NYT Down Clues Answers January 01, 2026 - All 42 Vertical Solutions & Expert Hints
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 42 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: August 10 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | October 14 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | November 25 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 01, 2026 |
| Day of Week | Thursday |
| Total Down Clues | 42 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Medium |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 42 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Idly pluck, as a banjo |
| 2 Down | 2. It always wins, they say |
| 3 Down | 3. One of Us, say? |
| 4 Down | 4. Driver of some engines |
| 5 Down | 5. Like most oysters served with mignonette |
| 6 Down | 6. Some Bavarian cries |
| 7 Down | 7. Majestic |
| 8 Down | 8. Which unit of data storage could hold 200,000 HD movies? |
| 9 Down | 9. 19th letter |
| 10 Down | 10. Sephora competitor |
| 11 Down | 11. Gallant |
| 12 Down | 12. ___ Gay |
| 13 Down | 13. Steel rod with ridges |
| 14 Down | 16. Maliciously publishes the private info of online |
| 15 Down | 20. Actor Fishburne of "The Matrix" |
| 16 Down | 24. Org. for the Fever and the Dream |
| 17 Down | 26. Filled |
| 18 Down | 29. End of many modern addresses |
| 19 Down | 30. Cat breed from an island in the Irish Sea |
| 20 Down | 31. Educational support grp. |
| 21 Down | 32. Sounds of realization |
| 22 Down | 33. Who won Best Supporting Actor for Martin Scorsese's "GoodFellas?" |
| 23 Down | 34. Pitchers' stats |
| 24 Down | 36. What Mediterranean nation lies between Italy and Libya? |
| 25 Down | 37. Go for the gold? |
| 26 Down | 38. Apropos |
| 27 Down | 40. Initialism for an online advertiser |
| 28 Down | 41. Pitted fruit |
| 29 Down | 43. Take over for |
| 30 Down | 45. Undisguised |
| 31 Down | 46. "Sit!" |
| 32 Down | 47. "Horrors!" |
| 33 Down | 48. Group of experts |
| 34 Down | 49. 2010 release now owned by Meta, informally |
| 35 Down | 52. Entry in red ink |
| 36 Down | 53. So-called "fifth taste" |
| 37 Down | 54. Kind of wind ... or an alternative to wind |
| 38 Down | 55. "Mob Psycho 100" genre |
| 39 Down | 57. Singer Stefani |
| 40 Down | 59. Negative for Nikolai |
| 41 Down | 62. Heart chart, for short |
| 42 Down | 63. Buffalo-to-Baltimore dir. |
Detailed Hints and Answers for All Down Clues
Need help? Here are comprehensive hints and answers for each Down clue. Also check these helpful guides:
- All NYT Down Clues December 08 2025 39
- October 14 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- Across Clues NYT December 29 2025
- Tuesdays NYT Mini Sep 23 All 10 Across
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Idly pluck, as a banjo"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: T___M
- Similar words: drum, strum
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a thrumming sound
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
THRUM
2 Down: "2. It always wins, they say"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: H___E
- Similar words: menage, household
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HOUSE
3 Down: "3. One of Us, say?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I___E
- Similar words: outlet, matter
- Opposite of: recall
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ISSUE
4 Down: "4. Driver of some engines"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: S___M
- Similar words: steamer, steam clean
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
STEAM
5 Down: "5. Like most oysters served with mignonette"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'W'
- Similar words: cutting, birthday suit
- Opposite of: cooked
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: informal terms for nakedness
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RAW
6 Down: "6. Some Bavarian cries"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A__S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ACHS
7 Down: "7. Majestic"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: S_____Y
- Similar words: courtly, imposing
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: impressive in appearance
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
STATELY
8 Down: "8. Which unit of data storage could hold 200,000 HD movies?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: P______E
- Similar words: pebibyte, PB
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PETABYTE
9 Down: "9. 19th letter"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'U'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TAU
10 Down: "10. Sephora competitor"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: U__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ULTA
11 Down: "11. Gallant"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N___E
- Similar words: nobleman, stately
- Opposite of: noblewoman
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a titled peer of the realm
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NOBLE
12 Down: "12. ___ Gay"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: E___A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ENOLA
13 Down: "13. Steel rod with ridges"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: R___R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
REBAR
14 Down: "16. Maliciously publishes the private info of online"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D___S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DOXES
15 Down: "20. Actor Fishburne of "The Matrix""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L______E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LAURENCE
16 Down: "24. Org. for the Fever and the Dream"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: W__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
WNBA
17 Down: "26. Filled"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S______D
- Similar words: replete, binge
- Opposite of: insatiate
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: fill to satisfaction
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SATIATED
18 Down: "29. End of many modern addresses"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'M'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
COM
19 Down: "30. Cat breed from an island in the Irish Sea"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'X'
- Word pattern: M__X
- Similar words: Manx cat
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MANX
20 Down: "31. Educational support grp."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'A'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PTA
21 Down: "32. Sounds of realization"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AHS
