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 (31 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (33 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. Prepares, as shumai | 6 |
| 2A | 7. Paste commonly simulated by a blend of horseradish, mustard and green dye | 6 |
| 3A | 13. Rounded, say | 7 |
| 4A | 15. Late hour | 6 |
| 5A | 16. Pair's reassurance | 8 |
| 6A | 18. N.F.C. West team, informally | 6 |
| 7A | 19. "Go right ahead ..." | 9 |
| 8A | 21. Pecan, but not pumpkin | 4 |
| 9A | 22. Selena Gomez or Beyoncé, by birth | 5 |
| 10A | 23. Runaround? | 3 |
| 11A | 24. John ___, singer with the hit albums "Perfectly Good Guitar" and "Mystic Pinball" | 5 |
| 12A | 25. Withdraw (from) | 4 |
| 13A | 26. Part of an asymmetrical hairstyle | 9 |
| 14A | 28. Early giant in punch-card tabulating systems | 3 |
| 15A | 29. Giggle | 9 |
| 16A | 30. Element of economic globalization | 9 |
| 17A | 31. Desserts that may feature frangipane | 9 |
| 18A | 32. Part of what makes you you | 3 |
| 19A | 35. Online show pieces | 9 |
| 20A | 36. Result of a shopping spree | 4 |
| 21A | 37. Kite feature | 5 |
| 22A | 38. The Marlins, on scoreboards | 3 |
| 23A | 39. ___-corner | 5 |
| 24A | 40. Assert | 4 |
| 25A | 41. STEM field concern | 9 |
| 26A | 43. It's in the eye of the beholder | 6 |
| 27A | 45. Pull it together | 8 |
| 28A | 47. Rang | 6 |
| 29A | 48. Camp distribution | 7 |
| 30A | 49. Toasts | 6 |
| 31A | 50. Verse from Emily Dickinson or Emma Lazarus | 6 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Prepares, as shumai"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere
- Similar words include: steamer, steam clean, steam
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STEAMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "7. Paste commonly simulated by a blend of horseradish, mustard and green dye"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a japanese plant of the family cruciferae with a thick green root
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WASABI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "13. Rounded, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that having a well-proportioned and pleasing shape
- Opposite of: unshapely
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SHAPELY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "15. Late hour"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and one
- Similar words include: 11, football team, XI
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELEVEN
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5A: "16. Pair's reassurance"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WEREGOOD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "18. N.F.C. West team, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
- Similar words include: 9, IX, ennead
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NINERS
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7A: "19. "Go right ahead ...""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEMYGUEST
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8A: "21. Pecan, but not pumpkin"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
- Similar words include: Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, shoetree, corner
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TREE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "22. Selena Gomez or Beyoncé, by birth"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a native or resident of texas
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEXAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "23. Runaround?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the upper side of the thighs of a seated person
- Similar words include: circle, lick, swoosh
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "24. John ___, singer with the hit albums "Perfectly Good Guitar" and "Mystic Pinball""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HIATT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "25. Withdraw (from)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that gradually deprive (infants and young mammals) of mother's milk
- Similar words include: ablactate
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WEAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "26. Part of an asymmetrical hairstyle"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIDEBANGS
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14A: "28. Early giant in punch-card tabulating systems"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IBM
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15A: "29. Giggle"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEEHEEHEE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "30. Element of economic globalization"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRADEDEAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "31. Desserts that may feature frangipane"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEARTARTS
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18A: "32. Part of what makes you you"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (biochemistry) a long linear polymer found in the nucleus of a cell and formed from nucleotides and shaped like a double helix; associated with the transmission of genetic information
- Similar words include: desoxyribonucleic acid, deoxyribonucleic acid
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DNA
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19A: "35. Online show pieces"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WEBISODES
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20A: "36. Result of a shopping spree"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of drawing or hauling something
- Similar words include: hale, drag, cart
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAUL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "37. Kite feature"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TALON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "38. The Marlins, on scoreboards"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "39. ___-corner"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of various units of weight used in southeastern asia (especially a chinese measure equal to 500 grams)
- Similar words include: bitchy, cattie, cattish
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CATTY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "40. Assert"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
- Similar words include: swan, avouch, verify
- Opposite of: disavow
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "41. STEM field concern"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GENDERGAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "43. It's in the eye of the beholder"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the innermost light-sensitive membrane covering the back wall of the eyeball; it is continuous with the optic nerve
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RETINA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "45. Pull it together"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GETAGRIP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "47. Rang"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
- Similar words include: phone, call, ring
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PHONED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "48. Camp distribution"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the food allowance for one day (especially for service personnel)
- Similar words include: ration out, ration
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RATIONS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "49. Toasts"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a surface burn
- Similar words include: whistle, sear, singe
- Opposite of: keep quiet
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SINGES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "50. Verse from Emily Dickinson or Emma Lazarus"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
- Similar words include: sise, sextet, hexad
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SESTET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Duluth-to-Minneapolis dir. | 3 |
| 2D | 2. Broadcaster with a onetime coat-of-arms logo, informally | 7 |
| 3D | 3. Otoscopy, e.g. | 7 |
| 4D | 4. Anthropopithecus, e.g. | 6 |
| 5D | 5. Actress Price of the 2000s sitcom "Grounded for Life" | 5 |
| 6D | 6. Labor | 4 |
| 7D | 7. Took a turn | 4 |
