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 (39 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. Dives into | 5 |
| 2A | 6. Cause to crack up | 4 |
| 3A | 10. Pillow covering | 4 |
| 4A | 14. Florida's ___ National Forest | 5 |
| 5A | 15. Give quite a shock | 4 |
| 6A | 16. Antifur org. | 4 |
| 7A | 17. | $ | $ | $ | $ | | 10 |
| 8A | 19. Sheltered from the wind | 4 |
| 9A | 20. Charge on imports | 4 |
| 10A | 21. Bible-inspired tourist attraction in Williamstown, Ky. | 3 |
| 11A | 22. Excel spreadsheets, essentially | 5 |
| 12A | 23. Go (for) | 3 |
| 13A | 24. | : : : | / / | 11 |
| 14A | 27. "How dare you!" looks | 6 |
| 15A | 29. Tree whose "slippery" variety has medicinal bark | 3 |
| 16A | 30. Mistake "air" for "heir," say | 3 |
| 17A | 31. Chick checker of a sort | 5 |
| 18A | 32. Put one's hands together | 4 |
| 19A | 34. About | 4 |
| 20A | 35. Classic Jack Kerouac novel ... or where you'll find 17-, 24-, 49- and 58-Across | 9 |
| 21A | 38. Fundamentals | 4 |
| 22A | 41. Helps out | 4 |
| 23A | 42. Spinal stack | 5 |
| 24A | 46. Grassy grazing ground | 3 |
| 25A | 47. Wrestling match ender | 3 |
| 26A | 48. Racer's final go-round | 6 |
| 27A | 49. | : : :--| | 11 |
| 28A | 53. Gershwin brother | 3 |
| 29A | 54. Adds to a stuffed suitcase, say | 5 |
| 30A | 55. Schedule pro | 3 |
| 31A | 56. Choice of bands, for short | 4 |
| 32A | 57. Church nook | 4 |
| 33A | 58. |X:X:X:X| |X:X:X:X| |X:X:X:X| | 10 |
| 34A | 61. Crown | 4 |
| 35A | 62. Dynamic starter? | 4 |
| 36A | 63. Fictional region that includes Bag End | 5 |
| 37A | 64. Slap (at) | 4 |
| 38A | 65. "Your turn," on a radio | 4 |
| 39A | 66. Sent up on social media, say | 5 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Dives into"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
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2A: "6. Cause to crack up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that kill intentionally and with premeditation
- Similar words include: off, bump off, polish off
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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3A: "10. Pillow covering"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be
- Similar words include: imposter, affect, postiche
- Pattern: ____
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4A: "14. Florida's ___ National Forest"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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5A: "15. Give quite a shock"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
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6A: "16. Antifur org."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
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7A: "17. | $ | $ | $ | $ |"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a booth at a tollgate where the toll collector collects tolls
- Similar words include: tollbooth, tollhouse, tolbooth
- Pattern: __________
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8A: "19. Sheltered from the wind"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that on or toward the lee
- Pattern: ____
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9A: "20. Charge on imports"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force; ; - john d.rockefeller jr
- Similar words include: tariff, obligation, responsibility
- Pattern: ____
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10A: "21. Bible-inspired tourist attraction in Williamstown, Ky."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (judaism) sacred chest where the ancient hebrews kept the two tablets containing the ten commandments
- Similar words include: Ark of the Covenant
- Pattern: ___
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11A: "22. Excel spreadsheets, essentially"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines
- Similar words include: power system, storage-battery grid, gridiron
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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12A: "23. Go (for)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that select as an alternative over another
- Similar words include: choose, prefer
- Pattern: ___
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13A: "24. | : : : | / /"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
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14A: "27. "How dare you!" looks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
- Similar words include: limelight, blaze, public eye
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "29. Tree whose "slippery" variety has medicinal bark"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of various trees of the genus ulmus: important timber or shade trees
- Similar words include: elm tree, elmwood
- Pattern: ___
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16A: "30. Mistake "air" for "heir," say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that to make a mistake or be incorrect
- Similar words include: drift, mistake, slip
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "31. Chick checker of a sort"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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18A: "32. Put one's hands together"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sudden very loud noise
- Similar words include: eruption, bam, gonorrhoea
- Opposite of: boo
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "34. About"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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20A: "35. Classic Jack Kerouac novel ... or where you'll find 17-, 24-, 49- and 58-Across"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "38. Fundamentals"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
- Similar words include: first rudiment, alphabet, rudiment
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "41. Helps out"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles
- Similar words include: care, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, assistance
- Pattern: ____
