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 lovers who want that satisfying "aha!" moment.
Quick Navigation - Table of Contents
- Today's Puzzle Difficulty
- Across Clues Table (32 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (36 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Challenging
Pro Tip: Start with the fill-in-the-blank clues - they're usually the easiest entry points!
Across Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | 1. Home to Kotoka International Airport | 5 |
| 2A | 6. Many a wearer of a long robe called a thawb | 5 |
| 3A | 11. Can't-miss purchases? | 13 |
| 4A | 14. Words of caution | 15 |
| 5A | 16. Threshold | 3 |
| 6A | 17. Ties up | 7 |
| 7A | 18. Coastal waterway | 3 |
| 8A | 19. Up | 5 |
| 9A | 21. Subject of the Bouguereau painting "The Abduction of Psyche" | 4 |
| 10A | 22. Colombian city of 2+ million | 4 |
| 11A | 23. Dutch artist Jan van der ___ | 4 |
| 12A | 24. Curtail | 4 |
| 13A | 25. Stick in an orchestra | 5 |
| 14A | 26. Spot likely to smear | 8 |
| 15A | 28. They aren't party people | 6 |
| 16A | 29. Cut, as with a box cutter | 4 |
| 17A | 30. "Fun-size" | 4 |
| 18A | 31. Film with the tagline "Someone has taken their love for scary movies one step too far" | 6 |
| 19A | 34. Words of retaliation | 8 |
| 20A | 38. Word with fire or false | 5 |
| 21A | 39. Hotel listing | 4 |
| 22A | 40. One and the other | 4 |
| 23A | 41. Big name in chip production | 4 |
| 24A | 42. Bundle | 4 |
| 25A | 43. Sauce whose name derives from the Italian word for "crush" | 5 |
| 26A | 44. Refuge | 3 |
| 27A | 45. Where much of "Brokeback Mountain" was filmed | 7 |
| 28A | 47. It's perfect | 3 |
| 29A | 48. "Might as well give it a shot ..." | 15 |
| 30A | 51. Age at which you just learned something you should have realized before, facetiously | 13 |
| 31A | 52. Something blocked by censors | 5 |
| 32A | 53. 1944 Pacific battle site | 5 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Home to Kotoka International Airport"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a republic in west africa on the gulf of guinea
- Similar words include: Republic of Ghana, Gold Coast
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GHANA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "6. Many a wearer of a long robe called a thawb"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a native or inhabitant of saudi arabia
- Similar words include: Saudi Arabian, Saudi-Arabian
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAUDI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "11. Can't-miss purchases?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEASONTICKETS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "14. Words of caution"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DONTPOKETHEBEAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "16. Threshold"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (old testament) adam's wife in judeo-christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; god created eve from adam's rib and placed adam and eve in the garden of eden
- Similar words include: eventide, even, evening
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EVE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "17. Ties up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that spin,wind, or twist together
- Similar words include: enlace, lace, twine
- Opposite of: untwine
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENLACES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "18. Coastal waterway"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "19. Up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move upward
- Similar words include: jump, originate, go up
- Opposite of: turn in, fall
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RISEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "21. Subject of the Bouguereau painting "The Abduction of Psyche""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (greek mythology) god of love; son of aphrodite; identified with roman cupid
- Similar words include: sexual desire, physical attraction, concupiscence
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EROS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "22. Colombian city of 2+ million"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that city in southwestern colombia in a rich agricultural area
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CALI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "23. Dutch artist Jan van der ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "24. Curtail"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
- Similar words include: root, stalk, stem turn
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STEM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "25. Stick in an orchestra"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a thin tapered rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra or choir
- Similar words include: nightstick, billy, billystick
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BATON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "26. Spot likely to smear"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATTACKAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "28. They aren't party people"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who avoids the company or assistance of others
- Similar words include: lone wolf, loner, lone hand
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LONERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "29. Cut, as with a box cutter"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a long narrow opening
- Similar words include: incision, puss, twat
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "30. "Fun-size""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a very short skirt
- Similar words include: miniskirt
- Opposite of: midi
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MINI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "31. Film with the tagline "Someone has taken their love for scary movies one step too far""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that sharp piercing cry
- Similar words include: screech, screaming, call
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCREAM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "34. Words of retaliation"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAKETHAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "38. Word with fire or false"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fear resulting from the awareness of danger
- Similar words include: alarm clock, horrify, warning device
