NYT Crossword Answers and Hints for Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026: Four Long Across Entries, One Idea

The New York Times (NYT) Crossword for Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026: a hint for all 74 of Peggy Sue Marlin's clues, how four long entries connect, then answers.

By Fresh Calendars News Desk

Published November 6, 2026, 12:40 p.m. ET 11 min read

NYT Crossword answers for Nov. 4, 2026: a blank 15 by 15 crossword grid with one row highlighted — The New York Times Crossword for Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026; hints come first, the full list of answers at the end. Illustration: Fresh Calendars

In this article

How Wednesday’s theme entries connect
Hints for every clue
How Wednesday’s grid is built
NYT Crossword answers for Nov. 4, 2026 (spoilers)

The New York Times (NYT) Crossword for Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, was constructed by Peggy Sue Marlin and edited by Will Shortz: a 15-by-15 grid with 74 clues. Five of those clues point at other entries, so this page explains how the long answers fit together before the hints begin. The answers wait at the end.

How Wednesday’s theme entries connect

Four entries stand out by length: two with 15 letters and two with 12, and all four run Across. They sit in rows 3, 6, 10 and 13 of the grid. The 15-letter entry in row 3 is 17-Across, and the other 15-letter entry, in row 13, is 56-Across. The 12-letter entries are 26-Across in row 6, flush with the right edge, and 43-Across in row 10, flush with the left edge.

The clues show how they relate. The clue for 17-Across reads “56-Across on a store”, the clue for 26-Across reads “56-Across on an elevator” and the clue for 43-Across reads “56-Across on an interstate”. Each one asks for a message you could find posted in one of those places, and each message bodes ill. The clue for 56-Across, “That spells trouble!”, is the revealer: it is the comment that sums up all three.

One more pair is separate from that theme. The clue for 45-Across starts with “With 51-Down”, and 51-Down says only “See 45-Across”. Both entries have four letters, so a single clue covers an Across and a Down answer that belong together. No other clue in the grid works that way.

Hints for every clue

Each hint gives the first letter and a vowel count (A, E, I, O and U; Y is not counted).

Across

1-Across (5 letters), Power bank units
What a charger’s capacity is measured in, listed in the plural. Begins with W; one vowel.
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Watts
6-Across (5 letters), Rick’s line “Here’s looking at you, kid,” in “Casablanca”
To improvise on the spot; two clipped Latin words written as one. Begins with A; two vowels.
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Adlib
11-Across (3 letters), Lines at a supermarket checkout, for short
The barcode’s initials, three of them. Begins with U; one vowel.
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Upc
14-Across (5 letters), Alaskan native
An Indigenous person from the island chain curving off the Alaska Peninsula. Begins with A; three vowels.
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Aleut
15-Across (5 letters), “Please, go first!”
A polite way to hand someone the lead; two words run together, the second a pronoun. Begins with N; three vowels.
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Noyou
16-Across (3 letters), She “dances on the sand” in a 1983 Duran Duran hit
Portuguese for river; the song in the clue names a Brazilian city with this name. Begins with R; two vowels.
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Rio
17-Across (15 letters), 56-Across on a store
The words on a shop door after closing time; see the theme section. Begins with S; five vowels.
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Sorrywereclosed
20-Across (4 letters), Kind of ball that’s played with indoors
Foam brand behind soft toy blasters and balls. Begins with N; one vowel.
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Nerf
21-Across (4 letters), Major rds.
A plural abbreviation for big roads. Begins with H; no vowels.
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Hwys
22-Across (5 letters), Angry look
A hard stare of anger. Begins with G; two vowels.
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Glare
23-Across (6 letters), Feared fly
An African biting insect; its first three letters repeat in order. Begins with T; two vowels.
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Tsetse
25-Across (4 letters), Rock band founded by three sisters
Three sisters share this single surname. Begins with H; two vowels.
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Haim
26-Across (12 letters), 56-Across on an elevator
The words on a lift that is broken; see the theme section. Begins with O; six vowels.
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Outofservice
32-Across (4 letters), Marvel mutants
A team of Marvel heroes, written as a letter plus a word. Begins with X; one vowel.
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Xmen
34-Across (9 letters), Crop boosters
What plants take in from soil to grow. Begins with N; three vowels.
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Nutrients
35-Across (3 letters), Org. for lawyers
The initials of the national group for attorneys. Begins with A; two vowels.
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Aba
36-Across (5 letters), Magical ally in “Argonautica”
A sorceress who helps the hero in a Greek epic; also the title of a tragedy. Begins with M; three vowels.
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Medea
37-Across (3 letters), Middle-earth monster
A goblinlike warrior from Tolkien’s books. Begins with O; one vowel.
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Orc
38-Across (9 letters), Not short-term
Reaching far ahead in time; two words run together. Begins with L; three vowels.
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Longrange
41-Across (4 letters), British noble
A noble rank that sits below a marquess. Begins with E; two vowels.
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Earl
43-Across (12 letters), 56-Across on an interstate
The warning on a highway sign about slowdowns; see the theme section. Begins with E; four vowels.
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Expectdelays
45-Across (4 letters), With 51-Down, college football rival of the B.Y.U. Cougars
A western state whose capital is Salt Lake City; it pairs with 51-Down. Begins with U; two vowels.
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Utah
46-Across (6 letters), Nice kind of smell that tends to disappear quickly
The scent of a freshly bought vehicle; two words run together. Begins with N; two vowels.
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Newcar
50-Across (5 letters), Sensationally detailed
Shockingly vivid, like a tabloid tale. Begins with L; two vowels.
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Lurid
52-Across (4 letters), ___ Crunch
A cereal mascot’s rank, with the first part of the title clipped. Begins with C; one vowel.
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Capn
55-Across (4 letters), Magazine with “Decor” and “à Table” offshoots
A French fashion glossy; the name is the French word for she. Begins with E; two vowels.
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Elle
56-Across (15 letters), “That spells trouble!”
The 15-letter revealer; see the theme section. Begins with I; six vowels.
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Itsnotagoodsign
59-Across (3 letters), Charge
What a service costs. Begins with F; two vowels.
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Fee
60-Across (5 letters), Features of giraffe necks
The coarse hair along a horse’s neck, in the plural. Begins with M; two vowels.
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Manes
61-Across (5 letters), Charged
Rushed toward; a past-tense verb and a preposition, joined. Begins with R; two vowels.
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Ranat
62-Across (3 letters), Sourdough starter?
The spelled-out name of the letter that begins sourdough. Begins with E; one vowel.
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Ess
63-Across (5 letters), Apply, as pressure
To put effort into something. Begins with E; two vowels.
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Exert
64-Across (5 letters), Comedian Wanda
The surname of the comedian named in the clue. Begins with S; one vowel.
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Sykes

