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. Representative Raskin of Maryland | 5 |
| 2A | 6. Coffee container | 3 |
| 3A | 9. One who measures meter by the feet? | 4 |
| 4A | 13. Plant used to make a Mexican beverage called "pulque" | 5 |
| 5A | 14. Exploits | 4 |
| 6A | 16. Guthrie who wrote "Alice's Restaurant" | 4 |
| 7A | 17. BAD ___ER MOVE | 15 |
| 8A | 20. Wine aperitif | 3 |
| 9A | 21. Pioneering Philips product of the 1970s, in brief | 3 |
| 10A | 22. Does to perfection | 5 |
| 11A | 23. Equipment that attaches to a mask | 7 |
| 12A | 26. Locale in the Christmas story | 3 |
| 13A | 27. ___TER | 13 |
| 14A | 33. Yeshiva head | 5 |
| 15A | 35. Blanchett of 2025's "Black Bag" | 4 |
| 16A | 36. Products of oogenesis | 3 |
| 17A | 37. Admission of defeat | 5 |
| 18A | 38. "Eureka!" | 3 |
| 19A | 39. Garnish amount | 5 |
| 20A | 41. Pewter, mostly | 3 |
| 21A | 42. Pre-calc course | 4 |
| 22A | 43. Minority group in Iraq and Turkey | 5 |
| 23A | 44. P___ANT QUEEN | 13 |
| 24A | 48. Video game franchise featuring 100+ species of dinosaurs | 3 |
| 25A | 49. Hoards | 7 |
| 26A | 52. "C'mon, speak up!" | 5 |
| 27A | 54. Prefix with label | 3 |
| 28A | 55. Unwell | 3 |
| 29A | 56. ___EAVOR | 15 |
| 30A | 60. Tea brand once owned by Starbucks | 4 |
| 31A | 61. Kind of high-fat diet | 4 |
| 32A | 62. Prey for a ladybug | 5 |
| 33A | 63. Blow out | 4 |
| 34A | 64. "You can no more win a ___ than you can win an earthquake": Jeannette Rankin | 3 |
| 35A | 65. ___ Park (gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park) | 5 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Representative Raskin of Maryland"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JAMIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "6. Coffee container"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the quantity that can be held in a mug
- Similar words include: chump, physiognomy, phiz
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MUG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "9. One who measures meter by the feet?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: POET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "13. Plant used to make a Mexican beverage called "pulque""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that tropical american plants with basal rosettes of fibrous sword-shaped leaves and flowers in tall spikes; some cultivated for ornament or for fiber
- Similar words include: century plant, American aloe
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGAVE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "14. Exploits"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of using
- Similar words include: utilise, US, apply
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: USES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "16. Guthrie who wrote "Alice's Restaurant""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARLO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "17. BAD ___ER MOVE"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CARELESSMISTAKE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "20. Wine aperitif"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KIR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "21. Pioneering Philips product of the 1970s, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a magnetic tape recorder for recording (and playing back) tv programs
- Similar words include: videocassette recorder
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VCR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "22. Does to perfection"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits
- Similar words include: breeze through, collar, sail through
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAILS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "23. Equipment that attaches to a mask"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that breathing device consisting of a bent tube fitting into a swimmer's mouth and extending above the surface; allows swimmer to breathe while face down in the water
- Similar words include: snorkel breather, schnorchel, breather
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNORKEL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "26. Locale in the Christmas story"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
- Similar words include: hostelry, hostel, auberge
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "27. ___TER"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WINLESSSEASON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "33. Yeshiva head"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that spiritual leader of a jewish congregation; qualified to expound and apply jewish law
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RABBI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "35. Blanchett of 2025's "Black Bag""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "36. Products of oogenesis"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the female reproductive cell; the female gamete
- Similar words include: egg cell, ovum
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OVA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "37. Admission of defeat"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ILOST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "38. "Eureka!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AHA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "39. Garnish amount"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
- Similar words include: branchlet, twig
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPRIG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "41. Pewter, mostly"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
- Similar words include: cannister, tin can, Sn
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "42. Pre-calc course"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the mathematics of triangles and trigonometric functions
- Similar words include: trim, clean-cut, trigonometry
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRIG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "43. Minority group in Iraq and Turkey"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of a largely pastoral islamic people who live in kurdistan; the largest ethnic group without their own state
- Similar words include: Kurd
