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Friday, July 10, 2026

Trivia Week 2 NYT Mini July 10, 2026 Solutions & Guide

NYT Mini Crossword Trivia Week 2 July 10, 2026 - Daily Answers

Quick Summary: Today's NYT Mini Crossword has 20 clues total. We have all the answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!

Popular Puzzles: Todays Across Crossword NYT October 04 | NYT Down Today December 01 2025 | NYT Across Clues Answers October 30 |

About Today's Puzzle

NYT Mini Crossword solutions for July 10, 2026
NYT Mini Crossword Grid - Friday, July 10, 2026
Puzzle Statistics
Detail Information
Date July 10, 2026
Grid Size 5 x 5 squares
Total Clues 20 clues
Across Clues 10 clues
Down Clues 10 clues
Average Solve Time Under 1 minute

Today's Trivia Week {week_num} NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout

This puzzle uses a 5 by 5 grid. That means 5 boxes across and 5 boxes down.

5x5 Crossword Grid Pattern
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5
Row 1          
Row 2          
Row 3          
Row 4          
Row 5          

How to Solve This Puzzle Fast

  1. Read all the clues first - your brain will start working on them
  2. Fill in the short words first (3 letters or less)
  3. Use the crossing letters to help with harder words
  4. If a clue has a question mark (?), it's probably a joke or play on words
  5. Common short words: THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT

Quick Facts About This Puzzle

  • Total squares in grid: 25 (5 times 5)
  • Average time to solve: Less than 1 minute
  • Best time to play: During a coffee break
  • Difficulty level: Made for everyone to enjoy

Across Clues - 10 Total

These clues go from left to right in the puzzle.

Across Clues List
Number Clue
1 Across 44. Semi segments
2 Across 43. Virginia Woolf's "___ Dalloway"
3 Across 18. Source of the Coneheads, in brief
4 Across 53. Mint
5 Across 40. Class act?
6 Across 29. Wills
7 Across 28. Nimble
8 Across 50. Lego founder ___ Kirk Christiansen
9 Across 37. Boost
10 Across 60. Just beat

Hints and Answers for Across Clues

Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:


1 Across: "44. Semi segments"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: C__S

Answer:

Click to reveal CABS


2 Across: "43. Virginia Woolf's "___ Dalloway""

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
  • Another word like this: Mrs.

Answer:

Click to reveal MRS


3 Across: "18. Source of the Coneheads, in brief"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'L'
  • This is a short form or acronym

Answer:

Click to reveal SNL


4 Across: "53. Mint"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'W'
  • Another word like this: freshly

Answer:

Click to reveal NEW


5 Across: "40. Class act?"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: T__T

Answer:

Click to reveal TEST


6 Across: "29. Wills"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 7 letters
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: O_____S

Answer:

Click to reveal ORDAINS


7 Across: "28. Nimble"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: D__T

Answer:

Click to reveal DEFT


8 Across: "50. Lego founder ___ Kirk Christiansen"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
  • This is a short form or acronym

Answer:

Click to reveal OLE


9 Across: "37. Boost"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 7 letters
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: E_____E

Answer:

Click to reveal ENHANCE


10 Across: "60. Just beat"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: E___D

Answer:

Click to reveal EDGED

Down Clues - 10 Total

These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.

Down Clues List
Number Clue
1 Down 12. Relatives of sloths
2 Down 56. H.S.-level exam
3 Down 42. "___ Taking the Hobbits to Isengard" (viral video from 2005)
4 Down 22. Branzino, by another name
5 Down 7. "Enough!"
6 Down 5. Short Instagram video
7 Down 49. Coat material
8 Down 34. "___ Boot"
9 Down 2. In tandem
10 Down 46. Quite the

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:


1 Down: "12. Relatives of sloths"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 9 letters
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: A_______S

Answer:

Click to reveal ANTEATERS


2 Down: "56. H.S.-level exam"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'G' and ends with 'D'
  • This is a short form or acronym

Answer:

Click to reveal GED


3 Down: "42. "___ Taking the Hobbits to Isengard" (viral video from 2005)"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 6 letters
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: T____E

Answer:

Click to reveal THEYRE


4 Down: "22. Branzino, by another name"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 7 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: S_____S

Answer:

Click to reveal SEABASS


5 Down: "7. "Enough!""

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 6 letters
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: N____E

Answer:

Click to reveal NOMORE


6 Down: "5. Short Instagram video"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'L'
  • Word pattern: R__L

Answer:

Click to reveal REEL


7 Down: "49. Coat material"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: T___D

Answer:

Click to reveal TWEED


8 Down: "34. "___ Boot""

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
  • Another word like this: hyrax

Answer:

Click to reveal DAS


9 Down: "2. In tandem"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: A___E

Answer:

Click to reveal ASONE


10 Down: "46. Quite the"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: S__E

Answer:

Click to reveal SOME

How to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster

Here are the best tips from expert solvers:

Step-by-Step Strategy

  1. Quick Scan: Read all clues once. Your brain starts working on them right away.
  2. Easy First: Fill in the shortest words (2-3 letters). These are usually simple words like "IT" or "ON".
  3. Use Crossings: When letters cross, they help you figure out harder words.
  4. Watch for Wordplay: Clues with question marks (?) are jokes or puns.
  5. Common Words: Remember these appear often: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE.

Letter Tips That Really Help

  • The letter E is the most common in English
  • Words ending in S are often plurals
  • If you see "___" in a clue, the answer fits those blanks exactly
  • Abbreviations in clues mean the answer is also abbreviated

Time Goals to Aim For

Your Time Skill Level What It Means
Under 30 seconds Expert You know the puzzle patterns very well!
30-60 seconds Advanced Great job! You solve quickly.
1-2 minutes Good You're doing well. Keep practicing!
Over 2 minutes Learning You'll get faster with practice.

Puzzle Numbers and Facts

Today's Puzzle by the Numbers
Total Clues: 20 clues to solve
Grid Size: 5 boxes across, 5 boxes down
Total Squares: 25 squares to fill
Average Time: Most people solve in 1 minute 3 seconds
Difficulty: Normal

Common Questions About Trivia Week 2

When can I play the Trivia Week 2 Mini?

The Trivia Week 2 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.

How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 2?

Most people solve the Trivia Week 2 Mini in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Don't worry if you take longer - speed comes with practice!

Do I need to pay to play Trivia Week 2?

No! The Trivia Week 2 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.

What makes a good Trivia Week 2 solver?

Good Trivia Week 2 solvers know common short words, can spot wordplay quickly, and use crossing letters well. Practice helps a lot!

Are the puzzles harder during Trivia Week 2?

Trivia Week 2 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.


About This Page: We provide hints and answers for the NYT Mini Crossword to help you learn and improve. This site is not connected to The New York Times.

Last Updated: July 10, 2026 at 06:59 AM

Search terms: NYT Mini Trivia Week, Trivia Week {week_num}, Mini crossword Trivia Week, Trivia Week answers, NYT Trivia Week, July 10 2026 mini crossword

XWordHint Crossword Answers July 10, 2026 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

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: Challenging

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. Acronymic weapon 5
2A 6. Suffix with caffe- 3
3A 9. Intro course? 5
4A 14. Hot shot producer 15
5A 17. What late-night partying might lead to 15
6A 18. Source of the Coneheads, in brief 3
7A 19. Strove 7
8A 20. "Jeepers!" 3
9A 21. Main ingredients in unagi don 4
10A 23. Former fillies 5
11A 24. Camp neckwear 4
12A 25. One way to check your impulses, in brief? 3
13A 27. Lo-___ 3
14A 28. Nimble 4
15A 29. Wills 7
16A 32. Bad-mouthed 7
17A 35. Spot for a mini-fridge 6
18A 36. Creator of the Detroit Industry Murals 6
19A 37. Boost 7
20A 39. Smug know-it-all type 7
21A 40. Class act? 4
22A 41. High degree 3
23A 43. Virginia Woolf's "___ Dalloway" 3
24A 44. Semi segments 4
25A 45. Yuks 5
26A 47. Merely whispered 4
27A 50. Lego founder ___ Kirk Christiansen 3
28A 51. Relative of a bandeau 7
29A 53. Mint 3
30A 54. "It hasn't happened to me, but ... wow!" 15
31A 57. What a streaker running across a baseball field could be 15
32A 58. "No cap" 5
33A 59. Saint-Maur-___-Fossés (part of Paris) 3
34A 60. Just beat 5

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Acronymic weapon"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TASER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "6. Suffix with caffe-"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "9. Intro course?"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing; usually consisting of or including greens
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SALAD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "14. Hot shot producer"

15 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESPRESSOMACHINE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "17. What late-night partying might lead to"

15 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOISECOMPLAINTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "18. Source of the Coneheads, in brief"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "19. Strove"

7 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that strive and make an effort to reach a goal
  • Similar words include: push, toil, moil
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LABORED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "20. "Jeepers!""

