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 (35 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
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. "No seats" sign | 3 |
| 2A | 4. Dolly Parton vis-Ã -vis Dollywood | 5 |
| 3A | 9. ___-famous (reel popular?) | 5 |
| 4A | 14. LOL lite | 3 |
| 5A | 15. Come again | 5 |
| 6A | 16. Curry complements | 5 |
| 7A | 17. Call to cruisers, for short | 3 |
| 8A | 18. Well-manored men? | 5 |
| 9A | 19. Some concert refuse | 5 |
| 10A | 20. Staunchly loyal | 8 |
| 11A | 22. Solo for a soprano | 4 |
| 12A | 23. Wrecks beyond repair | 6 |
| 13A | 24. Popular date night | 8 |
| 14A | 28. Event-planning platform | 5 |
| 15A | 29. Big blare | 3 |
| 16A | 30. "I do" | 3 |
| 17A | 31. Team with a stadium on the Ohio River | 4 |
| 18A | 32. "Been there, done that" | 7 |
| 19A | 36. React with exaggerated surprise ... or how to form the shorter shaded answers from the longer ones | 13 |
| 20A | 40. Cut back a bit | 7 |
| 21A | 41. Protein source | 4 |
| 22A | 43. "That's infuriating!" | 3 |
| 23A | 46. B.C. neighbor | 3 |
| 24A | 47. Kid's comeback | 5 |
| 25A | 48. Macs and wellies, e.g. | 8 |
| 26A | 51. Snow bunnies are inclined to hit them | 6 |
| 27A | 52. Spots that may need clearing up | 4 |
| 28A | 53. Aquaman's domain | 8 |
| 29A | 55. Brought into being | 5 |
| 30A | 57. Like the descendants of some dinosaurs | 5 |
| 31A | 58. In Rio, janeiro starts it | 3 |
| 32A | 59. Mislead | 5 |
| 33A | 60. Expression de gratitude | 5 |
| 34A | 61. Abbr. on a box for an air conditioner | 3 |
| 35A | 62. Bygone company whose website has been revived as satire | 5 |
| 36A | 63. Serious schleps | 5 |
| 37A | 64. Lush | 3 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. "No seats" sign"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SRO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "4. Dolly Parton vis-Ã -vis Dollywood"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
- Similar words include: musical theme, base, composition
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THEME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "9. ___-famous (reel popular?)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INSTA
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4A: "14. LOL lite"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEH
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5A: "15. Come again"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that happen or occur again
- Similar words include: go back, repeat, fall back
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RECUR
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6A: "16. Curry complements"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROTIS
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7A: "17. Call to cruisers, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: APB
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8A: "18. Well-manored men?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a british peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
- Similar words include: earl
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EARLS
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9A: "19. Some concert refuse"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a short piece remaining on a trunk or stem where a branch is lost
- Similar words include: ticket stub, counterfoil, butt
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STUBS
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10A: "20. Staunchly loyal"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRUEBLUE
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11A: "22. Solo for a soprano"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an elaborate song for solo voice
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "23. Wrecks beyond repair"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the whole amount
- Similar words include: total, sum up, tally
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOTALS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "24. Popular date night"
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: Sat, Sabbatum
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SATURDAY
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14A: "28. Event-planning platform"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EVITE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "29. Big blare"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a loud harsh or strident noise
- Similar words include: ruction, clamor, blare
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "30. "I do""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an affirmative
- Opposite of: no
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "31. Team with a stadium on the Ohio River"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
- Similar words include: Marxist, Red River, bolshie
- Opposite of: gain
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "32. "Been there, done that""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRIEDIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "36. React with exaggerated surprise ... or how to form the shorter shaded answers from the longer ones"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOADOUBLETAKE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "40. Cut back a bit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size
- Similar words include: lop, trim back, cut down
- Opposite of: untrimmed
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRIMMED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "41. Protein source"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food
- Similar words include: gist, pith, heart and soul
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "43. "That's infuriating!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "46. B.C. neighbor"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves; worn by priests
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALB
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24A: "47. Kid's comeback"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARESO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "48. Macs and wellies, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAINGEAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "51. Snow bunnies are inclined to hit them"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an elevated geological formation
- Similar words include: swill, incline, side
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLOPES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "52. Spots that may need clearing up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands of the skin; characterized by papules or pustules or comedones
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACNE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "53. Aquaman's domain"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that according to legend, an island in the atlantic ocean that plato said was swallowed by an earthquake
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATLANTIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "55. Brought into being"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make children
- Similar words include: generate, sire, beget
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEGAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "57. Like the descendants of some dinosaurs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that pertaining to or characteristic of birds
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVIAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "58. In Rio, janeiro starts it"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a palestinian international terrorist organization that split from the plo in 1974; has conducted terrorist attacks in 20 countries
- Similar words include: Abu Nidal Organization, Fatah-RC, Fatah Revolutionary Council
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANO
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32A: "59. Mislead"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIETO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "60. Expression de gratitude"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MERCI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "61. Abbr. on a box for an air conditioner"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water one degree fahrenheit at one atmosphere pressure; equivalent to 251.997 calories
- Similar words include: B.Th.U., British thermal unit
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BTU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "62. Bygone company whose website has been revived as satire"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENRON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "63. Serious schleps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a journey by ox wagon (especially an organized migration by a group of settlers)
- Similar words include: trek