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Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "42. Spinal stack"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that sound recording consisting of a disk with a continuous groove; used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracks in the groove
- Similar words include: saucer, record, disc
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "46. Grassy grazing ground"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of length of thread or yarn
- Similar words include: pastureland, ley, grazing land
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "47. Wrestling match ender"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment
- Similar words include: pin tumbler, flag, personal identification number
- Opposite of: unpin
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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26A: "48. Racer's final go-round"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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27A: "49. | : : :--|"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
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28A: "53. Gershwin brother"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a militant organization of irish nationalists who used terrorism and guerilla warfare in an effort to drive british forces from northern ireland and achieve a united independent ireland
- Similar words include: wrath, ire, Irish Republican Army
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "54. Adds to a stuffed suitcase, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that crowd or pack to capacity
- Similar words include: jam, mug up, grind away
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "55. Schedule pro"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an accountant who has passed certain examinations and met all other statutory and licensing requirements of a united states state to be certified by that state
- Similar words include: certified public accountant
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "56. Choice of bands, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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32A: "57. Church nook"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a domed or vaulted recess or projection on a building especially the east end of a church; usually contains the altar
- Similar words include: apsis
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "58. |X:X:X:X|
|X:X:X:X|
|X:X:X:X|"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "61. Crown"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that liver or meat or fowl finely minced or ground and variously seasoned
- Similar words include: poll, crown
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "62. Dynamic starter?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "63. Fictional region that includes Bag End"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a former administrative district of england; equivalent to a county
- Similar words include: shire horse
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37A: "64. Slap (at)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sharp blow
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38A: "65. "Your turn," on a radio"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (cricket) the division of play during which six balls are bowled at the batsman by one player from the other team from the same end of the pitch
- Similar words include: all over, terminated, o'er
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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39A: "66. Sent up on social media, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
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Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Show-offs | 7 |
| 2D | 2. Not many | 7 |
| 3D | 3. Levy that helped fund the Erie Canal | 7 |
| 4D | 4. Friend in tough times | 4 |
| 5D | 5. Paragraph starter, perhaps | 3 |
| 6D | 6. Archive | 5 |
| 7D | 7. Potato pancake for Hanukkah | 5 |
| 8D | 8. Campfire residue | 3 |
| 9D | 9. "Definitely!" | 3 |
| 10D | 10. Prince Harry, per his memoir's title | 5 |
| 11D | 11. Genomic shapes | 7 |
| 12D | 12. Put up with put-downs | 7 |
| 13D | 13. Baton wielder | 7 |
| 14D | 18. Galley implements | 4 |
| 15D | 22. Class that may require a change of clothes | 3 |
| 16D | 24. Leaves in a waiting room? | 4 |
| 17D | 25. Becomes tiresome | 5 |
| 18D | 26. Brand in the pet aisle | 4 |
| 19D | 28. Some vintage autos | 4 |
| 20D | 32. Khaki alternative | 5 |
| 21D | 33. Played the first card | 3 |
| 22D | 34. Possible score seven points after love-love | 4 |
| 23D | 36. Follow | 4 |
| 24D | 37. In unison, musically | 4 |
| 25D | 38. Case of emergency? | 7 |
| 26D | 39. Source of a large print | 7 |
| 27D | 40. Card game played with two decks | 7 |
| 28D | 43. Meat stick brand | 7 |
| 29D | 44. Commuter's charge | 7 |
| 30D | 45. Barraged with irrelevant material | 7 |
| 31D | 47. HPs, e.g. | 3 |
| 32D | 48. First tennis player to achieve a Golden Slam | 4 |
| 33D | 50. Become acquainted via Gmail, say | 5 |
| 34D | 51. Jump ___ (horror movie staple) | 5 |
| 35D | 52. Willing to take part in | 5 |
| 36D | 56. Pine | 4 |
| 37D | 58. Confucian "way" | 3 |
| 38D | 59. Energize, with "up" | 3 |
| 39D | 60. Suffix with capital | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Show-offs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who performs dangerous stunts to attract attention to himself
- Similar words include: frankfurter, dog, frank
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Not many"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Levy that helped fund the Erie Canal"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Friend in tough times"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a friendly nation
- Similar words include: friend
- Opposite of: foe
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Paragraph starter, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the bill in a restaurant
- Similar words include: pill, lozenge, tabloid
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Archive"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