22 Down: "33. Who won Best Supporting Actor for Martin Scorsese's "GoodFellas?""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: P___I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PESCI
23 Down: "34. Pitchers' stats"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
- Similar words: geological era, ERA
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ERAS
24 Down: "36. What Mediterranean nation lies between Italy and Libya?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: M___A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MALTA
25 Down: "37. Go for the gold?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'N'
- Similar words: genus Pan, pan off
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: cooking utensil consisting of a wide metal vessel
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PAN
26 Down: "38. Apropos"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: tending, minded
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: (usually followed by `to') naturally disposed toward
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
APT
27 Down: "40. Initialism for an online advertiser"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'O'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SEO
28 Down: "41. Pitted fruit"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: P__M
- Similar words: plum tree, clean
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PLUM
29 Down: "43. Take over for"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: R_____E
- Similar words: assuage, exempt
- Opposite of: enforce
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: provide physical relief
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RELIEVE
30 Down: "45. Undisguised"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: O___T
- Similar words: open
- Opposite of: covert
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: open and observable; not secret or hidden
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OVERT
31 Down: "46. "Sit!""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: P____T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PARKIT
32 Down: "47. "Horrors!""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E___S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EGADS
33 Down: "48. Group of experts"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: P___L
- Similar words: dialog box, jury
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PANEL
34 Down: "49. 2010 release now owned by Meta, informally"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: I___A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
INSTA
35 Down: "52. Entry in red ink"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: D___T
- Similar words: debit entry
- Opposite of: credit
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: an accounting entry acknowledging sums that are owing
- This is Down clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DEBIT
36 Down: "53. So-called "fifth taste""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: U___I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
UMAMI
37 Down: "54. Kind of wind ... or an alternative to wind"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: S___R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SOLAR
38 Down: "55. "Mob Psycho 100" genre"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A___E
- Similar words: Zanzibar copal, gum anime
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a hard copal derived from an African tree
- This is Down clue number 38
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ANIME
39 Down: "57. Singer Stefani"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: G__N
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 39
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GWEN
40 Down: "59. Negative for Nikolai"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: N__T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 40
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NYET
41 Down: "62. Heart chart, for short"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'G'
- Similar words: EKG, cardiogram
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 41
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ECG
42 Down: "63. Buffalo-to-Baltimore dir."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Similar words: sou'-sou'-east, south southeast
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the compass point midway between south and southeast
- This is Down clue number 42
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SSE
Expert Strategies for Solving Down Clues
Master the vertical clues with these professional tips:
Why Start with Down Clues?
- Down clues often reveal key letters for intersecting words
- Vertical patterns can unlock difficult sections
- Many prefixes and suffixes run vertically
- Down answers often help solve Across clues
Down Clue Patterns to Recognize
- Fill-in-the-blank clues: These are usually the easiest Down entries
- Prefixes and suffixes: Common word parts often run vertically
- Abbreviations: Look for clues with "Abbr." or shortened forms
- Plural indicators: Words ending in 'S' are common in Down
- Pop culture references: Names and titles often appear vertically
Time-Saving Down Techniques
| Technique | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Scan all Down first | Get a mental map of the vertical flow |
| Fill short Down words | 3-4 letter words are often prefixes or connectors |
| Use crossing letters | Across letters help confirm Down answers |
| Look for themes | Related Down answers often share a theme |
Frequently Asked Questions About Down Clues
What are Down clues in crossword puzzles?
Down clues are the vertical entries in a crossword puzzle that read from top to bottom. They're numbered and correspond to specific columns in the grid.
Should I solve Down or Across clues first?
Many solvers alternate between Down and Across clues to build momentum. Down clues can help unlock difficult sections by providing key intersecting letters. The best approach is to solve the clues you find easiest first, regardless of direction.
How many Down clues are in today's puzzle?
Today's NYT crossword has 42 Down clues.
Are Down clues easier than Across clues?
Neither direction is inherently easier. The difficulty depends on the specific clues and your knowledge. However, Down clues often contain helpful prefixes, suffixes, and word parts that can be easier to guess.
How do Down clues interact with Across clues?
Down and Across clues intersect at various points in the grid. Solving one can provide letters that help solve the other, making the puzzle easier as you progress.
