NYT Crossword hints and answer for February 1, 2026
Hints that get gradually more specific, then the answer if you need it. Nothing is revealed until you tap.
Clues136
Across57
Down79
TitleComical Mutation
Today’s NYT Crossword clues, hints & answers
Every clue from this puzzle with a hint and the answer behind separate buttons, so you only see what you need. Click a clue for its own page.
Across
1A
Meter in a video game showing a character's health (7)
Starts with L, ends with RLIFEBAR→
8A
Relative of a gazelle (6)
Starts with I, ends with AIMPALA→
14A
Office square (6)
Starts with P, ends with TPOSTIT→
20A
Food additive named one of Time's 50 Worst Inventions (7)
Starts with O, ends with AOLESTRA→
21A
Keep cruising, say (6)
Starts with S, ends with NSAILON→
22A
On which Apple Pay can be used (6)
Starts with I, ends with EIPHONE→
23A
Canio in "Pagliacci," e.g.? (14)
Starts with C, ends with NCLASSICALCLOWN→
25A
Noxious atmosphere (6)
Starts with M, ends with AMIASMA→
26A
Prefix with business (4)
Starts with A, ends with IAGRI→
27A
"My house, my rules" (6)
Starts with I, ends with OISAYSO→
28A
QB Drew whom Tom Brady ultimately replaced (7)
Starts with B, ends with EBLEDSOE→
29A
Get tuckered out (9)
Starts with L, ends with MLOSESTEAM→
32A
Indian wedding wear (4)
Starts with S, ends with ISARI→
34A
School subj. (3)
Starts with E, ends with GENG→
35A
Grab the chips and dip? (6)
Starts with C, ends with NCASHIN→
37A
News hound? (10)
Starts with T, ends with GTOPICALDOG→
40A
Atomic bond, essentially? (18)
Starts with T, ends with YTWOPARTICLEHARMONY→
45A
Many visitors to national parks (6)
Starts with H, ends with SHIKERS→
46A
Nearsighted person (5)
Starts with M, ends with EMYOPE→
47A
Messing up on the big screen (5)
Starts with D, ends with ADEBRA→
51A
Italy's third-largest island (after Sicily and Sardinia) (4)
Starts with E, ends with AELBA→
52A
Subterranean adventurer (5)
Starts with C, ends with RCAVER→
54A
"Aaron Burr, ___" ("Hamilton" show tune) (3)
Starts with S, ends with RSIR→
57A
Great number (4)
Starts with S, ends with WSLEW→
58A
Cute, cutesily (6)
Starts with A, ends with SADORBS→
61A
Dropbox and Roblox (4)
Starts with A, ends with SAPPS→
62A
Hailed vehicle (3)
Starts with C, ends with BCAB→
64A
Show interruptions (3)
Starts with A, ends with SADS→
65A
Some electrolysis targets? (19)
Starts with F, ends with EFOLLICLESONONESFACE→
71A
Partner of vigor (3)
Starts with V, ends with MVIM→
72A
Letter symbolizing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius (3)
Starts with T, ends with UTAU→
73A
"Downton Abbey" countess (4)
Starts with C, ends with ACORA→
74A
Warm winter coats (6)
Starts with P, ends with SPARKAS→
76A
Like some early education, for short (4)
Starts with P, ends with KPREK→
78A
W.C. sign (3)
Starts with M, ends with NMEN→
80A
City where LeBron James was born (5)
Starts with A, ends with NAKRON→
81A
Blemish (4)
Starts with M, ends with KMARK→
82A
Bit of a character? (5)
Starts with S, ends with FSERIF→
84A
Conspiring (with) (5)
Starts with I, ends with DINBED→
86A
Spice Girl alongside Baby, Ginger, Scary and Posh (6)
Starts with S, ends with YSPORTY→
88A
"Mainsail hoisted, check! Hatches battened, check!"? (18)
Starts with W, ends with YWERENAUTICALWORTHY→
94A
Shark's singing rival in "West Side Story"? (10)
Starts with L, ends with TLYRICALJET→
97A
Corral (6)
Starts with C, ends with NCAGEIN→
98A
Yankee great Gehrig (3)
Starts with L, ends with ULOU→
99A
Something a judge shouldn't have (4)
Starts with B, ends with SBIAS→
100A
Very rude email, informally (9)
Starts with N, ends with MNASTYGRAM→
105A
Never mind? (7)