Down

1-Down (5 letters), “Rome ___ built in a day”
A negative past-tense verb in contracted form, apostrophe dropped. Begins with W; one vowel.
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Wasnt
2-Down (5 letters), Low-maintenance succulents
Spiky plants whose gel soothes sunburn. Begins with A; three vowels.
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Aloes
3-Down (5 letters), Earth, in French
The French word for land and soil; a double letter sits inside. Begins with T; two vowels.
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Terre
4-Down (7 letters), Foot joint sprain, familiarly
An injury to the big toe’s joint, named for a playing surface. Begins with T; three vowels.
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Turftoe
5-Down (3 letters), Pigs’ place
A pen for pigs. Begins with S; no vowels.
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Sty
6-Down (4 letters), With a fresh start
Over again. Begins with A; two vowels.
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Anew
7-Down (4 letters), Film friend of Nemo
A blue tang with a poor memory. Begins with D; one vowel.
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Dory
8-Down (4 letters), Soapmaking substances
Alkaline chemicals that turn fat into bars of soap. Begins with L; one vowel.
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Lyes
9-Down (3 letters), Org. whose logo represents five continents
The initials of the committee that oversees the Olympics. Begins with I; two vowels.
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Ioc
10-Down (7 letters), Luxury brand known for its Rome-inspired designs
An Italian jewelry and watch house; its fourth letter is a G. Begins with B; three vowels.
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Bulgari
11-Down (9 letters), Constellation that includes the North Star
The Latin name of the Little Bear; two words run together. Begins with U; four vowels.
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Ursaminor
12-Down (4 letters), Chicago’s Navy ___
A dock jutting out into the water. Begins with P; two vowels.
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Pier
13-Down (4 letters), A secret message might be in this
A cipher; spies hide a note’s meaning with one. Begins with C; two vowels.
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Code
18-Down (4 letters), Stimulate, as an appetite
To sharpen interest, or a blade. Begins with W; one vowel.
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Whet
19-Down (5 letters), ___ Garden
A fruit pressed for oil; the clue’s garden is a restaurant chain. Begins with O; three vowels.
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Olive
24-Down (3 letters), Back burner?
The star we orbit; the clue puns on a burner. Begins with S; one vowel.
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Sun
25-Down (4 letters), Divine protector in “Argonautica”
The queen of the Greek gods and wife of Zeus. Begins with H; two vowels.
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Hera
27-Down (5 letters), How raised hackles stand
Upright, like hair on a startled dog’s back; two words run together. Begins with O; two vowels.
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Onend
28-Down (5 letters), Block in a candy shop
A sweet cut into squares at a confectioner’s. Begins with F; two vowels.
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Fudge
29-Down (5 letters), What the corporation Nucor produces
An iron alloy made by a mill. Begins with S; two vowels.
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Steel
30-Down (4 letters), Lower-left PC key
A keyboard shortcut key, abbreviated. Begins with C; no vowels.
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Ctrl
31-Down (3 letters), Upper-left PC key
The keyboard key that cancels, abbreviated. Begins with E; one vowel.
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Esc
32-Down (4 letters), Microsoft game console
A game console from the Redmond software company. Begins with X; one vowel.
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Xbox
33-Down (9 letters), Some messenger bags and satchels, jocularly
A jokey name for satchels carried by men; two words run together, plural. Begins with M; three vowels.