- Similar words include: hive away, computer memory, stash away
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Potato pancake for Hanukkah"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that made of grated potato and egg with a little flour
- Similar words include: potato pancake
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Campfire residue"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the residue that remains when something is burned
- Similar words include: ash tree
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. "Definitely!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an affirmative
- Opposite of: no
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Prince Harry, per his memoir's title"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an extra component of a machine or other apparatus
- Similar words include: dispense with, fifth wheel, bare
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Genomic shapes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle
- Similar words include: genus Helix, Helix, spiral
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Put up with put-downs"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Baton wielder"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an artist of consummate skill
- Similar words include: master
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "18. Galley implements"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an implement used to propel or steer a boat
- Similar words include: oar
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "22. Class that may require a change of clothes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that athletic facility equipped for sports or physical training
- Similar words include: gymnasium
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "24. Leaves in a waiting room?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "25. Becomes tiresome"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that impairment resulting from long use
- Similar words include: wear upon, wear, jade
- Opposite of: refresh
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "26. Brand in the pet aisle"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "28. Some vintage autos"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "32. Khaki alternative"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that trousers made with chino cloth
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "33. Played the first card"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
- Similar words include: contribute, head, conduct
- Opposite of: follow
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "34. Possible score seven points after love-love"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "36. Follow"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
- Similar words include: buttocks, fundament, shadower
- Opposite of: head
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "37. In unison, musically"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "38. Case of emergency?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "39. Source of a large print"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "40. Card game played with two decks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a form of rummy using two decks of cards and four jokers; jokers and deuces are wild; the object is to form groups of the same rank
- Similar words include: meld, basket rummy
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "43. Meat stick brand"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "44. Commuter's charge"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fare charged for riding a bus or streetcar
- Similar words include: bus fare
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "45. Barraged with irrelevant material"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "47. HPs, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small digital computer based on a microprocessor and designed to be used by one person at a time
- Similar words include: PC, microcomputer, personal computer
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "48. First tennis player to achieve a Golden Slam"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that german tennis player who won seven women's singles titles at wimbledon (born in 1969)
- Similar words include: Stephanie Graf, Steffi Graf
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "50. Become acquainted via Gmail, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "51. Jump ___ (horror movie staple)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events
- Similar words include: affright, panic attack, frighten off
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "52. Willing to take part in"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "56. Pine"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain
- Similar words include: aching, pine, hurt
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "58. Confucian "way""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an adherent of any branch of taoism
- Similar words include: Taoist
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38D: "59. Energize, with "up""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that rate of revolution of a motor
- Similar words include: revolutions per minute, rev up, rpm
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
39D: "60. Suffix with capital"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
- Similar words include: doctrine, philosophical system, philosophy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Expert Solving Strategies
Start Smart
Begin with fill-in-the-blank clues and short 3-4 letter words. These are your foundation.
Decode the Clues
Question marks indicate wordplay or puns. "Maybe" suggests multiple interpretations.
Use Cross-References
Let intersecting letters guide you. One correct answer unlocks several others.
Build Vocabulary
Common crossword words repeat. Learning them speeds up future solving.
Today's Puzzle Stats
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