The NYT Crossword for March 16, 2026 is here, and like every daily puzzle from The New York Times, it offers a fun mix of trivia, vocabulary, and clever wordplay. Whether you are a seasoned crossword solver or just starting out, some clues can be tricky and may require a little extra help.
Our guide to the NYT Crossword March 16, 2026 answers is designed to help players who get stuck while solving today’s puzzle. Instead of revealing everything at once, we provide a full list of clues so you can easily find the one you need and continue solving the rest of the puzzle on your own.
The New York Times crossword is widely regarded as one of the most iconic puzzles in the world. It appears daily in the newspaper and online, challenging millions of puzzle fans with creative clues and engaging themes. Each day’s puzzle varies in difficulty, with Monday puzzles generally being the easiest and the challenge gradually increasing through the week.
If you’re solving today’s puzzle and need a hint or confirmation, simply browse the list below to locate the clue you’re working on.
NYT Crossword March 16, 2026 Clues
If you need help solving the NYT Crossword on March 16, 2026, we’ve listed all the crossword clues below so you can quickly locate the one giving you trouble.
Looking for answers to another puzzle? Be sure to check our NYT Crossword Answers archive where we regularly update solutions for every day. If you’d rather get a small nudge instead of the full answer, you can also explore our NYT Crossword hints for additional guidance.
| # | Clue |
| 1A | “Throw me the ball, no one’s covering me!” |
| 7A | Drone’s sound |
| 11A | Cave-dwelling flier |
| 14A | Galactic cloud |
| 15A | Texas city that’s home to Baylor University |
| 16A | Broadcast |
| 17A | *Forever |
| 19A | Deer mother? |
| 20A | Brad of 2025’s “F1” |
| 21A | “In case it’s of interest …,” in brief |
| 22A | Plenty of |
| 24A | Bugle tune |
| 25A | *One of a kind |
| 28A | Bronx-born congresswoman elected in 2018, familiarly |
| 30A | “Great Red” feature of Jupiter |
| 31A | *Masterwork |
| 36A | Wide-eyed and eager |
| 40A | Go down to 0%, as a computer battery |
| 41A | Allotment |
| 43A | “___ word?” |
| 44A | SoCal sch. whose teams are the Aztecs |
| 46A | *After the event, as an analysis |
| 48A | Ball-___ hammer |
| 50A | Teeny-tiny |
| 51A | *Reciprocal exchange |
| 57A | Historian’s focus |
| 60A | “Me too,” formally |
| 61A | One might end with “com” or “org” |
| 62A | Water, in Juárez |
| 63A | ___ chi |
| 64A | Stereotypical charmers … or those charmed by the answers to the starred clues? |
| 68A | Before today |
| 69A | Gem mined in Australia |
| 70A | Exact retribution for |
| 71A | Sleep cycle inits. |
| 72A | Chap |
| 73A | Term of address for a nun |
Down Clues
| # | Clue |
| 1D | Not suitable |
| 2D | Social ___ (TikTok, Instagram, etc.) |
| 3D | Locales for the late news? |
| 4D | Kicks down the road, as a decision |
| 5D | Santa’s little helper |
| 6D | Innocent sorts |
| 7D | Hypothetical (one hopes!) global conflict, for short |
| 8D | Beanie or beret |
| 9D | Carefully monitored hosp. area |
| 10D | Italian cheese |
| 11D | Negative press for a celeb, say |
| 12D | Condiment with lots of garlic … and vowels |
| 13D | Family diagrams |
| 18D | Greenwich Village campus, in brief |
| 23D | Like a book about writing a book, say |
| 26D | Fighter pilot’s garb |
| 27D | ___ salts |
| 29D | Recipe unit |
| 31D | Rx writers |
| 32D | A helping hand |
| 33D | Sullen sort |
| 34D | City that’s home to the University of Maine |
| 35D | Six for a touchdown: Abbr. |
| 37D | Staffer in a flight terminal |
| 38D | “All for ___ and ___ for all!” |
| 39D | Workout site |
| 42D | “Pronto!” |
| 45D | Fancy coif |
| 47D | Improves, as a bike path |
| 49D | Literary afterthought |
| 51D | Mideast nation ruled by the House of Thani |
| 52D | Meter reading |
| 53D | “Talk turkey” or “eat crow” |
| 54D | Warm bed covering |
| 55D | Still-life vessel |
| 56D | Earthen pots, from the Spanish |
| 58D | Sudden increase |
| 59D | Weapon that stuns |
| 65D | Tail-less primate |
| 66D | Beachgoer’s “souvenir” |
| 67D | Prefix meaning “egg” |
About Today’s NYT Crossword
The Monday edition of the New York Times Crossword is designed to be the most accessible puzzle of the week. Clues tend to be more straightforward, and the wordplay is typically lighter compared to later puzzles in the week.
Because of this, Monday puzzles are often recommended for beginners who want to get comfortable with crossword-solving techniques. As the week progresses, the puzzles become progressively more challenging, with Saturday typically being the toughest.
Whether you’re solving for fun, improving your vocabulary, or simply enjoying the daily challenge, the NYT Crossword continues to be one of the most rewarding puzzles available.