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Manpurses
35-Down (3 letters), Ginger ___
A fizzy drink flavored with ginger. Begins with A; two vowels.
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Ale
36-Down (4 letters), “Four out of three people struggle with” this subject
A school subject about numbers; the clue’s joke is about fractions. Begins with M; one vowel.
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Math
39-Down (5 letters), “Let’s go for a ride!”
What a driver says when offering a lift; two short words. Begins with G; two vowels.
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Getin
40-Down (7 letters), Former Indianapolis stadium
A former indoor stadium in Indiana’s capital; an electronics company’s initials plus a roof type. Begins with R; three vowels.
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Rcadome
41-Down (3 letters), A cyclops has one
The organ of sight. Begins with E; two vowels.
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Eye
42-Down (7 letters), In a manner of speaking
A phrase that softens a figure of speech; three short words run together. Begins with A; three vowels.
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Aswesay
44-Down (4 letters), Year in Italy
The Italian word for year, found in Latin dates too. Begins with A; two vowels.
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Anno
47-Down (5 letters), [Cheers!]
The sound of glasses touching in a toast. Begins with C; one vowel.
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Clink
48-Down (5 letters), Fish tank buildup
A green film that grows on aquarium glass. Begins with A; three vowels.
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Algae
49-Down (5 letters), Doesn’t own, say
Pays a landlord every month. Begins with R; one vowel.
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Rents
50-Down (4 letters), Albert Einstein once compared it to riding a bicycle: “To keep your balance, you must keep moving”
What Einstein likened to riding a bicycle. Begins with L; two vowels.
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Life
51-Down (4 letters), See 45-Across
The plural nickname of the team from 45-Across’s state; it completes the shared clue. Begins with U; two vowels.
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Utes
52-Down (4 letters), Prop for the Riddler
A walking stick topped with a question mark, in the Riddler’s hands. Begins with C; two vowels.
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Cane
53-Down (4 letters), Antiquing substance
A product that makes new wood look old. Begins with A; two vowels.
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Ager
54-Down (4 letters), Company that makes Grape-Nuts
The cereal company behind Grape-Nuts, named like a wooden stake. Begins with P; one vowel.
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Post
57-Down (3 letters), Line on many a receipt
A charge listed below the subtotal. Begins with T; one vowel.
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Tax
58-Down (3 letters), Rx writers
The plural abbreviation of a medical title. Begins with D; no vowels.
Show the answer
Drs

How Wednesday’s grid is built

The grid has 189 letter squares and 36 black squares, 225 squares in all. By length, the 74 entries break down this way: 14 of 3 letters, 24 of 4, 22 of 5, two of 6, four of 7, four of 9, two of 12 and two of 15. Every 7-letter entry runs Down, and so do two of the four 9-letter entries.

Two clues end in a question mark: 62-Across and 24-Down. Five carry a blank to fill in: 52-Across, 1-Down, 12-Down, 19-Down and 35-Down.

The rules for the daily grid are collected on our NYT Crossword page; with 74 clues today and a four-entry theme, it is the place to start if the long rows stall you.

Mark the solving days on our printable weekly calendar or the November 2026 printable calendar.

Neighboring days: Tuesday’s NYT Crossword and Thursday’s NYT Crossword.

More of Wednesday’s puzzles: Wordle hints, Connections hints, Strands hints, Spelling Bee hints and Pips hints. The smaller siblings for the same date are our Mini answers for Nov. 4 and our Midi answers for Nov. 4.

NYT Crossword answers for Nov. 4, 2026 (spoilers)

Stop here if you still want to solve it yourself.