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALARM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "39. Hotel listing"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
- Similar words include: grade, rank, range
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "40. One and the other"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (used with count nouns) two considered together; the two
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOTH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "41. Big name in chip production"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a narrative song with a recurrent refrain
- Similar words include: ballad, pose, put down
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAYS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "42. Bundle"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a collection of objects laid on top of each other
- Similar words include: cumulus, down, deal
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PILE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "43. Sauce whose name derives from the Italian word for "crush""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sauce typically served with pasta; contains crushed basil leaves and garlic and pine nuts and parmesan cheese in olive oil
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PESTO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "44. Refuge"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (judaism) sacred chest where the ancient hebrews kept the two tablets containing the ten commandments
- Similar words include: Ark of the Covenant
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "45. Where much of "Brokeback Mountain" was filmed"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of the three prairie provinces in western canada; rich in oil and natural gas and minerals
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALBERTA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "47. It's perfect"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
- Similar words include: x, decade, tenner
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "48. "Might as well give it a shot ...""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEREGOESNOTHING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "51. Age at which you just learned something you should have realized before, facetiously"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TODAYYEARSOLD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "52. Something blocked by censors"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
- Similar words include: torment, expletive, anathemise
- Opposite of: bless, communicate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CURSE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "53. 1944 Pacific battle site"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a battle in world war ii; the return of united states troops to the philippines began with landings on leyte island in october 1944; the battle marked first use of kamikaze aircraft by the japanese
- Similar words include: Leyte invasion, Leyte Island
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEYTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. What clones share | 7 |
| 2D | 2. It might be on a rack | 3 |
| 3D | 3. Ski town that shares its name with a tree | 5 |
| 4D | 4. "High" time | 4 |
| 5D | 5. Image that's just over a foot, informally | 8 |
| 6D | 6. "Arrested Development," e.g. | 6 |
| 7D | 7. Pines | 5 |
| 8D | 8. Relatives of banjoleles | 4 |
| 9D | 9. Nebraska senator Fischer | 3 |
| 10D | 10. Repeat | 7 |
| 11D | 11. Council, in Russian | 6 |
| 12D | 12. Got misty | 6 |
| 13D | 13. Sea shanty singer | 6 |
| 14D | 14. Skin layer with hair follicles | 5 |
| 15D | 15. Show stoppers, sometimes | 5 |
| 16D | 20. Items on many a back-to-school supply list | 7 |
| 17D | 22. "Is this possible?!?" | 7 |
| 18D | 24. Take a little off the top | 4 |
| 19D | 25. Dog treat | 4 |
| 20D | 27. Silent sort | 4 |
| 21D | 28. Fancy | 4 |
| 22D | 30. Kind of instinct | 8 |
| 23D | 31. Mohamed ___, Egyptian soccer star | 5 |
| 24D | 32. Shade of red | 6 |
| 25D | 33. Big name in fast food | 7 |
| 26D | 34. "Honor Thy Father" writer, 1971 | 6 |
| 27D | 35. Argumentative | 7 |
| 28D | 36. Get to | 6 |
| 29D | 37. Minimal coverage provider? | 5 |
| 30D | 39. Hearty steakhouse serving | 6 |
| 31D | 42. Tricks | 5 |
| 32D | 43. Unwitting mark | 5 |
| 33D | 45. Thickening agent found in many vegan recipes | 4 |
| 34D | 46. Raced | 4 |
| 35D | 49. Dot follower in academia | 3 |
| 36D | 50. Spicy | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. What clones share"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GENESET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. It might be on a rack"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
- Similar words include: chapeau, lid
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Ski town that shares its name with a tree"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of several trees of the genus populus having leaves on flattened stalks so that they flutter in the lightest wind
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASPEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. "High" time"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the middle of the day
- Similar words include: twelve noon, noonday, high noon
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Image that's just over a foot, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANKLETAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. "Arrested Development," e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a humorous drama based on situations that might arise in day-to-day life
- Similar words include: situation comedy
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SITCOM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Pines"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain
- Similar words include: hurt, suffer, yearn
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACHES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Relatives of banjoleles"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small guitar having four strings
- Similar words include: ukulele, uke
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UKES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Nebraska senator Fischer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a young woman making her debut into society
- Similar words include: debutante
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Repeat"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that to say, state, or perform again
