27441 Sat Dec 28, 2024 NY Times Crossword Clues Hints

Break down the NYT Crosswords: December 28, 2024

Let's go into the puzzle, starting with the across clues and answers, followed by the down clues and answers.

Sat Dec 28, 2024 NY Times 

Across Clues with Answers:

• The clue is 1. Fans flip for it. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (10 letters)

  The answer: SPORTSPAGE




• The clue is 11. Deflection technique. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (12 letters)

  The answer: WHATABOUTISM




• The clue is 13. Iconic accessory worn by 1-Down. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (14 letters)

  The answer: DEERSTALKERCAP




• The clue is 15. Acts human, proverbially. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: ERRS

  Possible Answer : mistake, drift, stray, err, slip




• The clue is 16. Medical container. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: VIAL

  Possible Answer : ampul, ampule, ampoule, phial, vial




• The clue is 17. Infamous bushranger Kelly. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: NED




• The clue is 19. Hand-drawn frame. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: CEL




• The clue is 20. Posthumous title. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: SAINT

  Possible Answer : paragon, apotheosis, holy_person, canonise, saint, nonpareil, nonesuch, angel, ideal, enshrine, holy_man, canonize, nonsuch




• The clue is 22. Far from floor-reaching. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: MINI

  Possible Answer : mini, miniskirt

  Possible Opposite Answer : midi




• The clue is 23. One for the books, in brief?. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: CFO

  Possible Answer : chief_financial_officer, CFO




• The clue is 24. Hurt. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: STUNG

  Possible Answer : riled, stick, miffed, nettled, burn, annoyed, pissed, stung, pissed_off, bite, roiled, peeved, sting, twinge, steamed, irritated, prick




• The clue is 25. Feature of English, but not Chinese. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: TENSE

  Possible Answer : tense, strain, tense_up

  Possible Opposite Answer : relaxed, unstrain, lax, relax




• The clue is 26. Narrative thread. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: ARC

  Possible Answer : electric_arc, electric_discharge, arch, discharge, bow, spark, arc, curve




• The clue is 27. Classic red rubber dog toy. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: KONG




• The clue is 28. Get lost. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (6 letters)

  The answer: BEATIT




• The clue is 29. Manage. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (6 letters)

  The answer: EKEOUT




• The clue is 31. Call to a crew. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (6 letters)

  The answer: LANDHO




• The clue is 32. Letter-shaped apparel. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (6 letters)

  The answer: TSHIRT




• The clue is 33. Unit cost?. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: RENT

  Possible Answer : tear, let, snag, rend, rive, economic_rent, rip, rent, charter, engage, hire, take, pull, lease, split




• The clue is 34. Tree creature of fiction. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: ENT




• The clue is 36. Wanting. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: SHORT

  Possible Answer : short, curtly, unawares, little, forgetful, poor, brusque, unretentive, short-circuit, unforesightful, abruptly, curt, short-change, shortly, suddenly, brusk, inadequate, scant, light, dead, short_circuit, myopic, shortstop, shortsighted

  Possible Opposite Answer : retentive, tall, long




• The clue is 37. Singles, say. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: SONGS

  Possible Answer : Song_dynasty, vocal, call, birdsong, birdcall, Sung, Song, strain, Sung_dynasty, song




• The clue is 38. Juilliard offering, in brief. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: MFA

  Possible Answer : Master_of_Fine_Arts, MFA




• The clue is 39. + or –. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: POLE

  Possible Answer : magnetic_pole, Pole, terminal, pole, rod, perch, punt, celestial_pole




• The clue is 40. Compromises. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: BENDS

  Possible Answer : flex, aeroembolism, crouch, plication, bends, curve, bending, crease, crimp, deform, decompression_sickness, bow, gas_embolism, crook, twist, air_embolism, Bend, turn, bend_dexter, flexure, deflect, fold, bend, stoop, caisson_disease, turn_away

  Possible Opposite Answer : unbend, straighten




• The clue is 41. Birth control option. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: IUD

  Possible Answer : IUD, intrauterine_device




• The clue is 42. Simple operation. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: SUM

  Possible Answer : totality, nitty-gritty, tote_up, substance, summate, add_together, gist, marrow, total, center, tally, meat, union, amount_of_money, essence, tot_up, centre, heart_and_soul, summarize, aggregate, kernel, add_up, inwardness, core, tot, summation, pith, sum_up, sum_total, heart, join, add, nub, sum_of_money, sum, amount, summarise




• The clue is 43. Jenkins known as "The First Lady of Children's Music". Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: ELLA




