words?
4EDIT
Frost piece
4POEM
Sound of dissatisfaction
3UGH
Botanist's study
5FLORA
Told stories
4LIED
Business ending
3INC
Roll in dough
8RAKEITIN
Actress/union leader Drescher
4FRAN
Symbol of spiritual insight, in Hinduism
8THIRDEYE
Class
3ACT
Music genre with "walking" bass lines
3SKA
Steamy occasion?
6SPADAY
Lugubrious
6MOROSE
Pioneers' prairie pullers
6OXTEAM
Harangues
6YAPSAT
Store
4SAVE
Worked sufferingly
6TOILED
Pipe down?
3SHH
Composure
5POISE
Attest
4AVER
GOAT
3SHE
Wait, really?
3HUH
One-of-a-kind
3ACE
Test for future Ph.D.'s
3GRE
Not needing anything else
3SET