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 (37 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (41 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Tricky
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. Print, Copy, ___, Fax (printer selections) | 4 |
| 2A | 5. Former Giants QB Manning | 3 |
| 3A | 8. Element discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie | 6 |
| 4A | 14. Sparkling wine of Italy, familiarly | 4 |
| 5A | 15. Odd ___ out (misfit) | 3 |
| 6A | 16. "In spite of all that ..." | 6 |
| 7A | 17. Endless TikTok scrolling or Tetris playing, e.g. | 8 |
| 8A | 19. Rented | 6 |
| 9A | 20. Wastebasket, jokingly | 12 |
| 10A | 22. Only U.S. president from Delaware | 5 |
| 11A | 25. Grand production | 4 |
| 12A | 26. ___ Plaines, Ill. | 3 |
| 13A | 27. Smelter's material | 3 |
| 14A | 28. Popular sushi fish | 3 |
| 15A | 30. Like the Mariana Trench among all the world's underwater places | 7 |
| 16A | 33. Guy who goes a-courting | 4 |
| 17A | 35. "You've ___ this!" | 3 |
| 18A | 37. Rodeo rope | 5 |
| 19A | 38. Illegal distribution of narcotics | 11 |
| 20A | 42. Whimpers | 5 |
| 21A | 44. Right-angled shape | 3 |
| 22A | 45. Corner piece on a chessboard | 4 |
| 23A | 48. Top placement in a bracket, for a March Madness team | 7 |
| 24A | 51. Caustic paint stripper | 3 |
| 25A | 53. Be in arrears | 3 |
| 26A | 54. Onetime AT&T competitor | 3 |
| 27A | 55. Tiny amount | 4 |
| 28A | 57. Answer | 5 |
| 29A | 59. Where to pick up luggage at an airport | 12 |
| 30A | 63. Regrettably unfortunate | 6 |
| 31A | 64. Went into reverse ... or what the ends of 17-, 20-, 38- and 59-Across might be | 8 |
| 32A | 68. Word after Irish or jet | 6 |
| 33A | 69. Longtime record label or Beastie Boy | 3 |
| 34A | 70. Valentine's Day flower | 4 |
| 35A | 71. Size up | 6 |
| 36A | 72. Glide down a slope | 3 |
| 37A | 73. ___ of the Horse (2026 in the Chinese zodiac) | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Print, Copy, ___, Fax (printer selections)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of scanning; systematic examination of a prescribed region
- Similar words include: skim, read, CAT scan
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. Former Giants QB Manning"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "8. Element discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores
- Similar words include: atomic number 88, Ra
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "14. Sparkling wine of Italy, familiarly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "15. Odd ___ out (misfit)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
- Similar words include: human, Isle of Man, valet
- Opposite of: civilian, woman
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "16. "In spite of all that ...""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "17. Endless TikTok scrolling or Tetris playing, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "19. Rented"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that let for money
- Similar words include: charter, hired, let
- Opposite of: unchartered
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "20. Wastebasket, jokingly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "22. Only U.S. president from Delaware"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "25. Grand production"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
- Similar words include: larger-than-life, heroic, epical
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "26. ___ Plaines, Ill."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a potent estrogen used in medicine and in feed for livestock and poultry
- Similar words include: stilboestrol, diethylstilboestrol, stilbestrol
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "27. Smelter's material"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be mined
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "28. Popular sushi fish"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fatty flesh of eel; an elongate fish found in fresh water in europe and america; large eels are usually smoked or pickled
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "30. Like the Mariana Trench among all the world's underwater places"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
- Similar words include: cryptical, abstruse, cryptic
- Opposite of: shallow
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "33. Guy who goes a-courting"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a man who is the lover of a girl or young woman
- Similar words include: fellow, gallant, dude
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "35. "You've ___ this!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
- Similar words include: catch, gravel, contract
- Opposite of: leave, end
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "37. Rodeo rope"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that belgian composer (1532-1594)
- Similar words include: Orlando di Lasso, lariat, riata
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "38. Illegal distribution of narcotics"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "42. Whimpers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that cry weakly or softly
- Similar words include: wail, whimper, pule
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "44. Right-angled shape"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an extension at the end and at right angles to the main building
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "45. Corner piece on a chessboard"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (chess) the piece that can move any number of unoccupied squares in a direction parallel to the sides of the chessboard
- Similar words include: mulct, victimize, hornswoggle