Clue	Answer
1-Across	Watts
6-Across	Adlib
11-Across	Upc
14-Across	Aleut
15-Across	Noyou
16-Across	Rio
17-Across	Sorrywereclosed
20-Across	Nerf
21-Across	Hwys
22-Across	Glare
23-Across	Tsetse
25-Across	Haim
26-Across	Outofservice
32-Across	Xmen
34-Across	Nutrients
35-Across	Aba
36-Across	Medea
37-Across	Orc
38-Across	Longrange
41-Across	Earl
43-Across	Expectdelays
45-Across	Utah
46-Across	Newcar
50-Across	Lurid
52-Across	Capn
55-Across	Elle
56-Across	Itsnotagoodsign
59-Across	Fee
60-Across	Manes
61-Across	Ranat
62-Across	Ess
63-Across	Exert
64-Across	Sykes
1-Down	Wasnt
2-Down	Aloes
3-Down	Terre
4-Down	Turftoe
5-Down	Sty
6-Down	Anew
7-Down	Dory
8-Down	Lyes
9-Down	Ioc
10-Down	Bulgari
11-Down	Ursaminor
12-Down	Pier
13-Down	Code
18-Down	Whet
19-Down	Olive
24-Down	Sun
25-Down	Hera
27-Down	Onend
28-Down	Fudge
29-Down	Steel
30-Down	Ctrl
31-Down	Esc
32-Down	Xbox
33-Down	Manpurses
35-Down	Ale
36-Down	Math
39-Down	Getin
40-Down	Rcadome
41-Down	Eye
42-Down	Aswesay
44-Down	Anno
47-Down	Clink
48-Down	Algae
49-Down	Rents
50-Down	Life
51-Down	Utes
52-Down	Cane
53-Down	Ager
54-Down	Post
57-Down	Tax
58-Down	Drs

The filled grid, with each clue number in its first square. Drawn from the official puzzle data published by The New York Times.

The answers come from the puzzle’s official data.

Yesterday's Crossword answer

The Crossword on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Across 1 Lab, 4 Baste, 9 Slomo, 14 Ani, 15 Alton, 16 Kodak, 17 Ugg, 18 Countryboys, 20 Rebuked, 22 Ripen, 23 Elena, 24 Pepe, 25 Net, 28 Landladies, 31 Jeer, 32 Alien, 33 Fully, 34 Materialgirls, 38 Miley, 39 Teary, 40 Atad, 41 Weathermen, 46 Pec, 47 Seas, 48 Liege, 49 Altar, 51 Imagers, 53 Careerwomen, 56 Tet, 57 Ontap, 58 Inane, 59 Ate, 60 Edens, 61 Genus, 62 Tsa; Down 1 Laurel, 2 Angela, 3 Bigben, 4 Backalley, 5 Aloe, 6 Stud, 7 Ton, 8 Entree, 9 Skype, 10 Lobe, 11 Odonnell, 12 May, 13 Oks, 19 Rips, 21 Undated, 24 Pinatas, 26 Eels, 27 Try, 29 Air, 30 Dei, 31 Juryrig, 33 Firelanes, 34 Mite, 35 Alacarte, 36 Let, 37 Gah, 38 Map, 41 Wear, 42 Earwig, 43 Meetat, 44 Egrets, 45 Nestea, 47 Steps, 50 Lean, 51 Iman, 52 Menu, 53 Coe, 54 And, 55 One. Yesterday's hints and full solution.

Frequently asked questions

Who made today's NYT Crossword?

Peggy Sue Marlin constructed the Nov. 4, 2026 grid and Will Shortz edited it, according to the puzzle data.

How many clues in the Nov. 4 grid refer to another entry?

Five: 17-Across, 26-Across, 43-Across, 45-Across and 51-Down. Three of them reuse the clue for 56-Across, and the last two share one clue split across 45-Across and 51-Down.

What are the NYT Crossword answers for Nov. 4, 2026?

Spoilers: Across, Watts, Adlib, Upc, Aleut, Noyou, Rio, Sorrywereclosed, Nerf, Hwys, Glare, Tsetse, Haim, Outofservice, Xmen, Nutrients, Aba, Medea, Orc, Longrange, Earl, Expectdelays, Utah, Newcar, Lurid, Capn, Elle, Itsnotagoodsign, Fee, Manes, Ranat, Ess, Exert, Sykes; Down, Wasnt, Aloes, Terre, Turftoe, Sty, Anew, Dory, Lyes, Ioc, Bulgari, Ursaminor, Pier, Code, Whet, Olive, Sun, Hera, Onend, Fudge, Steel, Ctrl, Esc, Xbox, Manpurses, Ale, Math, Getin, Rcadome, Eye, Aswesay, Anno, Clink, Algae, Rents, Life, Utes, Cane, Ager, Post, Tax, Drs.

Sources

The Crossword (The New York Times)

Fresh Calendars News Desk

Editorial team, daily puzzles

The Fresh Calendars News Desk is the editorial team behind Fresh Calendars News. It publishes the daily puzzle pages for games such as Wordle, NYT Connections, Strands, Pips, Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword and Contexto, each with graded hints first and a clearly marked answer section after them. Answers come from the publisher's own game data where it exists and are checked against that saved data before a page goes live; for games without official data, a page waits until two independent published solutions agree. The desk also handles reader tips and correction reports for the whole site, works with the editors who cover holidays, school calendars, money, time changes and seasonal events, and notes each correction at the end of the article with the date it was made.