Starts with A, ends with AAMNESIA→
108A
Neglectful (6)
Starts with R, ends with SREMISS→
111A
Bank (on) (4)
Starts with R, ends with YRELY→
112A
Two-___ schooner (6)
Starts with M, ends with DMASTED→
113A
Frozen treat for Bruins fans? (14)
Starts with B, ends with EBOSTONPOPSICLE→
117A
Lacking scruples (6)
Starts with A, ends with LAMORAL→
118A
Storm, say (6)
Starts with I, ends with EINVADE→
119A
Noted early riser (7)
Starts with R, ends with RROOSTER→
120A
With a level head (6)
Starts with S, ends with YSANELY→
121A
Thickets (6)
Starts with C, ends with SCOPSES→
122A
Embarrassing items to have revealed on an airport X-ray (7)
Starts with S, ends with SSEXTOYS→
Down
1D
Person from the neighborhood (5)
Starts with L, ends with LLOCAL→
2D
Volunteer's offer (5)
Starts with I, ends with OILLGO→
3D
Bogeymen (5)
Starts with F, ends with SFEARS→
4D
Maker of Bikini So Teeny nail polish (5)
Starts with E, ends with EESSIE→
5D
Breakthrough K-pop group (3)
Starts with B, ends with SBTS→
6D
Horror director Aster (3)
Starts with A, ends with IARI→
7D
Most suggestive (7)
Starts with R, ends with TRACIEST→
8D
Like the Eid al-Fitr festival (7)
Starts with I, ends with CISLAMIC→
9D
Department store eponym (4)
Starts with M, ends with YMACY→
10D
Pale lager, informally (4)
Starts with P, ends with SPILS→
11D
___ gobi (Indian potato dish) (4)
Starts with A, ends with OALOO→
12D
Feeling down (3)
Starts with L, ends with WLOW→
13D
___ Taylor (fashion retailer) (3)
Starts with A, ends with NANN→
14D
Home of the Preakness Stakes (7)
Starts with P, ends with OPIMLICO→
15D
Early TV role for Ron Howard (4)
Starts with O, ends with EOPIE→
16D
Atlantic fish (4)
Starts with S, ends with DSHAD→
17D
Like Frisbees and some salads (6)
Starts with T, ends with DTOSSED→
18D
Not stereo (6)
Starts with I, ends with OINMONO→
19D
Hard-boiled Chinese snack (6)
Starts with T, ends with GTEAEGG→
24D
Sapporo competitor (5)
Starts with A, ends with IASAHI→
28D
Bowler's edge (4)
Starts with B, ends with MBRIM→
30D
Blemish (4)
Starts with S, ends with RSCAR→
31D
Fixes, as a driveway (4)
Starts with T, ends with STARS→
32D
Cake not to be eaten (4)
Starts with S, ends with PSOAP→
33D
French for "after" (5)
Starts with A, ends with SAPRES→
36D
Barry Bonds and Shohei Ohtani, notably, for short (6)
Starts with N, ends with SNLMVPS→
37D
Hammer wielder (4)
Starts with T, ends with RTHOR→
38D
Furthermore (3)
Starts with A, ends with DAND→
39D
Caustic solutions (4)
Starts with L, ends with SLYES→
40D
Mother of Helios, in myth (4)
Starts with T, ends with ATHEA→
41D
Metaphor for a runaway success (8)
Starts with W, ends with EWILDFIRE→
42D
Gen Z put-down of an elder (8)
Starts with O, ends with ROKBOOMER→
43D
Bit of wisdom (5)
Starts with P, ends with LPEARL→
44D
Orbit (9)
Starts with E, ends with TEYESOCKET→
48D
Arcane technique (8)
Starts with B, ends with TBLACKART→
49D
Iron-rich variety of fertile soil (8)
Starts with R, ends with HREDEARTH→
50D
Exclamations in nurseries (3)
Starts with A, ends with SAWS→
52D
Lead-in to "tech" (3)
Starts with C, ends with LCAL→
53D
Primatologist's interest (3)
Starts with A, ends with EAPE→
55D
Give the cold shoulder, with "out" (3)
Starts with I, ends with EICE→
56D
Grating voice (4)
Starts with R, ends with PRASP→
59D
Common diner order (3)
Starts with B, ends with TBLT→
60D
Rodgers and Hammerstein musical setting (4)
Starts with S, ends with MSIAM→
63D
Photog's undergrad degree (3)
Starts with B, ends with ABFA→
66D
Stick on a table (3)
Starts with C, ends with ECUE→
67D
Like Volvo and Nokia, by origin (6)
Starts with N, ends with CNORDIC→
68D
Gold, in Guadalajara (3)