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "48. Top placement in a bracket, for a March Madness team"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "51. Caustic paint stripper"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a strong solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "53. Be in arrears"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that be obliged to pay or repay
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "54. Onetime AT&T competitor"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "55. Tiny amount"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small indefinite quantity (especially of a liquid); ; ; ; --kipling
- Similar words include: driblet, drop
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "57. Answer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
- Similar words include: response, answer, respond
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "59. Where to pick up luggage at an airport"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "63. Regrettably unfortunate"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "64. Went into reverse ... or what the ends of 17-, 20-, 38- and 59-Across might be"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "68. Word after Irish or jet"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one who sets written material into type
- Similar words include: typesetter, typographer, compositor
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "69. Longtime record label or Beastie Boy"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "70. Valentine's Day flower"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of many shrubs of the genus rosa that bear roses
- Similar words include: rear, spring up, grow
- Opposite of: go to bed, turn in
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "71. Size up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of
- Similar words include: tax, value, valuate
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "72. Glide down a slope"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that narrow wood or metal or plastic runners used in pairs for gliding over snow
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37A: "73. ___ of the Horse (2026 in the Chinese zodiac)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
- Similar words include: twelvemonth, yr, class
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Stayed on the bench | 3 |
| 2D | 2. Long-running CBS procedural with spinoffs | 3 |
| 3D | 3. Fixture at a "cash only" establishment | 3 |
| 4D | 4. Nephew's sister | 5 |
| 5D | 5. Dubai dignitary | 4 |
| 6D | 6. Round Table knight who betrayed King Arthur | 8 |
| 7D | 7. Cover with tattoos, colloquially | 5 |
| 8D | 8. Equip with new shoestrings | 6 |
| 9D | 9. State with certainty | 4 |
| 10D | 10. Like many users of sign language | 4 |
| 11D | 11. News exclusive from someone in the know | 11 |
| 12D | 12. Of no help | 7 |
| 13D | 13. California city with a humble-sounding name | 7 |
| 14D | 18. Basic trig ratio | 4 |
| 15D | 21. Box top | 3 |
| 16D | 22. Go up and down in the water | 3 |
| 17D | 23. Livid feeling | 3 |
| 18D | 24. Major drags on a team's progress, metaphorically | 11 |
| 19D | 29. Item in an Easter hunt | 3 |
| 20D | 31. Sprite | 3 |
| 21D | 32. Team of two | 4 |
| 22D | 34. Internet addresses, for short | 4 |
| 23D | 36. Uno + due | 3 |
| 24D | 39. Take advantage of | 3 |
| 25D | 40. Like the original Broadway cast of "The Wiz" | 8 |
| 26D | 41. Travel by air | 3 |
| 27D | 42. Kenya's second-largest city | 7 |
| 28D | 43. Boxes up securely | 7 |
| 29D | 46. "Wise" bird | 3 |
| 30D | 47. F sharp major, for one | 3 |
| 31D | 49. Lawn-neatening tools | 6 |
| 32D | 50. Rap's Dr. ___ | 3 |
| 33D | 52. Actor Estrada of "CHiPs" | 4 |
| 34D | 56. Warhead weapons, for short | 5 |
| 35D | 58. Manicurist's board | 5 |
| 36D | 60. Bit of boarding pass info | 4 |
| 37D | 61. Iowa college town | 4 |
| 38D | 62. "Superfood" berry | 4 |
| 39D | 65. Stag's mate | 3 |
| 40D | 66. Team for Olympians Simone Biles and Mikaela Shiffrin | 3 |
| 41D | 67. ___ capita | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Stayed on the bench"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the sabbath by jews and some christians
- Similar words include: seat, posture, sit
- Opposite of: arise, stand
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Long-running CBS procedural with spinoffs"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Fixture at a "cash only" establishment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of pressure: the pressure that will support a column of mercury 760 mm high at sea level and 0 degrees centigrade
- Similar words include: automatic teller, automated teller machine, automatic teller machine
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Nephew's sister"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a daughter of your brother or sister
- Opposite of: nephew
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Dubai dignitary"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an independent ruler or chieftain (especially in africa or arabia)
- Similar words include: emeer, amir, ameer
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Round Table knight who betrayed King Arthur"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (arthurian legend) one of the knights of the round table; friend of king arthur until (according to some versions of the legend) he became the lover of arthur's wife guinevere
- Similar words include: Sir Lancelot
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Cover with tattoos, colloquially"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Equip with new shoestrings"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. State with certainty"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that report or maintain
- Similar words include: allege, avow, affirm
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Like many users of sign language"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that people who have severe hearing impairments