• The clue is 44. Kind of vaccine. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: MRNA

  Possible Answer : template_RNA, mRNA, informational_RNA, messenger_RNA




• The clue is 45. Sesquipedalia. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (14 letters)

  The answer: TENDOLLARWORDS




• The clue is 50. Some celebrity memorabilia. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (12 letters)

  The answer: SIGNEDPHOTOS




• The clue is 51. Current from currents. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (10 letters)

  The answer: HYDROPOWER

Down Clues and Answers:

• The clue is 1. Guinness's second-most-portrayed literary character in film, after Dracula. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (14 letters)

  The answer: SHERLOCKHOLMES

• The clue is 2. Target scores. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: PARS

  Possible Answer: equivalence, equality, par, equation

• The clue is 3. They start with coin tosses, in brief. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: OTS

• The clue is 4. Singer in the family?. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: RAT

  Possible Answer: strikebreaker, blackleg, scab, betrayer, bum, shop, informer, dirty_dog, stinkpot, rotter, so-and-so, blabber, stag, skunk, betray, stinker, git, snitch, grass, lowlife, tell_on, give_away, fink, scum_bag, shit, puke, rat, squealer, denounce, crumb

• The clue is 5. Schedule inits.. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: TBA

• The clue is 6. What are you doing?. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (7 letters)

  The answer: SOLVING

  Possible Answer: puzzle_out, solve, lick, figure_out, resolution, work, work_out, solving, resolve, clear

• The clue is 7. First trimester woe, informally. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (6 letters)

  The answer: PUKING

  Possible Answer: disgorgement, chuck, upchuck, throw_up, cast, vomiting, purge, spew, be_sick, retch, spue, emesis, puking, vomit, barf, cat, vomit_up, regurgitation, regorge, honk, puke, sick, disgorge, regurgitate

  Possible Opposite Answer : keep_down

• The clue is 8. Bothered. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: ATEAT

• The clue is 9. Part of some superhero names. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: GIRL

  Possible Answer: female_child, little_girl, miss, fille, lady_friend, young_woman, girl, girlfriend, daughter, young_lady, missy

  Possible Opposite Answer : boy, male_child, son

• The clue is 10. What's left of F1. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: ESC

• The clue is 11. "Sorry, that's the last one". Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (12 letters)

  The answer: WEREFRESHOUT

• The clue is 12. One asked "to change his ways," per a 1988 hit. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (14 letters)

  The answer: MANINTHEMIRROR

• The clue is 13. Label that first signed the Rolling Stones. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: DECCA

• The clue is 14. Sources of retirement income. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (12 letters)

  The answer: PENSIONFUNDS

• The clue is 18. Paleolithic, for example. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: DIET

  Possible Answer: dieting, diet

• The clue is 20. Strong draft. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: STOUT

  Possible Answer: sturdy, stalwart, hardy, stout, portly

• The clue is 21. Hilda or Zelda, to Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: AUNT

  Possible Answer: auntie, aunty, aunt

  Possible Opposite Answer : uncle

• The clue is 22. Beverage that begins with a bee?. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: MEAD

  Possible Answer: Mead, George_Herbert_Mead, Margaret_Mead, mead

• The clue is 24. Hybrid sportswear. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: SKORT

• The clue is 25. Gear that's a homophone of 25-Across. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: TENTS

  Possible Answer: camp_out, tent, bivouac, encamp, camp, collapsible_shelter

• The clue is 28. Fringe : British English :: ___ : American English. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: BANGS

  Possible Answer: have_it_away, spang, eruption, slam, clap, roll_in_the_hay, be_intimate, boot, sleep_together, lie_with, have_a_go_at_it, love, thrill, knock, bed, smasher, get_laid, do_it, flush, hump, have_it_off, know, charge, smash, have_intercourse, make_out, strike, jazz, rush, make_love, bang, kick, bam, hit, bonk, belt, eff, blast, screw, fuck, get_it_on, bash, have_sex, sleep_with, fringe

• The clue is 30. Snakes were famously driven from it, in legend. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: EIRE

  Possible Answer: Republic_of_Ireland, Irish_Republic, Ireland, Eire

• The clue is 31. Impart. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: LEND

  Possible Answer: bestow, contribute, impart, bring, loan, add, lend

  Possible Opposite Answer : borrow

• The clue is 32. There are nine in a shot glass: Abbr.. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: TSPS

• The clue is 33. World's highest-paid athlete in 2024. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (7 letters)

  The answer: RONALDO

• The clue is 35. Cues for applause. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: TADAS

• The clue is 37. One side of a deal. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (6 letters)

