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 (35 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. Hectic time for JFK | 4 |
| 2A | 5. Bar of note? | 4 |
| 3A | 9. Texter's "Hang on a sec" | 3 |
| 4A | 12. Tightfisted sort | 5 |
| 5A | 14. Took an Uber, say | 4 |
| 6A | 15. Top banana | 4 |
| 7A | 16. Biggest restaurant size that nevertheless is often topped? | 15 |
| 8A | 19. Logic gate that is only on when neither input is | 3 |
| 9A | 20. Like many films in teaser trailers | 11 |
| 10A | 21. Spanish "both" | 6 |
| 11A | 23. Top banana, for short | 3 |
| 12A | 24. Ocean-mapping instruments | 6 |
| 13A | 25. Upper limit that cannot be exceeded | 7 |
| 14A | 29. Torment | 5 |
| 15A | 30. Symbol in the Kentucky Derby logo | 4 |
| 16A | 31. Jazz singer Anita | 4 |
| 17A | 33. Holders of nets | 4 |
| 18A | 34. Schlepped | 5 |
| 19A | 35. SCOTUS head count | 4 |
| 20A | 36. "Got it" | 4 |
| 21A | 37. Those for | 4 |
| 22A | 38. Sing like Sinatra | 5 |
| 23A | 39. Mickey Mouse | 7 |
| 24A | 41. Jewelry fasteners | 6 |
| 25A | 42. ___ will | 3 |
| 26A | 43. Slangy response to a knock at the door | 6 |
| 27A | 44. Onetime rap group whose initials spell out a synonym for "Jump Around," appropriately | 11 |
| 28A | 49. Unresponsive, maybe, for short | 3 |
| 29A | 51. Current affairs? | 15 |
| 30A | 53. Polite request | 4 |
| 31A | 54. Public transport option | 4 |
| 32A | 55. Popular toys, in a plural form officially discouraged by their maker | 5 |
| 33A | 56. ___ admin (I.T. role) | 3 |
| 34A | 57. "Look, here's the deal ..." | 4 |
| 35A | 58. Refuses to | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Hectic time for JFK"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a christian holiday celebrating the birth of christ; a quarter day in england, wales, and ireland
- Similar words include: Christmas, Dec 25, Christmas Day
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: XMAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. Bar of note?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that agitation resulting from active worry
- Similar words include: key pattern, fuss, swither
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FRET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "9. Texter's "Hang on a sec""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRB
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4A: "12. Tightfisted sort"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a stingy hoarder of money and possessions (often living miserably)
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MISER
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5A: "14. Took an Uber, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
- Similar words include: depend on, tease, hinge on
- Opposite of: walk
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RODE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "15. Top banana"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a male monarch or emperor (especially of russia prior to 1917)
- Similar words include: tsar, tzar
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CZAR
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7A: "16. Biggest restaurant size that nevertheless is often topped?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EXTRALARGEPIZZA
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8A: "19. Logic gate that is only on when neither input is"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOR
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9A: "20. Like many films in teaser trailers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTYETRATED
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10A: "21. Spanish "both""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOSDOS
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11A: "23. Top banana, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the corporate executive responsible for the operations of the firm; reports to a board of directors; may appoint other managers (including a president)
- Similar words include: chief executive officer, chief operating officer
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CEO
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12A: "24. Ocean-mapping instruments"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a measuring instrument that sends out an acoustic pulse in water and measures distances in terms of the time for the echo of the pulse to return
- Similar words include: echo sounder, sonar, asdic
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SONARS
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13A: "25. Upper limit that cannot be exceeded"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HARDCAP
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14A: "29. Torment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain
- Similar words include: torture, suffering, excruciation
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGONY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "30. Symbol in the Kentucky Derby logo"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of many shrubs of the genus rosa that bear roses
- Similar words include: stand up, rosaceous, rise up
- Opposite of: turn in, wane
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROSE
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16A: "31. Jazz singer Anita"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ODAY
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17A: "33. Holders of nets"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object
- Similar words include: rim, brim, flange
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIMS
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18A: "34. Schlepped"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that carry with difficulty
- Similar words include: add up, total, summate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOTED
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19A: "35. SCOTUS head count"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
- Similar words include: niner, baseball club, ennead
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NINE
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20A: "36. "Got it""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ISEE
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21A: "37. Those for"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AYES
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22A: "38. Sing like Sinatra"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that sing softly
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CROON
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23A: "39. Mickey Mouse"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (informal) small and of little importance
- Similar words include: footling, superficial, petty
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRIVIAL
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24A: "41. Jewelry fasteners"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fastener (as a buckle or hook) that is used to hold two things together
- Similar words include: grasp, grip, clench
- Opposite of: unclasp, unbuckle
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLASPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "42. ___ will"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
- Similar words include: inauspicious, badly, complaint
- Opposite of: well
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ILL
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26A: "43. Slangy response to a knock at the door"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHODAT
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27A: "44. Onetime rap group whose initials spell out a synonym for "Jump Around," appropriately"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOUSEOFPAIN
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28A: "49. Unresponsive, maybe, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MIA
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29A: "51. Current affairs?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELECTRODYNAMICS
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30A: "53. Polite request"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAYI
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31A: "54. Public transport option"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers
- Similar words include: ropeway, trolley, tramcar
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRAM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "55. Popular toys, in a plural form officially discouraged by their maker"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (trademark) a child's plastic construction set for making mechanical models
- Similar words include: Lego set, Lego
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEGOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "56. ___ admin (I.T. role)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SYS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "57. "Look, here's the deal ...""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OKSO
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35A: "58. Refuses to"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an established custom
- Similar words include: habit
