All 66 clues from the Friday NYT Crossword (15 by 15), with every answer hidden until you want it. Check a length or a first letter before you reveal a whole answer.
Across clues and answer lengths
- 1 Result of a tense build-up? (10)
- 11 Hit a point of no return? (4)
- 15 Kick off (10)
- 16 “Outta my way!” (4)
- 17 ABC's realm (10)
- 18 Body part affected by heterochromia (4)
- 19 Fed (4)
- 20 ___ Mai, Grammy-winning R&B singer (4)
- 21 Buff (5)
- 22 Drops (5)
- 24 Mars rover named in honor of a 19th-century activist (9)
- 26 Ludwig ___, post-W.W. II leader who led West Germany's economic recovery (6)
- 28 Cooking term whose name is composed of two synonyms for "criticize" (8)
- 29 Agcy. tracking popular baby names (3)
- 30 Agcy. concerned with declarations (3)
- 32 Parts of some high-speed rail systems (7)
- 33 Be exceptionally good, in modern slang (4)
- 34 Vaper's purchase (4)
- 35 What Esau got in exchange for selling his birthright to Jacob (7)
- 38 Disclaimer in a quote (3)
- 39 "Hang" (3)
- 42 Detaches from the frame, perhaps (8)
- 44 Grammatical case in 48-Across (6)
- 46 Longtime Pixar character who says "I might be old, but I still got a spring in my step!" (9)
- 48 See 44-Across (5)
- 49 Super, slangily (5)
- 50 Curve on a score (4)
- 52 Follower of hand or home (4)
- 53 Bit of filming (4)
- 54 Asteroids and Space Invaders (10)
- 56 In the past (4)
- 57 System by which all speech is protected? (10)
- 58 Cravings (4)
- 59 Club runners (10)
Across first letters
- 1 starts with J
- 11 starts with A
- 15 starts with I
- 16 starts with M
- 17 starts with N
- 18 starts with I
- 19 starts with G
- 20 starts with E
- 21 starts with S
- 22 starts with L
- 24 starts with S
- 26 starts with E
- 28 starts with P
- 29 starts with S
- 30 starts with I
- 32 starts with M
- 33 starts with S
- 34 starts with E
- 35 starts with P
- 38 starts with S
- 39 starts with V
- 42 starts with U
- 44 starts with D
- 46 starts with S
- 48 starts with L
- 49 starts with H
- 50 starts with S
- 52 starts with M
- 53 starts with T
- 54 starts with A
- 56 starts with O
- 57 starts with S
- 58 starts with Y
- 59 starts with P
Show the across answers
- 1 Across: Result of a tense build-up? JENGATOWER
- 11 Across: Hit a point of no return? ACED
- 15 Across: Kick off INAUGURATE
- 16 Across: “Outta my way!” MOVE
- 17 Across: ABC's realm NATIONALTV
- 18 Across: Body part affected by heterochromia IRIS
- 19 Across: Fed GMAN
- 20 Across: ___ Mai, Grammy-winning R&B singer ELLA
- 21 Across: Buff SWOLE
- 22 Across: Drops LOSES
- 24 Across: Mars rover named in honor of a 19th-century activist SOJOURNER
- 26 Across: Ludwig ___, post-W.W. II leader who led West Germany's economic recovery ERHARD
- 28 Across: Cooking term whose name is composed of two synonyms for "criticize" PANROAST
- 29 Across: Agcy. tracking popular baby names SSA
- 30 Across: Agcy. concerned with declarations IRS
- 32 Across: Parts of some high-speed rail systems MAGNETS
- 33 Across: Be exceptionally good, in modern slang SLAP
- 34 Across: Vaper's purchase ECIG
- 35 Across: What Esau got in exchange for selling his birthright to Jacob POTTAGE
- 38 Across: Disclaimer in a quote SIC
- 39 Across: "Hang" VEG
- 42 Across: Detaches from the frame, perhaps UNHINGES
- 44 Across: Grammatical case in 48-Across DATIVE
- 46 Across: Longtime Pixar character who says "I might be old, but I still got a spring in my step!" SLINKYDOG
- 48 Across: See 44-Across LATIN
- 49 Across: Super, slangily HECKA
- 50 Across: Curve on a score SLUR
- 52 Across: Follower of hand or home MADE
- 53 Across: Bit of filming TAKE
- 54 Across: Asteroids and Space Invaders ATARIGAMES
- 56 Across: In the past OVER
- 57 Across: System by which all speech is protected? SECURELINE
- 58 Across: Cravings YENS
