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Saturday, October 3, 2026

XWordHint Crossword Answers October 03, 2026 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

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: Medium

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. Five-note jingle for "The Gift That Grows" 10
2A 11. Tech news site 4
3A 15. Message that comes with a pointer 10
4A 16. Symbol of love 4
5A 17. Changes in form, but not in essence 10
6A 18. To: Abbr. 4
7A 19. Cookie, e.g. 7
8A 20. Question in a stalemate 7
9A 22. Urge 3
10A 23. "Show some manners!" 8
11A 24. Classic Harlem ballroom 5
12A 27. Get one's hands on, informally 3
13A 28. Did a boring job? 5
14A 29. Hot environment 4
15A 30. Throwing weapons for the Dark Knight 9
16A 32. Zip 3
17A 33. Indie music's ___ Iver 3
18A 34. Sword's alternative 3
19A 35. Chinese steamed bun 3
20A 37. Supplementary materials accompanying a home movie purchase 9
21A 40. Doozy 4
22A 41. Trap in the water 5
23A 42. Catches 3
24A 43. Ticket selector 5
25A 44. Thorough, say 8
26A 46. Rihanna's "Take a ___" (2008) 3
27A 47. (The) shaft, so to speak 7
28A 48. Not all there upstairs? 7
29A 52. Some altarations? 4
30A 53. Burkina Faso, before 1984 10
31A 55. Captain in Melville's "Billy Budd" 4
32A 56. Renowned naturalist buried at Rwanda's Karisoke Research Center 10
33A 57. Singing sister of Aretha 4
34A 58. Nervously inhales? 10

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Five-note jingle for "The Gift That Grows""

10 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHCHCHCHIA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "11. Tech news site"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CNET

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "15. Message that comes with a pointer"

10 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YOUAREHERE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "16. Symbol of love"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of many shrubs of the genus rosa that bear roses
  • Similar words include: lift, come up, blush wine
  • Opposite of: set, go to bed
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "17. Changes in form, but not in essence"

10 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the product of vaporization of a solid
  • Similar words include: sublimate, subtilize, distill
  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUBLIMATES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "18. To: Abbr."

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATTN

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7A: "19. Cookie, e.g."

7 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that someone who tracks down game
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRACKER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "20. Question in a stalemate"

7 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOWWHAT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "22. Urge"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a yearning for something or to do something
  • Similar words include: languish, ache, yearn
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YEN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "23. "Show some manners!""

8 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEPOLITE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "24. Classic Harlem ballroom"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a geographical region of historical importance; a former duchy in what is now southwestern france, western switzerland, and northwestern italy
  • Similar words include: savoy cabbage
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAVOY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "27. Get one's hands on, informally"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that uncomplimentary terms for a policeman
  • Similar words include: pick up, snitch, hook
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "28. Did a boring job?"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that get from the earth by excavation
  • Similar words include: mine
  • Opposite of: unmined
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MINED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "29. Hot environment"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that kitchen appliance used for baking or roasting
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OVEN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "30. Throwing weapons for the Dark Knight"

9 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BATARANGS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "32. Zip"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a quantity of no importance
  • Similar words include: nothing, naught, aught
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NIL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "33. Indie music's ___ Iver"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BON

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "34. Sword's alternative"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
  • Similar words include: indite, playpen, compose
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "35. Chinese steamed bun"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BAO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "37. Supplementary materials accompanying a home movie purchase"

9 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DVDEXTRAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "40. Doozy"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a very attractive or seductive looking woman
  • Similar words include: dish, looker, smasher
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LULU

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "41. Trap in the water"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a wicker basket used by anglers to hold fish
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CREEL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "42. Catches"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

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: receive, deliver, HA
  • Opposite of: refuse, abstain
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "43. Ticket selector"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a citizen who has a legal right to vote
  • Similar words include: elector
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VOTER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "44. Thorough, say"

8 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that provide details for
  • Similar words include: elaborate, elaborated, detail
  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DETAILED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "46. Rihanna's "Take a ___" (2008)"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
  • Similar words include: bend, curtain call, bowing
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "47. (The) shaft, so to speak"

7 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAWDEAL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "48. Not all there upstairs?"

7 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BALDISH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "52. Some altarations?"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an artificial language that is a revision and simplification of esperanto
  • Similar words include: Ido
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDOS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "53. Burkina Faso, before 1984"

10 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UPPERVOLTA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "55. Captain in Melville's "Billy Budd""

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VERE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "56. Renowned naturalist buried at Rwanda's Karisoke Research Center"

10 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIANFOSSEY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "57. Singing sister of Aretha"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERMA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34A: "58. Nervously inhales?"

