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 (35 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (37 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Moderate
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. "Oscar" of the French film industry | 5 |
| 2A | 6. Feeling after a long hike | 4 |
| 3A | 10. Singer/composer Bareilles | 4 |
| 4A | 14. Prematurely | 10 |
| 5A | 16. Many a fund-raising target, informally | 4 |
| 6A | 17. "We have a mutual friend?!" | 10 |
| 7A | 18. Smurf who is more than 500 years old | 4 |
| 8A | 19. See 20-Across | 3 |
| 9A | 20. With 19-Across, swing dance originating in Harlem | 5 |
| 10A | 21. They're cut to defuse an explosive | 5 |
| 11A | 22. Cue ... or queue | 4 |
| 12A | 23. Only player to win three Super Bowl M.V.P. awards before turning 30 | 7 |
| 13A | 25. Reducing to rubble | 6 |
| 14A | 28. Apt anagram of NOTES | 5 |
| 15A | 29. Hockey infraction | 5 |
| 16A | 30. Breezy things enjoyed at the beach | 9 |
| 17A | 34. Doesn't go at full speed | 5 |
| 18A | 35. Sack | 3 |
| 19A | 36. Walk-on | 5 |
| 20A | 37. They might make you one with everything | 9 |
| 21A | 39. "La Tulipe Noire" novelist, 1850 | 5 |
| 22A | 40. Party poppers | 5 |
| 23A | 41. Makes fun of mercilessly | 6 |
| 24A | 42. Fall sign | 7 |
| 25A | 45. Agitate | 4 |
| 26A | 46. Hits | 5 |
| 27A | 47. Won't let it go | 5 |
| 28A | 49. Zendaya's role on "Euphoria" | 3 |
| 29A | 52. Fictional manufacturer of a Do-It Yourself Tornado Kit | 4 |
| 30A | 53. "Can you catch me up?" | 10 |
| 31A | 55. Time of day either way | 4 |
| 32A | 56. Author of "All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists" | 10 |
| 33A | 57. Barriers to entry, in a way | 4 |
| 34A | 58. Unravel at the edges | 4 |
| 35A | 59. Variety of cold brew | 5 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. "Oscar" of the French film industry"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CESAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "6. Feeling after a long hike"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain
- Similar words include: suffer, pine, yearn
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACHE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "10. Singer/composer Bareilles"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SARA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "14. Prematurely"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALLTOOSOON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "16. Many a fund-raising target, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the ammonium double sulfate of aluminum
- Similar words include: potash alum, ammonia alum, graduate
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALUM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "17. "We have a mutual friend?!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMALLWORLD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "18. Smurf who is more than 500 years old"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
- Similar words include: pa, pop, dada
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAPA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "19. See 20-Across"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of hopping; jumping upward or forward (especially on one foot)
- Similar words include: hop-skip, hops, record hop
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "20. With 19-Across, swing dance originating in Harlem"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an energetic american dance that was popular in the 1930s (probably named for the aviator charles lindbergh)
- Similar words include: lindy hop
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LINDY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "21. They're cut to defuse an explosive"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
- Similar words include: wire, telegraph, cable
- Opposite of: unwire
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WIRES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "22. Cue ... or queue"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a formation of people or things one beside another
- Similar words include: line of work, bloodline, lineage
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LINE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "23. Only player to win three Super Bowl M.V.P. awards before turning 30"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAHOMES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "25. Reducing to rubble"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the event of a structure being completely demolished and leveled
- Similar words include: rase, wrecking, level
- Opposite of: raise
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAZING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "28. Apt anagram of NOTES"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the quality of a person's voice
- Similar words include: chant, timber, intone
- Opposite of: atonicity
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TONES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "29. Hockey infraction"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the formation of frost or ice on a surface
- Similar words include: icing the puck, ice, frosting
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "30. Breezy things enjoyed at the beach"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EASYREADS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "34. Doesn't go at full speed"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a slow pace of running
- Similar words include: lope, jog, Trotskyist
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TROTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "35. Sack"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle
- Similar words include: ax
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AXE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "36. Walk-on"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a minor actor in crowd scenes
- Similar words include: additional, supernumerary, duplicate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EXTRA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "37. They might make you one with everything"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZENSTATES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "39. "La Tulipe Noire" novelist, 1850"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that french writer remembered for his swashbuckling historical tales (1802-1870)
- Similar words include: Alexandre Dumas, Duma
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DUMAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "40. Party poppers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that outer bark of the cork oak; used for stoppers for bottles etc.