| 8D | 8. Subject of the 1996 documentary "When We Were Kings" | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Watch party? | 8 |
| 10D | 10. Mean | 7 |
| 11D | 11. Some Basque headwear | 6 |
| 12D | 12. Exclave's spot in an atlas, often | 5 |
| 13D | 14. Critical response concerning a piece of fiction? | 11 |
| 14D | 17. Riding free as an employee, in airline lingo | 11 |
| 15D | 20. Real page-turner? | 11 |
| 16D | 22. Lead-in to light | 3 |
| 17D | 24. Gag reflexes? | 5 |
| 18D | 26. Scorches | 5 |
| 19D | 27. Roots for vegan burgers | 5 |
| 20D | 29. Part of a bridal outfit | 5 |
| 21D | 30. Signature QB move included as a feature in 2012's Madden NFL 13 video game | 8 |
| 22D | 31. Main pack in a bicycle race | 7 |
| 23D | 32. A bit corrupt, perhaps? | 7 |
| 24D | 33. Evergreen whose cones bear edible seeds | 7 |
| 25D | 34. Olympic gymnast Raisman | 3 |
| 26D | 35. Silently greet someone | 6 |
| 27D | 36. Pudding typically served with "neeps and tatties" | 6 |
| 28D | 37. Highly prized rewards on "Survivor" | 5 |
| 29D | 39. "This Side Up" container | 5 |
| 30D | 41. Roves | 4 |
| 31D | 42. HHH | 4 |
| 32D | 44. Once called | 3 |
| 33D | 46. Lake Tahoe winter hrs. | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Duluth-to-Minneapolis dir."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the compass point midway between south and southwest
- Similar words include: south southwest, sou'-sou'-west
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SSW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Broadcaster with a onetime coat-of-arms logo, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THEBEEB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Otoscopy, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EAREXAM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Anthropopithecus, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: APEMAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Actress Price of the 2000s sitcom "Grounded for Life""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEGYN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Labor"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that work doggedly or persistently
- Similar words include: footslog, trudge, peg away
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLOG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Took a turn"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
- Similar words include: get going, go bad, depart
- Opposite of: come, be born
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WENT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Subject of the 1996 documentary "When We Were Kings""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942)
- Similar words include: Muhammad Ali, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Cassius Clay
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Watch party?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
- Similar words include: lookout, spotter, scout
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SENTINEL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Mean"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a statistic describing the location of a distribution
- Similar words include: median, intermediate, norm
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVERAGE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Some Basque headwear"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a cap with no brim or bill; made of soft cloth
- Similar words include: beret
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BERETS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Exclave's spot in an atlas, often"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small picture inserted within the bounds or a larger one
- Similar words include: gusset, insert
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INSET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "14. Critical response concerning a piece of fiction?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YOULIEDTOME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "17. Riding free as an employee, in airline lingo"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEADHEADING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "20. Real page-turner?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPEEDREADER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "22. Lead-in to light"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TWI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "24. Gag reflexes?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAHAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "26. Scorches"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make very hot and dry
- Similar words include: sear, singe, parch
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "27. Roots for vegan burgers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that biennial eurasian plant usually having a swollen edible root; widely cultivated as a food crop
- Similar words include: beetroot, common beet, beet
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEETS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "29. Part of a bridal outfit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive
- Similar words include: take, string, civilise
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRAIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. Signature QB move included as a feature in 2012's Madden NFL 13 video game"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEBOWING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "31. Main pack in a bicycle race"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PELOTON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "32. A bit corrupt, perhaps?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DATAROT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "33. Evergreen whose cones bear edible seeds"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NUTPINE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "34. Olympic gymnast Raisman"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "35. Silently greet someone"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WAVEHI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "36. Pudding typically served with "neeps and tatties""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that made of sheep's or calf's viscera minced with oatmeal and suet and onions and boiled in the animal's stomach
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAGGIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "37. Highly prized rewards on "Survivor""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that waterproofed canvas
- Similar words include: tarp, tarpaulin
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TARPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "39. "This Side Up" container"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a rugged box (usually made of wood); used for shipping
- Similar words include: crateful
- Opposite of: uncrate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "41. Roves"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic free-floating anxiety and such symptoms as tension or sweating or trembling or lightheadedness or irritability etc that has lasted for more than six months
- Similar words include: generalized anxiety disorder, GAD, gallivant
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GADS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "42. HHH"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a terrorist organization organized in 1959 by student activists who were dissatisfied with the moderate nationalism of the traditional basque party; want to create an independent homeland in spain's western pyrenees
- Similar words include: Basque Homeland and Freedom, Basque Fatherland and Liberty, ETA
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "44. Once called"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (meaning literally `born') used to indicate the maiden or family name of a married woman
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "46. Lake Tahoe winter hrs."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that standard time in the 8th time zone west of greenwich, reckoned at the 120th meridian west; used in far western states of the united states
- Similar words include: Pacific Standard Time, Pacific Time
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PST
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
31 Across Clues
33 Down Clues
64 Total Clues
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