So, you’re staring at your phone or the physical paper, stumped by a clue about Bill's time traveling partner NYT. It happens. The New York Times Crossword is notorious for these little pop-culture traps where the answer feels like it’s right on the tip of your tongue, yet stays just out of reach. Most people immediately jump to one name. But depending on the day, the grid size, and the constructor’s mood, the "correct" answer might not be who you think.
Usually, when we talk about Bill and time travel, we are firmly planted in the late 80s and early 90s. We're talking San Dimas. We're talking historical figures stuffed into a phone booth.
The Most Common Answer: It’s Ted, Obviously (Usually)
If the clue is three letters long, stop overthinking it. The answer is TED.
Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted "Theodore" Logan are the inseparable duo from the Bill & Ted franchise. Played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, these two defined a very specific era of stoner-adjacent sci-fi comedy. In the NYT Crossword, they are a recurring favorite because "Ted" is a "crosswordese" dream—consonant, vowel, consonant. It fits everywhere.
But here is the thing about Bill's time traveling partner NYT clues: they aren't always looking for the other half of the title. Sometimes the puzzle is asking about the person who enabled the travel.
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Wait, What About Rufus?
If "Ted" doesn't fit the squares, you’re likely looking for RUFUS.
Played by the legendary George Carlin, Rufus is the actual mentor who arrives from the year 2688 to ensure the duo passes their history report. Without Rufus, Bill doesn't have a partner in time at all; he just has a failing grade and a one-way ticket to military school. Crossword constructors love throwing Rufus in there when they want to up the difficulty from a Monday/Tuesday level to a Thursday or Friday.
Think about the letter count. If you have five boxes, it’s Rufus. Three boxes? Ted.
Why This Clue Keeps Popping Up in the NYT
Constructors like Joel Fagliano or Will Shortz (and the newer wave of editors) rely on nostalgia. The Bill & Ted movies—specifically Excellent Adventure, Bogus Journey, and the 2020 revival Face the Music—occupy a "Goldilocks zone" of trivia. They are famous enough that a 70-year-old solver remembers them coming out, and a 20-year-old solver has likely seen the memes or the Keanu Reeves connection.
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Also, the phrase "time traveling partner" is intentionally vague. It’s a classic crossword misdirection. It makes you think of Doctor Who (where you’d be looking for "Amy," "Rose," or "Clara") or Back to the Future (where you’d want "Doc" or "Marty"). But the NYT loves the Bill/Ted dynamic because the names are so short and flexible for grid construction.
The Nuance of the "Partner" Phrasing
Sometimes the clue isn't about Bill & Ted at all. While 90% of the time it is, you have to look at the surrounding letters. Is there a chance the "Bill" in question is someone else?
In rare, much harder puzzles, "Bill" could refer to a creator or a secondary character in a different sci-fi property. However, in the vast majority of New York Times history, "Bill's time traveling partner" is a direct pointer to the Wyld Stallyns.
Tips for Solving Late-Week Sci-Fi Clues
If you're stuck on a Saturday puzzle and "Ted" or "Rufus" isn't working, you might be dealing with a "rebus" or a pun.
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- Check for plurals. If the clue is "Bill and Ted's partners," the answer might be WIVES or PRINCESSES (Joanna and Elizabeth, though their names rarely fit unless it’s a themed Sunday).
- Look for the actor. Sometimes the clue is "Bill's partner portrayer." That would be KEANU.
- The Booth. Occasionally, the "partner" isn't a person, but the vessel. It’s a long shot, but PHONE BOOTH has appeared in larger themed grids.
Honestly, the best way to handle these is to look at the cross-clues. If the "T" in "Ted" connects to a word like "Tacet" or "Tsar," you know you're on the right track. If you have an "R" from a cross-clue, pivot immediately to Rufus.
The Cultural Longevity of Bill and Ted
Why do we still care? Why is this a staple of the NYT Crossword in 2026?
It's because the characters represent a pure, non-cynical brand of science fiction. In an era of "prestige TV" where time travel is usually a headache-inducing paradox (think Dark or Primer), Bill and Ted just wanted to bring Napoleon to a water park called Waterloo. That simplicity makes for great trivia.
The NYT Crossword isn't just a test of vocabulary; it's a test of cultural literacy. Knowing that Bill’s partner is Ted is "Level 1" literacy. Knowing that Rufus is the one who actually guides them is "Level 2."
Actionable Steps for Your Next Puzzle
The next time you see a clue involving time travel and a guy named Bill, do this:
- Count the squares first. 3 = Ted. 5 = Rufus. 5 (if the first is K) = Keanu.
- Check the day of the week. Mondays will almost always be Ted. Fridays might be looking for something more obscure like the band name WYLD STALLYNS.
- Don't forget the sequels. If the clue mentions a "Bogus Journey," you're definitely in the Bill & Ted universe.
- Scan for "Keanu." If the clue is "Partner of Alex Winter's Bill," the answer is almost certainly REEVES or TED.
If you're still stuck, look at the vowels. Crosswords live and die by vowels. "Ted" gives you that crucial 'E', while "Rufus" gives you two 'U's, which are much harder to place and often act as a "bottleneck" in the grid. If you see a 'U' in a weird spot, Rufus is your man.