Master today's NYT crossword with our expert hint system. We provide synonyms, antonyms, and strategic clues to help you solve without spoiling the fun. Perfect for crossword lover who want that satisfying "aha!" moment.
Today is Puzzle Difficulty: Challenging
Pro Tip: Start with the fill-in-the-blank clues - they're usually the easiest entry points!
Across Clues - Strategic Hints (41 clues)
1A: "1. Tycoon"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
- Similar words include: top executive, power, mogul
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BARON
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2A: "6. "Famously friendly" pooch, per the American Kennel Club"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a workplace for the conduct of scientific research
- Similar words include: laboratory, science laboratory, research lab
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAB
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3A: "9. Mystery author Josephine"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEY
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4A: "12. Moody hip-hop subgenre"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMORAP
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5A: "14. Electronic setting on a floor model"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEMOMODE
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6A: "16. Switch to a newsperson on the scene, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOLIVE
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7A: "17. Common sushi go-with"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MISOSOUP
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8A: "18. Hair goop"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a colloid in a more solid form than a sol
- Similar words include: mousse, gelatin, colloidal gel
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GEL
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9A: "19. Marijuana component, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that psychoactive substance present in marijuana
- Similar words include: tetrahydrocannabinol
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THC
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10A: "21. Like many a coffee order"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a republic on the western coast of africa on the gulf of guinea; formerly under french control
- Similar words include: Togolese Republic
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOGO
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11A: "22. Only U.S. prez born in Kentucky"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ABE
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12A: "23. Letters for a sellout"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SRO
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13A: "24. Whistle blower"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (sports) the chief official (as in boxing or american football) who is expected to ensure fair play
- Similar words include: referee
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REF
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14A: "25. "I had something come up," maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a trivial lie
- Similar words include: taradiddle, tale, story
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIB
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15A: "28. Square root"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule
- Similar words include: stem, chemical group, ultra
- Opposite of: cauline
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RADICAL
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16A: "30. 2003 Will Ferrell film"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous
- Similar words include: extremely low frequency, pixie, brownie
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELF
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17A: "31. Org. that prohibits Magic 8 Balls and baseball bats"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an agency established in 2001 to safeguard united states transportation systems and insure safe air travel
- Similar words include: Transportation Security Administration
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TSA
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18A: "32. Custom in Japanese food service"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTIPS
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19A: "34. Went letter by letter, to Brits"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hardy wheat grown mostly in europe for livestock feed
- Similar words include: spell out, Triticum aestivum spelta, Triticum spelta
- Opposite of: unspell
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPELT
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20A: "36. Brief verse from Japan / With seventeen syllables / Illustrated here"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an epigrammatic japanese verse form of three short lines
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAIKU
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21A: "39. Item seen rolling through this puzzle"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small cube with 1 to 6 spots on the six faces; used in gambling to generate random numbers
- Similar words include: kick the bucket, fail, go bad
- Opposite of: be born
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIE
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22A: "40. Fixes, as a piano"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
- Similar words include: strain, air, line
- Opposite of: untune
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TUNES
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23A: "41. Freddy Krueger's locale: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELMST
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24A: "42. Evolutionary "missing link""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: APEMAN
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25A: "44. U.F.C. fighting style"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MMA
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26A: "45. Mole, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors
- Similar words include: descry, espy, undercover agent
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPY
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27A: "47. Slobbery smooch"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOGKISS
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28A: "51. First receptionist on "The Office""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAM
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29A: "52. Delivers, as a baby"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing; the right ascension for an observer at a particular location and time of day
- Similar words include: feature, get, throw
- Opposite of: abstain, lack
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAS
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30A: "53. Before, poetically"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERE
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31A: "54. T. rex fossil named after its discoverer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that french writer whose novels described the sordid side of city life (1804-1857)
- Similar words include: process, action, Eugene Sue
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUE
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32A: "55. Distinctive feature of the durian fruit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any property detected by the olfactory system
- Similar words include: olfactory perception, olfactory sensation, smell
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ODOR
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33A: "57. The Big Apple's ___ Drive"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that 32nd president of the united states; elected four times; instituted new deal to counter the great depression and led country during world war ii (1882-1945)
- Similar words include: President Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Roosevelt
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FDR
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34A: "58. Singer DiFranco"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that black tropical american cuckoo
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANI
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35A: "59. Frenemy of Betty in comics"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any plant of the genus veronica
- Similar words include: speedwell
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VERONICA
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36A: "62. Classic Asimov collection"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IROBOT
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37A: "65. Boosted"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that contribute to the progress or growth of
- Similar words include: upgrade, promote, encourage
- Opposite of: demote
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PROMOTED