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KURDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "44. P___ANT QUEEN"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGELESSBEAUTY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "48. Video game franchise featuring 100+ species of dinosaurs"
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: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "49. Hoards"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that collect or gather
- Similar words include: cumulate, collect, roll up
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMASSES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "52. "C'mon, speak up!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAYIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "54. Prefix with label"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ECO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "55. Unwell"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
- Similar words include: inauspicious, poorly, ominous
- Opposite of: well
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ILL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "56. ___EAVOR"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENDLESSSTRUGGLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "60. Tea brand once owned by Starbucks"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAZO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "61. Kind of high-fat diet"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KETO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "62. Prey for a ladybug"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of various small plant-sucking insects
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: APHID
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "63. Blow out"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth
- Similar words include: vomit up, spit, puke
- Opposite of: keep down
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPEW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "64. "You can no more win a ___ than you can win an earthquake": Jeannette Rankin"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
- Similar words include: warfare, state of war
- Opposite of: peace, make peace
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "65. ___ Park (gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESTES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Powerful cards in euchre | 5 |
| 2D | 2. Over | 5 |
| 3D | 3. Ingredient in osso buco | 10 |
| 4D | 4. "___ gotta run" | 3 |
| 5D | 5. Metaphor for slipperiness | 3 |
| 6D | 6. Chargers and Challengers | 10 |
| 7D | 7. Country that boycotted the 1984 Olympics | 4 |
| 8D | 8. Something a lapidary cuts | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Green film on copper, e.g. | 6 |
| 10D | 10. Spoken | 4 |
| 11D | 11. Animals that bugle | 4 |
| 12D | 12. Pedicure target | 3 |
| 13D | 15. Gary of "Apollo 13" | 6 |
| 14D | 18. Knievel in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame | 4 |
| 15D | 19. Sensible | 4 |
| 16D | 24. Classic barbecue fare | 4 |
| 17D | 25. Intertwined | 4 |
| 18D | 28. Hindi honorific | 5 |
| 19D | 29. One providing timely delivery? | 10 |
| 20D | 30. One's appearance after a difficult journey, say | 10 |
| 21D | 31. "Metamorphoses" writer | 4 |
| 22D | 32. Bothers, bothers, bothers | 4 |
| 23D | 33. Meter maid in a Beatles hit | 4 |
| 24D | 34. Sacha Baron Cohen character | 4 |
| 25D | 39. Arctic seabird nicknamed "aerial pirate" | 4 |
| 26D | 40. Counterparts to calls, in stock lingo | 4 |
| 27D | 42. "For shame!" | 6 |
| 28D | 45. Strike down | 6 |
| 29D | 46. ___ Triangle (coastal section of Pennsylvania) | 4 |
| 30D | 47. Spanish sweetheart | 4 |
| 31D | 50. Kemper of "The Office" | 5 |
| 32D | 51. Toys that may be carried or pulled | 5 |
| 33D | 52. Breeze | 4 |
| 34D | 53. Woodworking tool | 4 |
| 35D | 54. "___ bien" | 4 |
| 36D | 56. Saucer contents, informally | 3 |
| 37D | 57. Wrap (up) | 3 |
| 38D | 58. Nation ruled by six royal families, in brief | 3 |
| 39D | 59. Driver's guide, for short | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Powerful cards in euchre"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a game in which jackstones are thrown and picked up in various groups between bounces of a small rubber ball
- Similar words include: seaman, jak, seafarer
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JACKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Over"
Solving Hints:
- Similar words include: once more, over again, once again
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGAIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Ingredient in osso buco"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a bone containing edible marrow; used especially in flavoring soup
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MARROWBONE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. "___ gotta run""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IVE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Metaphor for slipperiness"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fatty flesh of eel; an elongate fish found in fresh water in europe and america; large eels are usually smoked or pickled
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EEL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Chargers and Challengers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MUSCLECARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Country that boycotted the 1984 Olympics"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a former communist country in eastern europe and northern asia; established in 1922; included russia and 14 other soviet socialist republics (ukraine and byelorussia and others); officially dissolved 31 december 1991
- Similar words include: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Soviet Union, Russia
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: USSR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Something a lapidary cuts"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that art highly prized for its beauty or perfection
- Similar words include: treasure, precious stone, stone
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GEM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Green film on copper, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PATINA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Spoken"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an examination conducted by spoken communication