  The answer: SELLER

  Possible Answer: vendor, seller, trafficker, vender, marketer

• The clue is 40. Lightheaded?. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (5 letters)

  The answer: BLOND

  Possible Answer: blonde, blond, light-haired

  Possible Opposite Answer : brunet

• The clue is 43. High-strung. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: EDGY

  Possible Answer: overstrung, uptight, jumpy, edgy, nervy, highly_strung, restive, high-strung, jittery

• The clue is 44. Bit of dust. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (4 letters)

  The answer: MOTE

  Possible Answer: atom, mote, speck, corpuscle, molecule, particle

• The clue is 46. Major inits. in biomedical research. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: NIH

  Possible Answer: NIH, National_Institutes_of_Health

• The clue is 47. Clock, e.g.. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: APP

• The clue is 48. Corinthian character. Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: RHO

  Possible Answer: rho

• The clue is 49. "Neat!". Can you find the Answer?

  Here is a hint. It is a word with exactly (3 letters)

  The answer: WOW

  Possible Answer: belly_laugh, scream, howler, riot, sidesplitter, thigh-slapper, wow

XWordHint Crossword Answers June 11, 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
• Across Clues Table (35 clues)
• Across Clues - Detailed Hints
• Down Clues Table (39 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. Word before baked or naked	4
2A	5. Pinnacles	5
3A	10. Thousand ___, city that's part of Greater Los Angeles	4
4A	14. ___ Sea, body of water that lost 90% of its volume to irrigation	4
5A	15. Not secured	5
6A	16. Arm part	4
7A	17. It might have many sides	4
8A	18. "Yes, sir!," to an ancient Roman?	10
9A	20. Like photons, but not protons	8
10A	22. Passes out	6
11A	23. Sarcastic laugh syllable	3
12A	24. Yea or nay	4
13A	25. Sailor's bearings, to an ancient Roman?	11
14A	30. Flu-fighting org.	3
15A	33. Met someone?	9
16A	34. "Begone!"	4
17A	35. Milky Way explosion	4
18A	36. Live	5
19A	38. Many a commencement speaker, in brief	4
20A	39. Had the answer	4
21A	40. Your mind's eye?	9
22A	42. "To be," in Iberia	3
23A	43. Certain Microsoft Office files, to an ancient Roman?	11
24A	45. Destination for 2025's ESCAPADE satellites	4
25A	46. "Cobra ___" (Netflix series)	3
26A	47. Chicken	6
27A	50. Something you might keep tabs on?	8
28A	55. Prestigious group of schools, to an ancient Roman?	10
29A	57. Lack of friction	4
30A	58. A wine (with an accent), or a flower (without one)	4
31A	59. Farm measures	5
32A	60. Genetic communicator, for short	4
33A	61. Lyrical works	4
34A	62. Bare amount	5
35A	63. Gym units	4

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Word before baked or naked"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that one of two equal parts of a divisible whole
• Similar words include: one-half
• Opposite of: whole

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HALF

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "5. Pinnacles"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
• Similar words include: tiptop, summit, vertex
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ACMES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "10. Thousand ___, city that's part of Greater Los Angeles"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
• Similar words include: oak tree, oak
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: OAKS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "14. ___ Sea, body of water that lost 90% of its volume to irrigation"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ARAL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "15. Not secured"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that grant freedom to; free from confinement
• Similar words include: release, wanton, promiscuous
• Opposite of: confine, stiffen

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LOOSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "16. Arm part"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the inner and longer of the two bones of the human forearm
• Similar words include: elbow bone
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ULNA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "17. It might have many sides"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a list of dishes available at a restaurant
• Similar words include: computer menu, bill of fare, carte du jour
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: MENU

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "18. "Yes, sir!," to an ancient Roman?"

10 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: __________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: TWOCAPTAIN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "20. Like photons, but not protons"

8 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: MASSLESS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "22. Passes out"

6 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain
• Similar words include: swoon, syncope, deliquium
• Pattern: ______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FAINTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "23. Sarcastic laugh syllable"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HAR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "24. Yea or nay"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative
• Similar words include: suffrage, voting, right to vote
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: VOTE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "25. Sailor's bearings, to an ancient Roman?"

11 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HUNDREDLEGS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "30. Flu-fighting org."

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a federal agency in the department of health and human services; located in atlanta; investigates and diagnoses and tries to control or prevent diseases (especially new and unusual diseases)
• Similar words include: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: CDC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "33. Met someone?"

9 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a patron of the opera
• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: OPERAGOER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "34. "Begone!""

