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 (34 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (36 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. Five-note jingle for "The Gift That Grows" | 10 |
| 2A | 11. Tech news site | 4 |
| 3A | 15. Message that comes with a pointer | 10 |
| 4A | 16. Symbol of love | 4 |
| 5A | 17. Changes in form, but not in essence | 10 |
| 6A | 18. To: Abbr. | 4 |
| 7A | 19. Cookie, e.g. | 7 |
| 8A | 20. Question in a stalemate | 7 |
| 9A | 22. Urge | 3 |
| 10A | 23. "Show some manners!" | 8 |
| 11A | 24. Classic Harlem ballroom | 5 |
| 12A | 27. Get one's hands on, informally | 3 |
| 13A | 28. Did a boring job? | 5 |
| 14A | 29. Hot environment | 4 |
| 15A | 30. Throwing weapons for the Dark Knight | 9 |
| 16A | 32. Zip | 3 |
| 17A | 33. Indie music's ___ Iver | 3 |
| 18A | 34. Sword's alternative | 3 |
| 19A | 35. Chinese steamed bun | 3 |
| 20A | 37. Supplementary materials accompanying a home movie purchase | 9 |
| 21A | 40. Doozy | 4 |
| 22A | 41. Trap in the water | 5 |
| 23A | 42. Catches | 3 |
| 24A | 43. Ticket selector | 5 |
| 25A | 44. Thorough, say | 8 |
| 26A | 46. Rihanna's "Take a ___" (2008) | 3 |
| 27A | 47. (The) shaft, so to speak | 7 |
| 28A | 48. Not all there upstairs? | 7 |
| 29A | 52. Some altarations? | 4 |
| 30A | 53. Burkina Faso, before 1984 | 10 |
| 31A | 55. Captain in Melville's "Billy Budd" | 4 |
| 32A | 56. Renowned naturalist buried at Rwanda's Karisoke Research Center | 10 |
| 33A | 57. Singing sister of Aretha | 4 |
| 34A | 58. Nervously inhales? | 10 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Five-note jingle for "The Gift That Grows""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHCHCHCHIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "11. Tech news site"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CNET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "15. Message that comes with a pointer"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YOUAREHERE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "16. Symbol of love"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of many shrubs of the genus rosa that bear roses
- Similar words include: lift, come up, blush wine
- Opposite of: set, go to bed
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROSE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "17. Changes in form, but not in essence"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the product of vaporization of a solid
- Similar words include: sublimate, subtilize, distill
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUBLIMATES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "18. To: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATTN
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7A: "19. Cookie, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who tracks down game
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRACKER
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8A: "20. Question in a stalemate"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOWWHAT
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9A: "22. Urge"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a yearning for something or to do something
- Similar words include: languish, ache, yearn
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YEN
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10A: "23. "Show some manners!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEPOLITE
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11A: "24. Classic Harlem ballroom"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a geographical region of historical importance; a former duchy in what is now southwestern france, western switzerland, and northwestern italy
- Similar words include: savoy cabbage
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAVOY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "27. Get one's hands on, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that uncomplimentary terms for a policeman
- Similar words include: pick up, snitch, hook
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "28. Did a boring job?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that get from the earth by excavation
- Similar words include: mine
- Opposite of: unmined
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MINED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "29. Hot environment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that kitchen appliance used for baking or roasting
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OVEN
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15A: "30. Throwing weapons for the Dark Knight"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BATARANGS
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16A: "32. Zip"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a quantity of no importance
- Similar words include: nothing, naught, aught
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NIL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "33. Indie music's ___ Iver"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BON
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18A: "34. Sword's alternative"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
- Similar words include: indite, playpen, compose
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEN
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19A: "35. Chinese steamed bun"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BAO
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20A: "37. Supplementary materials accompanying a home movie purchase"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DVDEXTRAS
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21A: "40. Doozy"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a very attractive or seductive looking woman
- Similar words include: dish, looker, smasher
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LULU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "41. Trap in the water"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a wicker basket used by anglers to hold fish
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CREEL
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23A: "42. Catches"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing; the right ascension for an observer at a particular location and time of day
- Similar words include: receive, deliver, HA
- Opposite of: refuse, abstain
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "43. Ticket selector"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a citizen who has a legal right to vote
- Similar words include: elector
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VOTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "44. Thorough, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that provide details for
- Similar words include: elaborate, elaborated, detail
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DETAILED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "46. Rihanna's "Take a ___" (2008)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
- Similar words include: bend, curtain call, bowing
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "47. (The) shaft, so to speak"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAWDEAL
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28A: "48. Not all there upstairs?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BALDISH
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29A: "52. Some altarations?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an artificial language that is a revision and simplification of esperanto
- Similar words include: Ido
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "53. Burkina Faso, before 1984"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UPPERVOLTA
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31A: "55. Captain in Melville's "Billy Budd""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VERE
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32A: "56. Renowned naturalist buried at Rwanda's Karisoke Research Center"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIANFOSSEY
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33A: "57. Singing sister of Aretha"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERMA
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34A: "58. Nervously inhales?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STRESSEATS
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Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Target for surgical excision | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Time | 4 |
| 3D | 3. Country where the game of dominoes is a national pastime | 4 |
| 4D | 4. Characterized by great happiness | 7 |
| 5D | 5. "Sheesh!" | 6 |
| 6D | 6. Mr. Universe contestants | 5 |
| 7D | 7. Burn | 4 |
| 8D | 8. All worked (up) | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Greek actress who brought Elektra, Penelope, Antigone and Helen of Troy to the screen | 10 |
| 10D | 10. Man who made animals talk | 5 |