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TREKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37A: "64. Lush"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a chronic drinker
- Similar words include: drunk, drunkard, rummy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Break to pieces | 7 |
| 2D | 2. Gently scolded | 8 |
| 3D | 3. Sly reply to "You can't possibly know that!" | 8 |
| 4D | 4. Knob on an amplifier | 6 |
| 5D | 5. Becomes good as new | 5 |
| 6D | 6. Silk shade | 4 |
| 7D | 7. Stereotypically uncooperative creatures | 5 |
| 8D | 8. IV sites | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Collecting org. | 3 |
| 10D | 10. E-cigarette claim | 5 |
| 11D | 11. Durable | 6 |
| 12D | 12. Shin guards protect them | 6 |
| 13D | 13. Some chemistry lab procedures | 6 |
| 14D | 21. Vexes | 6 |
| 15D | 25. Musical artist with the fastest video to reach one billion views on YouTube | 5 |
| 16D | 26. Helped through a rough patch, with "over" | 5 |
| 17D | 27. Peck or parsec | 4 |
| 18D | 32. Patterned fabric | 5 |
| 19D | 33. Afro-Cuban dance | 5 |
| 20D | 34. Big name in cloud services | 3 |
| 21D | 35. Hall with a self-titled daytime talk show | 6 |
| 22D | 37. Regalia for some queens | 4 |
| 23D | 38. Monitor closely, with "on" | 8 |
| 24D | 39. Slowly get familiar with | 8 |
| 25D | 42. Chuck | 7 |
| 26D | 43. Pinup icon Betty | 6 |
| 27D | 44. Arrive out of breath, perhaps | 6 |
| 28D | 45. Close lookalike | 6 |
| 29D | 47. Singer Morissette with the 1995 #1 album "Jagged Little Pill" | 6 |
| 30D | 49. Real swell | 5 |
| 31D | 50. All-night party attendee | 5 |
| 32D | 51. In need of tightening, maybe | 5 |
| 33D | 54. Start to fade | 4 |
| 34D | 56. Trucker's measure | 3 |
| 35D | 57. Paycheck fig. | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Break to pieces"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that break into many pieces
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SHATTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Gently scolded"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that take to task
- Similar words include: admonish, reprove
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REPROVED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Sly reply to "You can't possibly know that!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHBUTIDO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Knob on an amplifier"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the pitch range of the highest female voice
- Similar words include: double, ternary, two-fold
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TREBLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Becomes good as new"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that heal or recover
- Similar words include: mend, heal, bring around
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEALS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Silk shade"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a very light brown
- Similar words include: beige
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ECRU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Stereotypically uncooperative creatures"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse; usually sterile
- Similar words include: mule, scuff
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MULES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. IV sites"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs with yttrium
- Similar words include: Er, emergency room, erbium
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Collecting org."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the bureau of the treasury department responsible for tax collections
- Similar words include: Internal Revenue Service
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IRS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. E-cigarette claim"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Durable"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
- Similar words include: stalwart, uncompromising, inflexible
- Opposite of: compromising
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STURDY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Shin guards protect them"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the inner and thicker of the two bones of the human leg between the knee and ankle
- Similar words include: shinbone, tibia, shin bone
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIBIAE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Some chemistry lab procedures"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an appraisal of the state of affairs
- Similar words include: try, attempt, check
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASSAYS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "21. Vexes"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EATSAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "25. Musical artist with the fastest video to reach one billion views on YouTube"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADELE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "26. Helped through a rough patch, with "over""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that rise or move forward
- Similar words include: tide, surge
- Opposite of: ebb
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIDED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "27. Peck or parsec"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any division of quantity accepted as a standard of measurement or exchange
- Similar words include: whole, social unit, building block
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "32. Patterned fabric"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOILE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "33. Afro-Cuban dance"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that syncopated music in duple time for dancing the rumba
- Similar words include: rhumba
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RUMBA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "34. Big name in cloud services"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IBM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "35. Hall with a self-titled daytime talk show"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAMRON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "37. Regalia for some queens"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the phenomenon of resistance to motion through a fluid
- Similar words include: drag out, embroil, tangle
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DRAG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "38. Monitor closely, with "on""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KEEPTABS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "39. Slowly get familiar with"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EASEINTO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "42. Chuck"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOSSOUT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "43. Pinup icon Betty"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRABLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "44. Arrive out of breath, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RACEIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "45. Close lookalike"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who rings church bells (as for summoning the congregation)
- Similar words include: bell ringer, clone, toller
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RINGER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "47. Singer Morissette with the 1995 #1 album "Jagged Little Pill""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALANIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "49. Real swell"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEATO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "50. All-night party attendee"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a participant in a rave dancing party
- Similar words include: ranter
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAVER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "51. In need of tightening, maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve
- Similar words include: abate, quagmire, morass
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLACK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "54. Start to fade"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hoop that covers a wheel
- Similar words include: wear upon, wear out, outwear
- Opposite of: interest, refresh
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIRE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "56. Trucker's measure"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a united states unit of weight equivalent to 2000 pounds
- Similar words include: long ton, short ton, net ton
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "57. Paycheck fig."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMT
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
37 Across Clues
35 Down Clues
72 Total Clues
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