Daily Themed Crossword Answers

Daily Themed Crossword — February 22, 2026 Answers

Margaret Halloran
Senior Crossword Editor·

Below you'll find the complete solved grid and every answer for the Daily Themed Crossword puzzle dated February 22, 2026. Click any clue to see more about that specific answer.

Solved Grid

67 clues13×13 grid34 across · 33 down
1F
2U
3E
4L
5C
6D
7S
8S
9H
10E
11A
F
R
O
12O
O
P
13T
I
L
14D
O
R
A
15D
O
D
O
16A
L
S
17D
18E
A
19G
O
20O
G
L
E
21I
S
O
N
22E
N
N
23M
24A
R
25N
E
26S
27S
28W
29A
30T
31G
R
I
32D
S
33A
34D
35S
36H
U
T
37M
E
S
A
38N
I
L
39I
T
O
40R
41E
42G
G
A
E
43T
O
P
44S
45O
N
A
R
46R
E
47M
48C
U
P
49S
O
50L
I
T
A
51I
52R
53E
54I
M
A
55Y
U
L
E
56S
I
P
S
57A
O
L
58P
C
S
59S
I
M
S

Clues & Answers

Across

1AAdd ___ to the fire (make it worse)FUEL
5ADJ's stacks: Abbr.CDS
8A"Isn't ___ a lovely woman?"SHE
11AHendrix's hairdoAFRO
12AAlley-___ (looping pass in a basketball play)OOP
13A"Shop ___ You Drop" (game show)TIL
14ANickelodeon's "___ the Explorer"DORA
15AExtinct flightless bird that used to roam the island of MauritiusDODO
16APacino and Gore, for twoALS
17ANarcotics-fighting organization: Abbr.DEA
19AWho are you? (1/6) "Whenever I find a tricky clue, I use ___ (search engine)." If that's your style, we title you the "Curious Researcher!"GOOGLE
21A"This round ___ me" ("I'll pay for it"): 2 wds.ISON
22ALetter after "emm," phoneticallyENN
23AVina del ___ (city in Chile)MAR
25ANintendo's Super ___ (game console): Abbr.NES
27ASmack a fly, saySWAT
31A(2/6) "I love returning to old ___ from the archive to play them again." If that's your style, we title you the "True Replayer!"GRIDS
33ARevenue sources for newspapers, for shortADS
36APizza ___ (Domino's rival)HUT
37AFlat-topped hillMESA
38AZero, in soccerNIL
39A"Uzumaki" manga creator Junji ___ITO
40AMusic genre for Bob MarleyREGGAE
43A(3/6) "I solve clues in any order I like ... ___, bottom, middle, I'll start anywhere." If that's your style, we title you the "Free Spirit!"TOP
44ASubmarine-detection system: Abbr.SONAR
46ASleep phase lettersREM
48A(4/6) "I solve at my own pace, winding down with a puzzle and a ___ of coffee." If that's your style, we title you the "Relaxed Solver!"CUP
49ADiamond set by itself in a piece of jewelrySOLITAIRE
54AReba McEntire's "___ Survivor": 2 wds.IMA
55A___ log (Christmas dessert)YULE
56ATakes small mouthfuls of tea, saySIPS
57AInstant messaging pioneer: Abbr.AOL
58AAcer products: Abbr.PCS
59AJazzman ZootSIMS

Down

1DShort-lived trend (rhymes with "bad")FAD
2DFlying saucer in a sci-fi movie, perhaps: Abbr.UFO
3D"___ on the side of caution"ERR
4D(5/6) "Once the puzzle ___, I race against the clock to finish as soon as I can." If that's your style, we title you the "Speedy Solver!"LOADS
5DSound of a doveCOO
6D___ a bullet (narrowly avoid something dangerous)DODGE
7DFork's partner, on the dining tableSPOON
8DMale deerSTAG
9DWhat Jack and Jill climbed to fetch waterHILL
10D"Can we go somewhere ___?"ELSE
15D"Great" dog?DANE
18DExtremely long spans of timeEONS
20DSlip-___ (like some shoes)ONS
21DShowy spring flowerIRIS
23DPalindromic film studio: Abbr.MGM
24D"You ___ here" (words on a mall map, perhaps)ARE
26DAuditioned for "American Idol," saySANG
28DTeensiest amount and an apt rhyme for "bit"WHIT
29D"Grand Theft ___," popular video game seriesAUTO
30DRemovable roof panel on a car: Hyph.TTOP
32D"Gosh ___ it!" (angry exclamation)DARN
34D"The Princess ___," 2001 Anne Hathaway filmDIARIES
35DRain with ice (rhymes with "fleet")SLEET
41DLike a piece of cake, metaphoricallyEASY
42D(6/6) "When I get stuck, I hit up my friends or ___ chat for help." If that's your style, we title you the "Community Player!"GROUP
44DJapanese wrestling styleSUMO
45D___ Fruits (original name of Starburst candy)OPAL
47D"M" of BMIMASS
48D"Homeland" organization: Abbr.CIA
50DInc. alternative: Abbr.LLC
51D"Three," on some clocksIII
52DTachometer stat in a car: Abbr.RPM
53DSound of the letter seen on Superman's chestESS
About Margaret Halloran
Senior Crossword Editor

Twelve years editing daily puzzle solutions. Themed crosswords, wordplay, and the occasional cryptic.