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that drive away by crying `shoo!'
• Similar words include: shoo away, shoo off
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SHOO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "35. Milky Way explosion"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a star that ejects some of its material in the form of a cloud and become more luminous in the process
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: NOVA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "36. Live"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ONAIR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "38. Many a commencement speaker, in brief"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the ammonium double sulfate of aluminum
• Similar words include: grad, ammonium alum, potassium alum
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ALUM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "39. Had the answer"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
• Similar words include: be intimate, hump, cognise
• Opposite of: ignore

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: KNEW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "40. Your mind's eye?"

9 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: OPTICLOBE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "42. "To be," in Iberia"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "43. Certain Microsoft Office files, to an ancient Roman?"

11 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FORTYSHEETS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "45. Destination for 2025's ESCAPADE satellites"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a small reddish planet that is the 4th from the sun and is periodically visible to the naked eye; minerals rich in iron cover its surface and are responsible for its characteristic color
• Similar words include: defect, deflower, mutilate
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: MARS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "46. "Cobra ___" (Netflix series)"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: KAI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "47. Chicken"

6 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that filled with fear or apprehension
• Opposite of: unafraid
• Pattern: ______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: AFRAID

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "50. Something you might keep tabs on?"

8 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ACIDTRIP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "55. Prestigious group of schools, to an ancient Roman?"

10 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: __________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FOURLEAGUE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "57. Lack of friction"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort
• Similar words include: facilitate, still, comfort
• Opposite of: difficulty

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: EASE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "58. A wine (with an accent), or a flower (without one)"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that any of many shrubs of the genus rosa that bear roses
• Similar words include: rosiness, resurrect, rebel
• Opposite of: wane, turn in

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ROSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "59. Farm measures"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that extensive landed property (especially in the country) retained by the owner for his own use
• Similar words include: land, estate, Akka
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ACRES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "60. Genetic communicator, for short"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the template for protein synthesis; the form of rna that carries information from dna in the nucleus to the ribosome sites of protein synthesis in the cell
• Similar words include: informational RNA, messenger RNA, template RNA
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: MRNA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "61. Lyrical works"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a lyric poem with complex stanza forms
• Similar words include: ode
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ODES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34A: "62. Bare amount"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that something that is of no importance
• Similar words include: to the lowest degree
• Opposite of: most

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LEAST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35A: "63. Gym units"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
• Similar words include: circle, solidification, coiffure
• Opposite of: rise

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SETS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No.	Clue	Letters
1D	1. Jon of "Top Gun: Maverick"	4
2D	2. Integral calculation	4
3D	3. Setups for some routers, in brief	4
4D	4. Poker holding of four cards of the same suit	9
5D	5. Clark Kent has one	8
6D	6. Barnyard producers of 7-Down	4
7D	7. Sounds produced by 6-Down	4
8D	8. Key next to a Touch Bar on some Mac laptops	3
9D	9. Ocean mist	6
10D	10. Convex physical feature	5
11D	11. EGOT-winning composer Menken	4
12D	12. Furrow, as one's brow	4
13D	13. Without	4
14D	19. Gillette Stadium team in the N.F.L., to fans	4
15D	21. TV journalist Spencer	4
16D	24. Truth	6
17D	25. Traffic jam cacophony	5
18D	26. Barely winning, say	5
19D	27. Word on either side of "say"	5
20D	28. People one might meet at a drive	6
21D	29. Bounded	5
22D	30. Olympic snowboarder Kim	5
23D	31. Reservations	5
24D	32. Shows up	5
25D	34. Bargain hunter's targets	9
26D	37. Most perilous	8
27D	41. Country that forms a tripoint border with Niger and Nigeria	4
28D	43. Fall short	4
29D	44. Test of will	6
30D	45. Stable females	5
31D	47. Hairstyle sported by painter Bob Ross	4
32D	48. "There is no love sincerer than the love of ___": George Bernard Shaw	4
33D	49. Villainous ploy	4
34D	50. Eastern city with a famous mausoleum	4
35D	51. Prompts	4
36D	52. Like blue lobsters	4
37D	53. "That ___ funny"	4
38D	54. "Mushy" side dish with fish and chips	4
39D	56. Esteemed fighter pilot	3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Jon of "Top Gun: Maverick""

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HAMM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. Integral calculation"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)
• Similar words include: expanse, surface area, domain
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: AREA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. Setups for some routers, in brief"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a local computer network for communication between computers; especially a network connecting computers and word processors and other electronic office equipment to create a communication system between offices
• Similar words include: LAN, local area network
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LANS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Poker holding of four cards of the same suit"