- 59 Across: Club runners PRESIDENTS
Down clues and answer lengths
- 1 Change sounds (7)
- 2 Captivates (7)
- 3 Actress Lyonne (7)
- 4 Neighbor of Sierra Leone (6)
- 5 In the past (3)
- 6 Use a fork for, in a way (4)
- 7 Some thesis defenses (5)
- 8 Trounce (6)
- 9 Singer dubbed the "Matriarch of the Blues" (9)
- 10 Gun before the green, say (3)
- 11 "Is it not?" (8)
- 12 Stellar visual effects (7)
- 13 Adjective that becomes its own synonym after its first letter is dropped (7)
- 14 Strands (7)
- 21 Precise and calculated (8)
- 23 First country to elect a female prime minister (1960) (8)
- 25 Tripping (6)
- 27 Sluggish (6)
- 31 One putting the pedal to the metal (9)
- 33 No-goodniks (8)
- 35 Toddler's walking aid (7)
- 36 Like someone using autoreply, perhaps (7)
- 37 Start to congeal (7)
- 39 Part of some gummies (7)
- 40 Clear (7)
- 41 Births (7)
- 43 Comfort (6)
- 45 Mesoamerican staple with a "hot" variety (6)
- 47 Mentors (5)
- 51 "Rude Boy" singer, to fans (4)
- 54 Ancient symbol of royalty (3)
- 55 Test not offered in high school, for short (3)
Down first letters
- 1 starts with J
- 2 starts with E
- 3 starts with N
- 4 starts with G
- 5 starts with A
- 6 starts with T
- 7 starts with O
- 8 starts with W
- 9 starts with E
- 10 starts with R
- 11 starts with A
- 12 starts with C
- 13 starts with E
- 14 starts with D
- 21 starts with S
- 23 starts with S
- 25 starts with O
- 27 starts with D
- 31 starts with S
- 33 starts with S
- 35 starts with P
- 36 starts with O
- 37 starts with T
- 39 starts with V
- 40 starts with E
- 41 starts with G
- 43 starts with S
- 45 starts with T
- 47 starts with G
- 51 starts with R
- 54 starts with A
- 55 starts with G
Show the down answers
- 1 Down: Change sounds JINGLES
- 2 Down: Captivates ENAMORS
- 3 Down: Actress Lyonne NATASHA
- 4 Down: Neighbor of Sierra Leone GUINEA
- 5 Down: In the past AGO
- 6 Down: Use a fork for, in a way TUNE
- 7 Down: Some thesis defenses ORALS
- 8 Down: Trounce WALLOP
- 9 Down: Singer dubbed the "Matriarch of the Blues" ETTAJAMES
- 10 Down: Gun before the green, say REV
- 11 Down: "Is it not?" AMIWRONG
- 12 Down: Stellar visual effects CORONAE
- 13 Down: Adjective that becomes its own synonym after its first letter is dropped EVILEST
- 14 Down: Strands DESERTS
- 21 Down: Precise and calculated SURGICAL
- 23 Down: First country to elect a female prime minister (1960) SRILANKA
- 25 Down: Tripping ONACID
- 27 Down: Sluggish DRAGGY
- 31 Down: One putting the pedal to the metal SPEEDSTER
- 33 Down: No-goodniks STINKERS
- 35 Down: Toddler's walking aid PUSHTOY
- 36 Down: Like someone using autoreply, perhaps ONLEAVE
- 37 Down: Start to congeal THICKEN
- 39 Down: Part of some gummies VITAMIN
- 40 Down: Clear EVIDENT
- 41 Down: Births GENESES
- 43 Down: Comfort SOLACE
- 45 Down: Mesoamerican staple with a "hot" variety TAMALE
- 47 Down: Mentors GURUS
- 51 Down: "Rude Boy" singer, to fans RIRI
- 54 Down: Ancient symbol of royalty ASP
- 55 Down: Test not offered in high school, for short GED
Show the solved grid
1J2E3N4G5A6T7O8W9E10R11A12C13E14D15INAUGURATE16MOVE17NATIONALTV18IRIS19GMAN20ELLA21SWOLE22LOSE23S24SOJ25OURNER26ERHAR27D28PANROAST29SSA30IR31S32MAGNETS33SLAP34ECIG35P36O37TTAGE38SIC39V40E41G42UNHINGE43S44DA45TIVE46SLINKYDO47G48LATIN49HECKA50SLU51R52MADE53TAKE54ATARI55GAMES56OVER57SECURELINE58YENS59PRESIDENTS
About this puzzle
- Made by Julian Xiao
- Edited by Will Shortz
- Friday puzzles usually have no theme and harder clues.
Look up a single clue · How to get better at the NYT Crossword ·Today's Mini answers
Play today's NYT Crossword at The New York Times
More hints for September 4, 2026
Wordle hints · Connections hints · Strands hints · Pips hints · Mini Crossword hints · Contexto hints · Quordle hints · Octordle hints