NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for January 20, 2021

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

Yes. Each date we have covered is in the crossword archive .

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 1:29 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Wednesday, January 20, 2021. The daily crossword is the classic: a 15×15 grid on weekdays and a larger Sunday puzzle, with difficulty rising from a gentle Monday to a fiendish Saturday. Hints come first and the solution stays hidden until you ask for it.

76 clues · jump to Across or Down. Tap a tile for one letter, or Answer for the whole word.

Across clues & answers

Down clues & answers

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Tuesday, January 19, 2021

across

1. Source of the line "The meek shall inherit the earth": PSALMS
7. Dramatic exhalation: SIGH
11. One of the two main branches of Islam: SHIA
15. Something not often seen on roofs anymore: AERIAL
16. World capital on a fjord: OSLO
17. Collectible caps of the 1990s: POGS
18. *Bygone Crayola color: LEMONYELLOW
20. Case for small toiletries: ETUI
21. Superman's adoptive family name: KENT
22. Penthouse perks: VIEWS
23. Org. affected by Title IX: NCAA
24. Buildup at the mouth of a river: DELTA
26. Utterly convinced of: SOLDON
28. Do some stitching: SEW
29. Large wine vessel: VAT
31. Regarding: ASFOR
33. Tools with teeth: SAWS
36. Narcissistic trait: EGOTISM
39. Govt. pill-approving body: FDA
40. "___ bin ein Berliner": ICH
41. *Sweet, healthful treat: FRUITCUP
42. Very long time: EON
43. Melber of cable news: ARI
44. Brutish: APELIKE
45. Departed: WENT
46. Driving force?: MOTOR
48. Cul-de-___: SAC
49. Month après avril: MAI
51. Deprived (of): BEREFT
53. They're rounded up in roundups: HERDS
55. Singer Bareilles: SARA
56. Citizens of Dubai and Abu Dhabi: ARABS
59. Workers' rights org. since 1965: EEOC
61. Butting heads: ATIT
62. *World's largest terrestrial arthropod: COCONUTCRAB
65. Puerto ___: RICO
66. Turnpike expense: TOLL
67. Actor Mickey of "The Wrestler": ROURKE
68. Pastry decorator: ICER
69. Salacious stuff: SMUT
70. "Hold on ... almost ...!": NOTYET

down

1. Friend: PAL
2. Partner of hide: SEEK
3. Partner of dangerous: ARMED
4. Disney's Nala, for one: LIONESS
5. Mickey of the Yankees: MANTLE
6. Like a wink or a nudge, maybe: SLY
7. Many sopranos' songs: SOLI
8. Part of an archipelago: ISLE
9. Item waved at a rave: GLOWSTICK
10. "In what way?": HOWSO
11. Opposite of saves: SPENDS
12. *Sign in a deli window, perhaps: HOTCOFFEE
13. Large, herbivorous dinosaur that could walk on two legs: IGUANODON
14. Difficult area to maintain control of in the game Risk: ASIA
19. Perón of Argentina: EVA
25. Annoying, ignorable sort: TWERP
27. The letter "I" in Pixar's logo: LAMP
29. "And there you have it!": VOILA
30. Storage space under rafters: ATTIC
32. Vent vehemently: RANT
33. "The King and I" setting: SIAM
34. Like many Cirque du Soleil performers: ACROBATIC
35. *Staple of Japanese cuisine: WHITERICE
37. Where visitors may stay: GUESTROOM
38. "So ___!" (sarcastic retort): SUEME
41. Cost of a ride: FARE
45. Like some roomy jeans: WIDECUT
47. Figure of speech?: ORATOR
50. Childish comeback: ARETOO
52. Word repeated in "___ are ___": FACTS
53. "As Seen on TV" channel: HSN
54. "My bad": SORRY
55. Garment whose name sounds like 54-Down: SARI
57. Rights org.: ACLU
58. Flash of lightning: BOLT
60. Word that can follow either half of the answers to the starred clues: CAKE
63. Large tea vessel: URN
64. "You wanna ___?": BET

Hints and full breakdown for Jan 19

More daily puzzle hints

How the week is built

Monday and Tuesday: straightforward definitions and familiar answers. These are the best days to learn.
Wednesday: a step up, often with a playful theme.
Thursday: the trick day, with rebus squares (several letters in one square) and answers that turn corners or skip squares.
Friday and Saturday: themeless and tough, with sly clues and long open sections.
Sunday: a bigger 21×21 grid with a theme, about as hard as a Wednesday or Thursday.

Crossword-solving habits worth building

Learn the common fill. Short vowel-heavy words such as ERA, OREO, ALOE and ETNA appear constantly because they help constructors connect sections.
Read clue signals. "?" means wordplay, "Abbr." means an abbreviation, "e.g." means an example of a category, and a foreign word in the clue hints at a foreign answer.
Find the theme. The longest answers usually share a gimmick; the title (on Sundays) or a "revealer" clue explains it.
Erase without fear. When crossings don't work, the wrong letter is usually in the answer you were most confident about.
Use targeted help. Reveal one letter here, or try our crossword solver with a pattern like ?R?S?.

The Crossword FAQ

When is the next crossword released?

Weekday puzzles go live at 10 p.m. Eastern Time the night before; weekend puzzles are released earlier in the evening.

What is a rebus square?

A square that holds more than one letter. Sometimes it holds a whole word or a symbol. They are most common on Thursdays.

Which day is the hardest?

Saturday is generally the hardest, followed by Friday. Sunday is larger but closer to midweek difficulty.

Can I see past crossword answers?

Yes. Each date we have covered is in the crossword archive.