9 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FLUSHDRAW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Clark Kent has one"

8 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ALTEREGO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. Barnyard producers of 7-Down"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age; ; ; - bible
• Similar words include: cow, oxen, cattle
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: COWS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. Sounds produced by 6-Down"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the sound made by a cow or bull
• Similar words include: low, moo
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: MOOS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. Key next to a Touch Bar on some Mac laptops"

3 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ESC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Ocean mist"

6 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SEAFOG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Convex physical feature"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: OUTIE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. EGOT-winning composer Menken"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ALAN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. Furrow, as one's brow"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a fabric made by knitting
• Similar words include: pucker, cockle, entwine
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: KNIT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. Without"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SANS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "19. Gillette Stadium team in the N.F.L., to fans"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the sound made by a gentle blow
• Similar words include: pat, tap, rap
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: PATS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "21. TV journalist Spencer"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LARA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "24. Truth"

6 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that conformity to reality or actuality
• Similar words include: trueness, the true, truth
• Opposite of: falsity

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: VERITY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "25. Traffic jam cacophony"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the cry of a goose (or any sound resembling this)
• Similar words include: regurgitate, blare, barf
• Opposite of: keep down

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HONKS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18D: "26. Barely winning, say"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: UPONE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19D: "27. Word on either side of "say""

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that not ever; at no time in the past or future
• Similar words include: ne'er
• Opposite of: ever

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: NEVER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20D: "28. People one might meet at a drive"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that person who makes a gift of property
• Similar words include: donor, giver, conferrer
• Pattern: ______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: DONORS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21D: "29. Bounded"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that move forward by leaps and bounds
• Similar words include: jump off, jump, leap
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LEAPT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22D: "30. Olympic snowboarder Kim"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: CHLOE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23D: "31. Reservations"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the state of being unsure of something
• Similar words include: incertitude, uncertainty, question
• Opposite of: certainty

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: DOUBT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24D: "32. Shows up"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
• Similar words include: seminal fluid, fall, arrive
• Opposite of: go, leave

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: COMES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25D: "34. Bargain hunter's targets"

9 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SALEITEMS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26D: "37. Most perilous"

8 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that involving risk or danger
• Similar words include: wild, high-risk, hazardous
• Pattern: ________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: RISKIEST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27D: "41. Country that forms a tripoint border with Niger and Nigeria"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a small piece of paper that is supposed to be removed when a hole is punched in a card or paper tape
• Similar words include: Chadic language, Lake Chad, Tchad
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: CHAD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28D: "43. Fall short"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that fail to do something; leave something undone
• Similar words include: flush it, conk out, die
• Opposite of: manage, pass

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FAIL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29D: "44. Test of will"

6 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a severe or trying experience
• Similar words include: trial by ordeal
• Pattern: ______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ORDEAL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30D: "45. Stable females"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that female equine animal
• Similar words include: female horse, deflower, mutilate
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: MARES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31D: "47. Hairstyle sported by painter Bob Ross"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a rounded thickly curled hairdo
• Similar words include: Afro hairdo
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: AFRO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32D: "48. "There is no love sincerer than the love of ___": George Bernard Shaw"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
• Similar words include: solid food, food for thought, intellectual nourishment
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FOOD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33D: "49. Villainous ploy"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture)
• Similar words include: artifice
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: RUSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34D: "50. Eastern city with a famous mausoleum"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a city in northern india; former capital of the mogul empire; site of the taj mahal
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: AGRA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35D: "51. Prompts"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that an actor's line that immediately precedes and serves as a reminder for some action or speech
• Similar words include: pool cue, cue stick, clew
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: CUES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36D: "52. Like blue lobsters"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
• Similar words include: rarefied, uncommon, rarified
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: RARE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

37D: "53. "That ___ funny""

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ISNT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

38D: "54. "Mushy" side dish with fish and chips"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that seed of a pea plant used for food
• Similar words include: pea, pea plant
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: PEAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

39D: "56. Esteemed fighter pilot"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
• Similar words include: superstar, top-notch, hotshot
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ACE

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

39 Down Clues

74 Total Clues

More NYT Crossword Help

Looking for more puzzle solutions? Check out our comprehensive archive of NYT crossword hints and answers. We update daily with expert analysis and solving strategies.

• Complete NYT Crossword Archive
• Advanced Solving Techniques
• Common Crossword Words

Disclaimer: Crossword clues and grid © The New York Times. This site provides hints and educational content for puzzle enthusiasts. XWordHint is not affiliated with The New York Times.

Last updated: June 11, 2026 at 08:20 AM