10 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STRESSEATS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1D 1. Target for surgical excision 4
2D 2. Time 4
3D 3. Country where the game of dominoes is a national pastime 4
4D 4. Characterized by great happiness 7
5D 5. "Sheesh!" 6
6D 6. Mr. Universe contestants 5
7D 7. Burn 4
8D 8. All worked (up) 3
9D 9. Greek actress who brought Elektra, Penelope, Antigone and Helen of Troy to the screen 10
10D 10. Man who made animals talk 5
11D 11. Stumble home after a night out, say 7
12D 12. Just 10
13D 13. Something you may be willing to hold? 10
14D 14. Camped out, say 6
15D 21. Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal ___" 5
16D 23. Fake poster 3
17D 24. "___ of Frankenstein" (1939 movie sequel) 3
18D 25. Person who gets a lot of texts? 10
19D 26. Sluglike creature known for its soft, water-repellent skin 10
20D 27. Has no control 10
21D 30. Word with shadow or shoe 3
22D 31. Lo-___ 3
23D 33. Contradict 5
24D 36. Abba's "___ Last Summer" 3
25D 38. Outlet for the Jordan River 7
26D 39. Super-keen 3
27D 40. Weak amount of medicine 7
28D 41. Primary PC storage 6
29D 43. EX30, EX40 and XC60 6
30D 45. Praises 5
31D 46. Fails to keep things down 5
32D 48. Nota ___ 4
33D 49. Classic film character who says "Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time" 4
34D 50. Proofreader's command 4
35D 51. Kansas' Fort ___ 4
36D 54. Swinger's goal, perhaps 3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Target for surgical excision"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a closed sac that develops abnormally in some body structure
  • Similar words include: vesicle
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CYST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. Time"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
  • Similar words include: 60 minutes, hr, minute
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOUR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. Country where the game of dominoes is a national pastime"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a communist state in the caribbean on the island of cuba
  • Similar words include: Republic of Cuba
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CUBA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Characterized by great happiness"

7 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (greek mythology) a woman who was turned into a kingfisher
  • Similar words include: prosperous, genus Halcyon, Alcyone
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HALCYON

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. "Sheesh!""

6 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRIKEY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. Mr. Universe contestants"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEMEN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. Burn"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a charred substance
  • Similar words include: cleaning lady, charr, coal
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHAR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. All worked (up)"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that made warm or hot (`het' is a dialectal variant of `heated')
  • Similar words include: heated, het up, heated up
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HET

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Greek actress who brought Elektra, Penelope, Antigone and Helen of Troy to the screen"

10 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IRENEPAPAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Man who made animals talk"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that greek author of fables (circa 620-560 bc)
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AESOP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. Stumble home after a night out, say"

7 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRAWLIN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. Just"

10 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTHINGBUT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. Something you may be willing to hold?"

10 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESTATESALE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "14. Camped out, say"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that live in or as if in a tent
  • Similar words include: encamp, bivouac, camp
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENTED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "21. Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal ___""

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
  • Similar words include: cleaning lady, womanhood, adult female
  • Opposite of: man
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WOMAN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "23. Fake poster"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that botfly larva; typically develops inside the body of a horse or sheep or human
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "24. "___ of Frankenstein" (1939 movie sequel)"

3 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a male human offspring
  • Similar words include: boy, Logos, Word
  • Opposite of: daughter, girl
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SON

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18D: "25. Person who gets a lot of texts?"

10 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVIDREADER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19D: "26. Sluglike creature known for its soft, water-repellent skin"

10 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VELVETWORM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20D: "27. Has no control"

10 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CANTHELPIT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21D: "30. Word with shadow or shoe"

3 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
  • Similar words include: boxful, corner, box seat
  • Opposite of: unbox
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOX

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22D: "31. Lo-___"

3 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a widely distributed system consisting of all the cells able to ingest bacteria or colloidal particles etc, except for certain white blood cells
  • Similar words include: reticuloendothelial system, ray, atomic number 75
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23D: "33. Contradict"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that be in contradiction with
  • Similar words include: contradict, misrepresent, negate
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BELIE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24D: "36. Abba's "___ Last Summer""

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OUR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25D: "38. Outlet for the Jordan River"

7 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEADSEA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26D: "39. Super-keen"

3 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material
  • Similar words include: radian
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27D: "40. Weak amount of medicine"

7 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOWDOSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28D: "41. Primary PC storage"

6 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CDRIVE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29D: "43. EX30, EX40 and XC60"

6 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VOLVOS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30D: "45. Praises"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that praise, glorify, or honor
  • Similar words include: laud, extol, glorify
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAUDS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31D: "46. Fails to keep things down"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the matter ejected in vomiting
  • Similar words include: sick, honk, barf
  • Opposite of: keep down
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BARFS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32D: "48. Nota ___"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BENE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33D: "49. Classic film character who says "Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time""

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ILSA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34D: "50. Proofreader's command"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that printing: cancel, as of a correction or deletion
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STET

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35D: "51. Kansas' Fort ___"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that united states lawyer and politician who formulated a production code that prescribed the moral content of united states films from 1930 to 1966 (1879-1954)
  • Similar words include: Arthur Garfield Hays, Will Hays, William Harrison Hays
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAYS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36D: "54. Swinger's goal, perhaps"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course
  • Similar words include: equation, equality, equivalence
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAR

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

34 Across Clues
36 Down Clues
70 Total Clues

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Last updated: October 03, 2026 at 09:18 AM

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