- Similar words include: bottle cork, bobber, phellem
- Opposite of: uncork
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CORKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "41. Makes fun of mercilessly"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a piece of meat roasted or for roasting and of a size for slicing into more than one portion
- Similar words include: ridicule, guy, jest at
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROASTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "42. Fall sign"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in scorpio
- Similar words include: Scorpio the Scorpion, Scorpion, Scorpius
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCORPIO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "45. Agitate"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that be agitated
- Similar words include: moil, churn, rile
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROIL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "46. Hits"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a puff of a marijuana or hashish cigarette
- Similar words include: toke
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOKES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "47. Won't let it go"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that agitation resulting from active worry
- Similar words include: sweat, grudge, stew
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STEWS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "49. Zendaya's role on "Euphoria""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that european strong-scented perennial herb with grey-green bitter-tasting leaves; an irritant similar to poison ivy
- Similar words include: herb of grace, regret, Ruta graveolens
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RUE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "52. Fictional manufacturer of a Do-It Yourself Tornado Kit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
- Similar words include: elevation, peak, pinnacle
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "53. "Can you catch me up?""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHATDIMISS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "55. Time of day either way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the middle of the day
- Similar words include: noonday, noontide, midday
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "56. Author of "All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TERRYGROSS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "57. Barriers to entry, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
- Similar words include: decametre, dike, dyke
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DAMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "58. Unravel at the edges"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a noisy fight
- Similar words include: scratch, frazzle, chafe
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FRAY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "59. Variety of cold brew"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NITRO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. It is king, in a phrase | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Redheaded monster on TV | 4 |
| 3D | 3. Thwack | 4 |
| 4D | 4. Birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.: Abbr. | 3 |
| 5D | 5. Road maneuvers featuring lazy braking | 12 |
| 6D | 6. Without dissenting voices | 5 |
| 7D | 7. It's cut after birth | 4 |
| 8D | 8. "Yowzers!" | 9 |
| 9D | 9. What a circle lacks | 3 |
| 10D | 10. Someone attracted to intellect over looks, say | 11 |
| 11D | 11. Dream interrupter | 5 |
| 12D | 12. Currency in The Legend of Zelda | 5 |
| 13D | 13. Hoard | 5 |
| 14D | 15. Outstanding, in a way | 5 |
| 15D | 21. Eager buyer's question | 12 |
| 16D | 22. Traps in a laundry room | 11 |
| 17D | 24. Not a particular one | 3 |
| 18D | 25. Snack brand since 1934 | 4 |
| 19D | 26. It might be a lot | 4 |
| 20D | 27. Last U.S. national park, alphabetically | 4 |
| 21D | 28. Return payments? | 5 |
| 22D | 30. Adhere to the kashrut dietary rules | 9 |
| 23D | 31. They're filled with bacon | 4 |
| 24D | 32. "Curses, foiled again!" | 4 |
| 25D | 33. Guff | 4 |
| 26D | 38. Co-star of 2025's "Wicked: For Good," informally | 3 |
| 27D | 41. Neither demure nor mindful | 5 |
| 28D | 42. Come to attention, in a way | 5 |
| 29D | 43. Powder in a pantry | 5 |
| 30D | 44. Child's agreement | 5 |
| 31D | 45. Avoid rage-quitting, perhaps | 5 |
| 32D | 48. Longtime college basketball coach VanDerveer | 4 |
| 33D | 49. Run amok | 4 |
| 34D | 50. Hammer-and-sickle land, for short | 4 |
| 35D | 51. Gas brand whose name sounds like two letters of the alphabet | 4 |
| 36D | 53. "R U KIDDING ME?!" | 3 |
| 37D | 54. Way to look inward, in brief? | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. It is king, in a phrase"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that money in the form of bills or coins
- Similar words include: hard currency, John Cash, Johnny Cash
- Opposite of: credit
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CASH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Redheaded monster on TV"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELMO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Thwack"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a blow from a flat object (as an open hand)
- Similar words include: bolt, smacking, smack
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Road maneuvers featuring lazy braking"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROLLINGSTOPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Without dissenting voices"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASONE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. It's cut after birth"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a line made of twisted fibers or threads
- Similar words include: electric cord, corduroy
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CORD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. "Yowzers!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOLYMOSES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. What a circle lacks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that either extremity of something that has length
- Similar words include: last, destruction, terminate
- Opposite of: begin, beginning
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: END
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Someone attracted to intellect over looks, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAPIOSEXUAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Dream interrupter"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fear resulting from the awareness of danger
