NYT Crossword February 17, 2026 Answers

Across

1A Forerunner of reggae 3 4A Because 5 9A Fluster with embarrassment 5 14A Buddy 3 15A "L'Orfeo" or "Idomeneo" 5 16A Spoiled girl in "Finding Nemo" 5 17A White rodent often used in lab research 9 19A Hunter in the night sky 5 20A "Cool!" 5 21A Hit maker? 4 23A Big name in pet food 4 24A Complete fiasco 5 26A "I suppose that's right" 7 28A Some fancy finger painting 7 30A Flavoring in an earthy whiskey 4 31A Classic skin-care brand 4 32A Film performers' union, for short 3 34A Spanish appetizers 5 38A Prospector's receptacle 3 39A Music genre for the words hidden in this puzzle's circled letters ... or a punny description for them? 7 42A German cry of dismay 3 43A Old Ford Motor offering 5 45A Site for hibernation … or a Super Bowl party 3 46A No more than 4 47A Sources of quick $$$ 4 50A Break up, as a group 7 52A Someone's public identity 7 55A Workout inspired by martial arts 5 56A "Nobody doesn't like ___ Lee" (classic food slogan) 4 57A Daddy-o 4 59A "___ Jacques" (children's song) 5 61A "The Addams Family" butler 5 63A Spoken evaluations 9 65A Island greeting 5 66A Starts daydreaming, with "out" 5 67A Sound heard at the door 3 68A Amped up 5 69A Call off the relationship 5 70A Furtive 3

Down

1D Distance from end to end 4 2D Leafy side dish rich in vitamin K 9 3D Residents of Tirana 9 4D "Oh, that stupid little punk ..." 6 5D Wall Street debut, for short 3 6D Toy brand with foam ammo 4 7D Daniel of the "Knives Out" movies 5 8D Devours 6 9D Fuss and flurry 3 10D Many a Starbucks employee 7 11D Highlights of a 15-Across 5 12D Smartphone video effect 5 13D Film composer Zimmer 4 18D Boot out of Europe? 5 22D Item stored in a small hole in a golf cart 3 25D ___ Major 4 27D Fill fully 4 28D "Uh-uh" 4 29D Material for a roof repair 3 33D Mars, but not Earth 3 35D Tough-but-loving fathers, informally 9 36D "Don't be so weird!" 9 37D Equipped with footwear 4 39D Sandwiches often on toasted bread 4 40D Proof-ending inits. 3 41D Troop group 4 44D Aural ailment 7 46D Standard option on a rideshare app 5 48D Shaggy head of hair 3 49D Get some Z's 6 51D Least risky 6 52D Physicist Wolfgang who proposed the "exclusion principle" 5 53D Blunder 5 54D Front part of a stage 5 56D Barbecue side dish 4 58D Material in a classical timepiece 4 60D Sneak a peek at 4 62D Suckered 3 64D Ring of flowers 3