Starts with O, ends with OORO→
69D
London granny (3)
Starts with N, ends with NNAN→
70D
Standard battle wear (5)
Starts with A, ends with RARMOR→
71D
No. 2's (3)
Starts with V, ends with SVPS→
75D
Vodka in blue bottles (4)
Starts with S, ends with YSKYY→
77D
New Zealander (4)
Starts with K, ends with IKIWI→
79D
One studied in the art of invisibility (5)
Starts with N, ends with ANINJA→
83D
Govt. campaign watchdog (3)
Starts with F, ends with CFEC→
85D
Scottish refusals (4)
Starts with N, ends with SNAES→
86D
Loretta of "M*A*S*H" (4)
Starts with S, ends with TSWIT→
87D
Small keg size (4)
Starts with P, ends with YPONY→
89D
With zeal (7)
Starts with R, ends with YRABIDLY→
90D
Director Kazan (4)
Starts with E, ends with AELIA→
91D
Neighbors of premolars (7)
Starts with C, ends with SCANINES→
92D
Audibly shocked (5)
Starts with A, ends with PAGASP→
93D
Landlords, more formally (7)
Starts with L, ends with SLESSORS→
94D
Pack carriers (6)
Starts with L, ends with SLLAMAS→
95D
Crack open? (6)
Starts with Y, ends with AYOMAMA→
96D
Is fueled by (6)
Starts with R, ends with NRUNSON→
101D
Fill in a mill (5)
Starts with G, ends with TGRIST→
102D
Right-hand page (5)
Starts with R, ends with ORECTO→
103D
Strike zone? (5)
Starts with A, ends with YALLEY→
104D
Mike or Michael in movies (5)
Starts with M, ends with SMYERS→
106D
Raison d'___ (4)
Starts with E, ends with EETRE→
107D
Close up tight (4)
Starts with S, ends with LSEAL→
108D
Invitation letters (4)
Starts with R, ends with PRSVP→
109D
Uber predictions, in brief (4)
Starts with E, ends with SETAS→
113D
Zippo competitor (3)
Starts with B, ends with CBIC→
114D
Co-producer of the documentary "The Beatles: Get Back" (3)
Starts with O, ends with OONO→
115D
"The Bells" poet (3)
Starts with P, ends with EPOE→
116D
Fenway team, familiarly (3)
Starts with S, ends with XSOX→
How to solve the NYT Crossword
Fill the grid so that every Across and Down answer matches its clue. Numbered squares mark where answers begin. Theme answers, usually the longest entries, share a twist that the puzzle's title or a revealer clue explains. Thursday puzzles are known for rebus squares and other tricks that bend the normal rules.
Want the full method? Read our NYT Crossword strategy and tips, or check how to play the NYT Crossword on the hub.
NYT Crossword tips for tomorrow
- Start with Monday-level clues. Even on a Saturday, a handful of clues are straightforward. Find them and build outward from the crossings.
- Hunt for the revealer. A clue that references other entries or ends in "?" often explains the theme. Solving it first unlocks the long answers.
- Respect the day of the week. Thursday means tricks like rebus squares; Friday and Saturday mean long, clever fill with misleading clues.
Done for today? Try The Mini, The Midi, LA Times Crossword, all with hints first and answers behind a reveal.
Previous NYT Crossword puzzles
NYT Crossword FAQ
How many clues are in the NYT Crossword for February 1, 2026?+
136 clues: 57 Across and 79 Down. The puzzle was constructed by Lance Enfinger and John Kugelman and edited by Will Shortz.
What are some answers in today’s NYT Crossword?+
For example: Meter in a video game showing a character's health (LIFEBAR); Relative of a gazelle (IMPALA); Office square (POSTIT).
What time does the NYT Crossword come out?+
The next day's puzzle is released at 10:00 pm Eastern Time Monday to Friday and at 6:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Where can I find past NYT Crossword answers?+
Every puzzle in our archive has its own page with all Across and Down answers, plus a page for each clue. Click any date above.