- Similar words include: reiterate, restate, repeat
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITERATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Council, in Russian"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an elected governmental council in a communist country (especially one that is a member of the union of soviet socialist republics)
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOVIET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Got misty"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that separate or cause to separate abruptly
- Similar words include: tear, bust, displume
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEARED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Sea shanty singer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any member of a ship's crew
- Similar words include: leghorn, crewman, boater
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAILOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "14. Skin layer with hair follicles"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the deep vascular inner layer of the skin
- Similar words include: corium, dermis
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DERMA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "15. Show stoppers, sometimes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
- Similar words include: rain, pelting, rain down
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAINS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "20. Items on many a back-to-school supply list"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an implement used to erase something
- Similar words include: eraser
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERASERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "22. "Is this possible?!?""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CANITBE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "24. Take a little off the top"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a thin layer covering the surface of a liquid
- Similar words include: cream off, run down, skim off
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SKIM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "25. Dog treat"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates
- Similar words include: swot, get up, drum
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BONE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "27. Silent sort"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that burrowing marine mollusk living on sand or mud; the shell closes with viselike firmness
- Similar words include: one dollar bill, buck, dollar
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLAM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "28. Fancy"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a similar kind; ,
- Similar words include: corresponding, comparable, same
- Opposite of: dislike, unalike
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIKE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "30. Kind of instinct"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that characteristic of a mother; - dorothy sayers
- Similar words include: enatic, parental, paternal
- Opposite of: filial, paternal
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MATERNAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "31. Mohamed ___, Egyptian soccer star"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the second pillar of islam is prayer; a prescribed liturgy performed five times a day (preferably in a mosque) and oriented toward mecca
- Similar words include: salaah, salat, salaat
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SALAH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "32. Shade of red"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a dark purplish-red color
- Similar words include: red Bordeaux
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLARET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "33. Big name in fast food"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAYKROC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "34. "Honor Thy Father" writer, 1971"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TALESE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "35. Argumentative"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that troops belonging to the enemy's military forces
- Similar words include: uncongenial, unfriendly
- Opposite of: amicable, friendly
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOSTILE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "36. Get to"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.
- Similar words include: serve, see, go to
- Opposite of: miss
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATTEND
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "37. Minimal coverage provider?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that leather strip that forms the flexible part of a whip
- Similar words include: G-string, lash, flip-flop
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THONG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "39. Hearty steakhouse serving"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIBEYE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "42. Tricks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an opening remark intended to secure an advantage for the speaker
- Similar words include: stratagem, ploy, gambit
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLOYS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "43. Unwitting mark"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
- Similar words include: fall guy, soft touch, mug
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PATSY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "45. Thickening agent found in many vegan recipes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent
- Similar words include: nutrient agar, agar-agar
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "46. Raced"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
- Similar words include: torus, tear, bust
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TORE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "49. Dot follower in academia"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "50. Spicy"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
- Similar words include: live, raging, blistering
- Opposite of: cold
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
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
32 Across Clues
36 Down Clues
68 Total Clues
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