- Similar words include: deafen, indifferent
- Opposite of: hearing
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. News exclusive from someone in the know"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Of no help"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
- Opposite of: useful
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. California city with a humble-sounding name"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "18. Basic trig ratio"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that ratio of the length of the side opposite the given angle to the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle
- Similar words include: sin
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "21. Box top"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye
- Similar words include: hat, chapeau, palpebra
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "22. Go up and down in the water"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a former monetary unit in great britain
- Similar words include: bobsleigh, bobber, dock
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "23. Livid feeling"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
- Similar words include: anger, wrath, ira
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "24. Major drags on a team's progress, metaphorically"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "29. Item in an Easter hunt"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum or embryo together with nutritive and protective envelopes; especially the thin-shelled reproductive body laid by e.g. female birds
- Similar words include: nut, bollock, testis
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "31. Sprite"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous
- Similar words include: pixie, imp, gremlin
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "32. Team of two"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a set of two similar things considered as a unit
- Similar words include: yoke, dyad, couplet
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "34. Internet addresses, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the address of a web page on the world wide web
- Similar words include: uniform resource locator, universal resource locator, URL
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "36. Uno + due"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "39. Take advantage of"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of using
- Similar words include: expend, apply, habituate
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "40. Like the original Broadway cast of "The Wiz""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "41. Travel by air"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that two-winged insects characterized by active flight
- Similar words include: take flight, vaporize, vanish
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "42. Kenya's second-largest city"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a port city in southern kenya on a coral island in a bay of the indian ocean
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "43. Boxes up securely"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that enclose in, or as if in, a case
- Similar words include: incase, encase, case
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "46. "Wise" bird"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes
- Similar words include: hooter, bird of Minerva, bird of night
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "47. F sharp major, for one"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
- Similar words include: fundamental, identify, cay
- Opposite of: atonality
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "49. Lawn-neatening tools"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who puts finishing edges on a garment
- Similar words include: edger
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "50. Rap's Dr. ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "52. Actor Estrada of "CHiPs""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "56. Warhead weapons, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a ballistic missile that is capable of traveling from one continent to another
- Similar words include: ICBM, intercontinental ballistic missile
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "58. Manicurist's board"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a hard grey-black mineral consisting of corundum and either hematite or magnetite; used as an abrasive (especially as a coating on paper)
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "60. Bit of boarding pass info"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a movable barrier in a fence or wall
- Similar words include: logic gate
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "61. Iowa college town"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38D: "62. "Superfood" berry"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
39D: "65. Stag's mate"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the federal department responsible for maintaining a national energy policy of the united states; created in 1977
- Similar words include: Energy, Energy Department, Department of Energy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
40D: "66. Team for Olympians Simone Biles and Mikaela Shiffrin"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that north american republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in north america plus alaska in northwest north america and the hawaiian islands in the pacific ocean; achieved independence in 1776
- Similar words include: America, Army, United States
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
41D: "67. ___ capita"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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
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