| 11D | 11. Stumble home after a night out, say | 7 |
| 12D | 12. Just | 10 |
| 13D | 13. Something you may be willing to hold? | 10 |
| 14D | 14. Camped out, say | 6 |
| 15D | 21. Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal ___" | 5 |
| 16D | 23. Fake poster | 3 |
| 17D | 24. "___ of Frankenstein" (1939 movie sequel) | 3 |
| 18D | 25. Person who gets a lot of texts? | 10 |
| 19D | 26. Sluglike creature known for its soft, water-repellent skin | 10 |
| 20D | 27. Has no control | 10 |
| 21D | 30. Word with shadow or shoe | 3 |
| 22D | 31. Lo-___ | 3 |
| 23D | 33. Contradict | 5 |
| 24D | 36. Abba's "___ Last Summer" | 3 |
| 25D | 38. Outlet for the Jordan River | 7 |
| 26D | 39. Super-keen | 3 |
| 27D | 40. Weak amount of medicine | 7 |
| 28D | 41. Primary PC storage | 6 |
| 29D | 43. EX30, EX40 and XC60 | 6 |
| 30D | 45. Praises | 5 |
| 31D | 46. Fails to keep things down | 5 |
| 32D | 48. Nota ___ | 4 |
| 33D | 49. Classic film character who says "Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time" | 4 |
| 34D | 50. Proofreader's command | 4 |
| 35D | 51. Kansas' Fort ___ | 4 |
| 36D | 54. Swinger's goal, perhaps | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Target for surgical excision"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a closed sac that develops abnormally in some body structure
- Similar words include: vesicle
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CYST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Time"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
- Similar words include: 60 minutes, hr, minute
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOUR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Country where the game of dominoes is a national pastime"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a communist state in the caribbean on the island of cuba
- Similar words include: Republic of Cuba
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CUBA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Characterized by great happiness"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (greek mythology) a woman who was turned into a kingfisher
- Similar words include: prosperous, genus Halcyon, Alcyone
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HALCYON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. "Sheesh!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRIKEY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Mr. Universe contestants"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEMEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Burn"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a charred substance
- Similar words include: cleaning lady, charr, coal
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. All worked (up)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that made warm or hot (`het' is a dialectal variant of `heated')
- Similar words include: heated, het up, heated up
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Greek actress who brought Elektra, Penelope, Antigone and Helen of Troy to the screen"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IRENEPAPAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Man who made animals talk"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that greek author of fables (circa 620-560 bc)
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AESOP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Stumble home after a night out, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRAWLIN
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12D: "12. Just"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTHINGBUT
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13D: "13. Something you may be willing to hold?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESTATESALE
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14D: "14. Camped out, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that live in or as if in a tent
- Similar words include: encamp, bivouac, camp
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENTED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "21. Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal ___""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
- Similar words include: cleaning lady, womanhood, adult female
- Opposite of: man
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WOMAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "23. Fake poster"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that botfly larva; typically develops inside the body of a horse or sheep or human
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "24. "___ of Frankenstein" (1939 movie sequel)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a male human offspring
- Similar words include: boy, Logos, Word
- Opposite of: daughter, girl
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "25. Person who gets a lot of texts?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVIDREADER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "26. Sluglike creature known for its soft, water-repellent skin"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VELVETWORM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "27. Has no control"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CANTHELPIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. Word with shadow or shoe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
- Similar words include: boxful, corner, box seat
- Opposite of: unbox
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "31. Lo-___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a widely distributed system consisting of all the cells able to ingest bacteria or colloidal particles etc, except for certain white blood cells
- Similar words include: reticuloendothelial system, ray, atomic number 75
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "33. Contradict"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that be in contradiction with
- Similar words include: contradict, misrepresent, negate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BELIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "36. Abba's "___ Last Summer""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OUR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "38. Outlet for the Jordan River"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEADSEA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "39. Super-keen"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material
- Similar words include: radian
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "40. Weak amount of medicine"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOWDOSE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "41. Primary PC storage"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CDRIVE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "43. EX30, EX40 and XC60"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VOLVOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "45. Praises"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that praise, glorify, or honor
- Similar words include: laud, extol, glorify
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAUDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "46. Fails to keep things down"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the matter ejected in vomiting
- Similar words include: sick, honk, barf
- Opposite of: keep down
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BARFS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "48. Nota ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BENE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "49. Classic film character who says "Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ILSA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "50. Proofreader's command"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that printing: cancel, as of a correction or deletion
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "51. Kansas' Fort ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states lawyer and politician who formulated a production code that prescribed the moral content of united states films from 1930 to 1966 (1879-1954)
- Similar words include: Arthur Garfield Hays, Will Hays, William Harrison Hays
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAYS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "54. Swinger's goal, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course
- Similar words include: equation, equality, equivalence
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Expert Solving Strategies
Start Smart
Begin with fill-in-the-blank clues and short 3-4 letter words. These are your foundation.
Decode the Clues
Question marks indicate wordplay or puns. "Maybe" suggests multiple interpretations.
Use Cross-References
Let intersecting letters guide you. One correct answer unlocks several others.
Build Vocabulary
Common crossword words repeat. Learning them speeds up future solving.
Today's Puzzle Stats
34 Across Clues
36 Down Clues
70 Total Clues
More NYT Crossword Help
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