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38A: "66. Five Nations tribe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that roman statesman and philosopher who was an advisor to nero; his nine extant tragedies are modeled on greek tragedies (circa 4 bc - 65 ad)
- Similar words include: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SENECA
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39A: "67. ___ Marino"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAN
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40A: "68. Patty melt bread"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the seed of the cereal grass
- Similar words include: rye whiskey, rye whisky, Secale cereale
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RYE
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41A: "69. Start of many emoticons"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the part of the large intestine between the cecum and the rectum; it extracts moisture from food residues before they are excreted
- Similar words include: Costa Rican colon, El Salvadoran colon, Aspinwall
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COLON
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Down Clues - Strategic Hints (37 clues)
1D: "1. Change seeker"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a pauper who lives by begging
- Similar words include: pauperise, mendicant, pauperize
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEGGAR
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2D: "2. Shape-shifting organism"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion
- Similar words include: ameba
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMOEBA
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3D: "3. Like some oats"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move by turning over or rotating
- Similar words include: ramble, vagabond, undulate
- Opposite of: unwind
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROLLED
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4D: "4. "... ___ quit!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORI
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5D: "5. Sat ___ (GPS, to Brits)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAV
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6D: "6. Perishable bit of apparel"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes
- Similar words include: chaplet, wreath, garland
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEI
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7D: "7. Dutch bier"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMSTEL
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8D: "8. Expel with jeers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOOOFFSTAGE
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9D: "9. More than one would like"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOOOFTEN
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10D: "10. Collegiate domain?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDU
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11D: "11. "Uh-huh""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YEP
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12D: "13. Scabbers, to Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter books"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PETRAT
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13D: "14. Hip-hop's Run-___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DMC
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14D: "15. Flavoring in some fast food, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that white crystalline compound used as a food additive to enhance flavor; often used in chinese cooking
- Similar words include: monosodium glutamate
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MSG
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15D: "20. January and November have the most federal ones"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
- Similar words include: vacation, holiday
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOLIDAYS
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16D: "23. "No lie!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCOUTSHONOR
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17D: "24. Adjusted the rankings of, as a tournament"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that seed again or anew
- Similar words include: reseed
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RESEEDED
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18D: "26. Michigan's ___ Royale National Park"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small island
- Similar words include: islet
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ISLE
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19D: "27. Cave dwellers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate
- Similar words include: dotty, crackers, loco
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BATS
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20D: "29. Tats (up)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing
- Similar words include: ink
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INKS
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21D: "33. What every "O" in this grid represents"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a disease of poultry
- Similar words include: mop up, radar target, whip
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PIP
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22D: "35. The Ramones' genre"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an aggressive and violent young criminal
- Similar words include: bum, toughie, strong-armer
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PUNK
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23D: "36. Material in some eco-friendly clothing"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a plant fiber
- Similar words include: cannabis, hangman's halter, hempen necktie
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEMP
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24D: "37. Liberal arts college in Michigan"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALMA
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25D: "38. Remark accompanied by a facepalm"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMAMORON
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26D: "43. Actor Lamorne of Fox's "New Girl""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states suffragist in wyoming (1814-1902)
- Similar words include: Esther Morris, William Morris, Gouverneur Morris
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MORRIS
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27D: "46. Sameness"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (obstetrics) the number of liveborn children a woman has delivered
- Similar words include: mirror symmetry, space-reflection symmetry, parity bit
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PARITY
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28D: "48. Writer Allende"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ISABEL
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29D: "49. Gas brand that sponsors NASCAR"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUNOCO
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30D: "50. Wheat-based meat alternative"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEITAN
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31D: "56. Benedictine's title"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOM
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32D: "57. It's all the rage"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an interest followed with exaggerated zeal
- Similar words include: rage, furore, cult
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FAD
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33D: "59. Air Force Two passengers, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VPS
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34D: "60. "Fearless" or "1989," for Taylor Swift"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
- Similar words include: earned run average, geological era, epoch
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERA
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35D: "61. Middling grade"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CEE
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36D: "63. Lead-in to center or room"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REC
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37D: "64. Musician Yoko"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states musician (born in japan) who married john lennon and collaborated with him on recordings (born in 1933)
- Similar words include: Yoko Ono
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONO
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Expert Solving Strategies
Start Smart
Begin with fill-in-the-blank clues and short 3-4 letter words. These are your foundation.
Decode the Clues
Question marks indicate wordplay or puns. "Maybe" suggests multiple interpretations.
Use Cross-References
Let intersecting letters guide you. One correct answer unlocks several others.
Build Vocabulary
Common crossword words repeat. Learning them speeds up future solving.
Today's Puzzle Stats
41 Across Clues
37 Down Clues
78 Total Clues
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