- Similar words include: consternation, dismay, alarm clock
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALARM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Currency in The Legend of Zelda"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the basic unit of money in sri lanka; equal to 100 cents
- Similar words include: Sri Lanka rupee, Seychelles rupee, Nepalese rupee
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RUPEE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Hoard"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that collect or gather
- Similar words include: collect, compile, conglomerate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMASS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "15. Outstanding, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that be obliged to pay or repay
- Similar words include: owe, undischarged, outstanding
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OWING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "21. Eager buyer's question"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHEREDOISIGN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "22. Traps in a laundry room"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LINTSCREENS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "24. Not a particular one"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one or some or every or all without specification
- Similar words include: whatever, whatsoever
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "25. Snack brand since 1934"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that swiss hotelier who created a chain of elegant hotels (1850-1918)
- Similar words include: Cesar Ritz
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RITZ
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "26. It might be a lot"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of area (4840 square yards) used in english-speaking countries
- Similar words include: Akka, Akko, Accho
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACRE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "27. Last U.S. national park, alphabetically"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that originally a stronghold captured by david (the 2nd king of the israelites); above it was built a temple and later the name extended to the whole hill; finally it became a synonym for the city of jerusalem
- Similar words include: State of Israel, Yisrael, Utopia
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZION
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "28. Return payments?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government
- Similar words include: taxation, revenue enhancement, tax
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAXES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "30. Adhere to the kashrut dietary rules"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EATKOSHER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "31. They're filled with bacon"
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: standard atmosphere, ATM, standard pressure
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "32. "Curses, foiled again!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DRAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "33. Guff"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an impudent or insolent rejoinder
- Similar words include: lip, backtalk, sassing
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SASS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "38. Co-star of 2025's "Wicked: For Good," informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "41. Neither demure nor mindful"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a cruel and brutal fellow
- Similar words include: raucous, roughneck, ruffian
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROWDY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "42. Come to attention, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a support or foundation
- Similar words include: base, abide, standpoint
- Opposite of: sit, yield
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAND
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "43. Powder in a pantry"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a beverage made from cocoa powder and milk and sugar; usually drunk hot
- Similar words include: chocolate, drinking chocolate, hot chocolate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COCOA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "44. Child's agreement"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OKMOM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "45. Avoid rage-quitting, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hear or try a court case anew
- Similar words include: rehear
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RETRY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "48. Longtime college basketball coach VanDerveer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a village in eastern ireland (northwest of dublin); seat of irish kings until 6th century
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TARA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "49. Run amok"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a public act of violence by an unruly mob
- Similar words include: roister, saturnalia, orgy
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "50. Hammer-and-sickle land, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a former communist country in eastern europe and northern asia; established in 1922; included russia and 14 other soviet socialist republics (ukraine and byelorussia and others); officially dissolved 31 december 1991
- Similar words include: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Russia, Soviet Union
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: USSR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "51. Gas brand whose name sounds like two letters of the alphabet"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESSO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "53. "R U KIDDING ME?!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WTF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "54. Way to look inward, in brief?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the use of nuclear magnetic resonance of protons to produce proton density images
- Similar words include: magnetic resonance imaging
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MRI
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
35 Across Clues
37 Down Clues
72 Total Clues
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