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WONT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Group of mutants | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Expert on cosmos? | 10 |
| 3D | 3. Expert on the cosmos | 10 |
| 4D | 4. "To be," in Tijuana | 3 |
| 5D | 5. Goals for those in a rush, informally | 5 |
| 6D | 6. Golf great McIlroy | 4 |
| 7D | 7. Unlikely scenarios, in techspeak | 9 |
| 8D | 8. Vacillated | 8 |
| 9D | 9. [WRONG!] | 4 |
| 10D | 10. Level | 4 |
| 11D | 11. Two-pronged fastener | 4 |
| 12D | 13. Was used up | 6 |
| 13D | 15. Stan's workplace on "American Dad!," for short | 3 |
| 14D | 17. Places to go in the U.K. | 4 |
| 15D | 18. Spur | 4 |
| 16D | 22. Third-generation Japanese American | 6 |
| 17D | 24. Draped garment | 4 |
| 18D | 25. Resting place | 5 |
| 19D | 26. Pulitzer-winning poet Aiken | 6 |
| 20D | 27. "Later, dude!" | 10 |
| 21D | 28. Prison design that allows one guard to keep watch on all the inmates | 10 |
| 22D | 30. Chess tactic in which the king and queen are attacked simultaneously by a single piece | 9 |
| 23D | 32. Itches | 4 |
| 24D | 34. Personalize for | 8 |
| 25D | 38. Like offspring in a strictly asexual lineage | 6 |
| 26D | 40. ___ Nam | 4 |
| 27D | 41. Likely contact point of an uppercut | 4 |
| 28D | 43. Self-driving car company started by Google | 5 |
| 29D | 44. Closes (in) | 4 |
| 30D | 45. Big name in skin care | 4 |
| 31D | 46. Some missed-exit maneuvers, informally | 4 |
| 32D | 47. Poli-___ (certain college major, for short) | 3 |
| 33D | 48. Smartphone predecessors, for short | 4 |
| 34D | 50. Second: Abbr. | 4 |
| 35D | 52. Copy cats? | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Group of mutants"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: XMEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Expert on cosmos?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an employee who mixes and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar
- Similar words include: barkeeper, barkeep, bartender
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MIXOLOGIST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Expert on the cosmos"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a physicist who studies astronomy
- Similar words include: uranologist, stargazer
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASTRONOMER
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4D: "4. "To be," in Tijuana"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SER
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5D: "5. Goals for those in a rush, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a social club for male undergraduates
- Similar words include: frat, fraternity
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FRATS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Golf great McIlroy"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RORY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Unlikely scenarios, in techspeak"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDGECASES
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8D: "8. Vacillated"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move unsteadily, with a rocking motion
- Similar words include: seesaw, teeter, totter
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEETERED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. [WRONG!]"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BZZT
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10D: "10. Level"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that tear down so as to make flat with the ground
- Similar words include: take down, level, pull down
- Opposite of: raise
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAZE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Two-pronged fastener"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small nail
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRAD
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12D: "13. Was used up"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RANDRY
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13D: "15. Stan's workplace on "American Dad!," for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an independent agency of the united states government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest; headed by the director of central intelligence under the supervision of the president and national security council
- Similar words include: Central Intelligence Agency
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "17. Places to go in the U.K."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that austrian architect (1870-1933)
- Similar words include: closet, water closet, W.C.
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "18. Spur"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something
- Similar words include: egg on, goading, stab
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PROD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "22. Third-generation Japanese American"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SANSEI
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17D: "24. Draped garment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a dress worn primarily by hindu women; consists of several yards of light material that is draped around the body
- Similar words include: saree
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SARI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "25. Resting place"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOTEL
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19D: "26. Pulitzer-winning poet Aiken"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that english novelist (born in poland) noted for sea stories and for his narrative technique (1857-1924)
- Similar words include: Joseph Conrad, Teodor Josef Konrad Korzeniowski
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CONRAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "27. "Later, dude!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADIOSAMIGO
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21D: "28. Prison design that allows one guard to keep watch on all the inmates"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an area where everything is visible
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PANOPTICON
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22D: "30. Chess tactic in which the king and queen are attacked simultaneously by a single piece"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROYALFORK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "32. Itches"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a yearning for something or to do something
- Similar words include: yen, yearn, ache
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YENS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "34. Personalize for"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAILORTO
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25D: "38. Like offspring in a strictly asexual lineage"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that of or relating to a clone
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLONAL
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26D: "40. ___ Nam"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VIET
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27D: "41. Likely contact point of an uppercut"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the protruding part of the lower jaw
- Similar words include: Kuki, Kuki-Chin, chin up
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "43. Self-driving car company started by Google"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WAYMO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "44. Closes (in)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the edge of a piece of cloth; especially the finished edge that has been doubled under and stitched down
- Similar words include: ahem, hem
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "45. Big name in skin care"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OLAY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "46. Some missed-exit maneuvers, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UEYS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "47. Poli-___ (certain college major, for short)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "48. Smartphone predecessors, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a lightweight consumer electronic device that looks like a hand-held computer but instead performs specific tasks; can serve as a diary or a personal database or a telephone or an alarm clock etc.
- Similar words include: personal organizer, organizer, organiser
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PDAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "50. Second: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASST
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35D: "52. Copy cats?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the sound made by a cat (or any sound resembling this)
- Similar words include: sea mew, miaou, miaul
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEW
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
35 Down Clues
70 Total Clues
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