- Similar words include: oral examination, viva voce, unwritten
- Opposite of: aboral, anal
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Animals that bugle"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male; called `elk' in europe and `moose' in north america
- Similar words include: moose, wapiti, Cervus elaphus canadensis
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Pedicure target"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of the digits of the foot
- Similar words include: toenail
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "15. Gary of "Apollo 13""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SINISE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "18. Knievel in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EVEL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "19. Sensible"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that mentally healthy; free from mental disorder
- Similar words include: reasonable
- Opposite of: insane
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SANE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "24. Classic barbecue fare"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that support resembling the rib of an animal
- Similar words include: roast, ridicule, blackguard
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIBS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "25. Intertwined"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fabric made by knitting
- Similar words include: entwine, cockle, plain stitch
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KNIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "28. Hindi honorific"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that formerly a term of respect for important white europeans in colonial india; used after the name
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAHIB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "29. One providing timely delivery?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAGEACTOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "30. One's appearance after a difficult journey, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SORRYSIGHT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "31. "Metamorphoses" writer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that roman poet remembered for his elegiac verses on love (43 bc - ad 17)
- Similar words include: Publius Ovidius Naso
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OVID
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "32. Bothers, bothers, bothers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault
- Similar words include: nag, hack, scold
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "33. Meter maid in a Beatles hit"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RITA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "34. Sacha Baron Cohen character"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALIG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "39. Arctic seabird nicknamed "aerial pirate""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that gull-like jaeger of northern seas
- Similar words include: bonxie
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SKUA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "40. Counterparts to calls, in stock lingo"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the option to sell a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date
- Similar words include: place, pose, redact
- Opposite of: divest, call option
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PUTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "42. "For shame!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TSKTSK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "45. Strike down"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAYLOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "46. ___ Triangle (coastal section of Pennsylvania)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of an iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of lake erie in northern ohio and northwest pennsylvania and western new york
- Similar words include: Lake Erie
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "47. Spanish sweetheart"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (roman mythology) god of love; counterpart of greek eros
- Similar words include: Cupid
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "50. Kemper of "The Office""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELLIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "51. Toys that may be carried or pulled"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow
- Similar words include: sleigh, sled, sledge
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLEDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "52. Breeze"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of catching an object with the hands
- Similar words include: snap fastener, child's play, ginger nut
- Opposite of: inelasticity
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "53. Woodworking tool"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an edge tool used to cut and shape wood
- Similar words include: adz
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADZE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "54. "___ bien""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESTA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "56. Saucer contents, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "57. Wrap (up)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fasten by sewing; do needlework
- Similar words include: sew together, tailor, run up
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38D: "58. Nation ruled by six royal families, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UAE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
39D: "59. Driver's guide, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a navigational system involving satellites and computers that can determine the latitude and longitude of a receiver on earth by computing the time difference for signals from different satellites to reach the receiver
- Similar words include: Global Positioning System
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GPS
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
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