Today's NYT The Crossword Clues Hints & Answers for Jul 26, 2025

Where and How to Play NYT Crossword

The New York Times Crossword is readily accessible in several ways:

• Online: Head to NYT Games to solve puzzles right in your web browser.
• Mobile Apps: Download The New York Times Games app for iOS or Android, or find the Crossword under the “Play” tab in the primary NYT News app.
• Print Edition: If you subscribe to Home Delivery of The New York Times or buy the physical newspaper from a newsstand, the daily puzzle is printed there.

To get a jump on solving, digital subscribers often receive each day’s puzzle the night before it appears in print:

• Weekday and Saturday Puzzles: Typically posted at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on the previous day.
• Sunday Puzzle: Usually available at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday evening.

If you want to be notified the moment a new puzzle is released, switch on push notifications in the NYT Games app.

Evolving Difficulty, Themes, and Titles

NYT Crossword puzzles gradually increase in difficulty as the week unfolds:

• Monday to Wednesday: These days often feature a unifying theme. Multiple longer answers will share a common motif, and sometimes there is a special “revealer” clue—an entry that sheds light on the theme's hidden pattern.
• Thursday: Still themed, but the Thursday puzzle frequently includes a playful twist, such as rebus squares (where a single box can contain multiple letters or symbols) or unconventional rules for filling in the grid.
• Friday & Saturday: These editions are usually themeless. They rely on trickier wordplay, a broader vocabulary, and more inventive clues, making them significantly tougher.
• Sunday: The largest puzzle of the week is also themed. It comes with a title that points to the concept binding the puzzle together.

Puzzle Titles

• Sunday: Always titled, giving solvers a hint about the theme.
• Monday to Saturday: Rarely titled, though unusual puzzle designs may break this norm from time to time.

Streaks and Stars

To reward regular solvers, the NYT Crossword offers a star system:

• Gold Star: Granted if you solve the puzzle on the day of release (before midnight ET) without using Check or Reveal.
• Blue Star: Appears if you finish after midnight ET, miss a day in between, or rely on Check/Reveal options.

Tools, Settings, and Shortcuts

In-Game Assistance

• Information (“i”) Icon: May glow to indicate a hint or extra note is available.
• Lifesaver Icon: Offers “Check” or “Reveal” options for a single square, an entire word, or the whole puzzle. A full “Clear” resets the entire grid.
• Check: Verifies letters or words. There's also an “Autocheck” feature that highlights errors as you type.
• Reveal: Fills in correct letters for whatever you select (a single box, a word, or the full puzzle), but using it will reset any active solving streak.

Text Entry Modes

• Pen vs. Pencil: Type in black letters for confident answers and switch to gray “pencil” entries if you're unsure.
• Cursor Movement: Customize whether your cursor automatically hops over filled squares or jumps straight to the next clue.
• Symbols and Numbers: Select “More” on mobile to switch to a secondary keyboard for special characters and digits—especially useful for rebus squares.
• Timer and Pausing: Keep track of your solving speed or choose to hide the timer entirely in your settings.

Keyboard Shortcuts (Desktop)

• Arrow Keys: Move around the grid.
• Spacebar: Clears the current square and advances, or toggles between Across and Down.
• Backspace/Delete: Erases a letter or the entire filled word.
• Tab / Shift+Tab: Jumps to the next or previous clue.
• Escape: Activates Rebus mode for squares that need multiple characters.

Additional Help and Strategy

The New York Times often offers tips and commentary on puzzle-solving techniques. Regularly practicing and reading write-ups from experienced solvers can sharpen your crossword skills.

If you get stuck, remember:

• Trial and Error: Using pencil entries (gray letters) to tentatively fill squares can help solve particularly tricky clues.
• Look for Crossings: Letters from intersecting words often provide the nudge you need to crack a tough answer.
• Consult Hints Sparingly: While Check and Reveal tools can rescue you from a roadblock, they also affect your streak and star status, so use them with caution if you’re aiming to maintain an unbroken record.