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EEK

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "21. Main ingredients in unagi don"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

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
  • Similar words include: eel
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EELS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "23. Former fillies"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that female equine animal
  • Similar words include: female horse, mar, impair
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MARES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "24. Camp neckwear"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur
  • Similar words include: boa, feather boa
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "25. One way to check your impulses, in brief?"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a graphical record of electrical activity of the brain; produced by an electroencephalograph
  • Similar words include: encephalogram, electroencephalogram
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EEG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "27. Lo-___"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

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: Ra, atomic number 75, Re
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "28. Nimble"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands
  • Similar words include: dexterous, dextrous
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEFT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "29. Wills"

7 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that order by virtue of superior authority; decree
  • Similar words include: ordinate, ordain, enact
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORDAINS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "32. Bad-mouthed"

7 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance
  • Similar words include: blur, smirch, denigrate
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMEARED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "35. Spot for a mini-fridge"

6 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WETBAR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "36. Creator of the Detroit Industry Murals"

6 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that socialist mexican painter of murals (1886-1957)
  • Similar words include: Diego Rivera
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIVERA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "37. Boost"

7 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that make better or more attractive
  • Similar words include: heighten, raise
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENHANCE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "39. Smug know-it-all type"

7 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WISEASS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "40. Class act?"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that trying something to find out about it
  • Similar words include: mental testing, mental test, try out
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "41. High degree"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that last or greatest in an indefinitely large series
  • Similar words include: n-th
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NTH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "43. Virginia Woolf's "___ Dalloway""

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a form of address for a married woman
  • Similar words include: Mrs., Mr., Mister
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MRS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "44. Semi segments"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits
  • Similar words include: taxi, cabriolet, taxicab
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CABS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "45. Yuks"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAHAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "47. Merely whispered"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that yielding readily to pressure or weight
  • Similar words include: flaccid, indulgent, easy
  • Opposite of: loud, hardened
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOFT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "50. Lego founder ___ Kirk Christiansen"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OLE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "51. Relative of a bandeau"

7 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TUBETOP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "53. Mint"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
  • Similar words include: unexampled, newfangled, newly
  • Opposite of: old, worn
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "54. "It hasn't happened to me, but ... wow!""

15 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICANONLYIMAGINE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "57. What a streaker running across a baseball field could be"

15 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FANINTERFERENCE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "58. "No cap""

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SRSLY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "59. Saint-Maur-___-Fossés (part of Paris)"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a potent estrogen used in medicine and in feed for livestock and poultry
  • Similar words include: diethylstilboestrol, Diamond State, stilboestrol
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34A: "60. Just beat"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that advance slowly, as if by inches
  • Similar words include: edge, stinging, march
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDGED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1D 1. Past or present 5
2D 2. In tandem 5
3D 3. Blabbed 15
4D 4. Things that come with waffles? 3
5D 5. Short Instagram video 4
6D 6. Weather map features 7
7D 7. "Enough!" 6
8D 8. Wu Zetian of the Zhou dynasty, for one 7
9D 9. Ginormous quantity 4
10D 10. Pescatarian steak option 3
11D 11. Pathway to a conclusion 15
12D 12. Relatives of sloths 9
13D 13. Typewriter settings 5
14D 15. Catfishing, for one 4
15D 16. Subjects of certain reviews at Untappd.com 4
16D 22. Branzino, by another name 7
17D 24. Lodge builders 7
18D 26. Titanic 5
19D 28. Philosophy of many founding fathers 5
20D 29. Not be square with 3
21D 30. Dollar offering 9
22D 31. Org. concerned with reactor safety 3
23D 33. 3-D scan 3
24D 34. "___ Boot" 3
25D 38. On 7
26D 39. Speculative musings 7
27D 42. "___ Taking the Hobbits to Isengard" (viral video from 2005) 6
28D 44. Fancy dos 5
29D 45. Proceed with a game plan 4
30D 46. Quite the 4
31D 48. Yard sticks? 5
32D 49. Coat material 5
33D 51. Stylish, as at an awards show? 4
34D 52. Reduce 4
35D 55. Naught 3
36D 56. H.S.-level exam 3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Past or present"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
  • Similar words include: strain, tense up
  • Opposite of: relaxed, relax
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. In tandem"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASONE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. Blabbed"

15 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPILLEDTHEBEANS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Things that come with waffles?"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs with yttrium
  • Similar words include: Er, emergency room, atomic number 68
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Short Instagram video"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a roll of photographic film holding a series of frames to be projected by a movie projector
  • Similar words include: stagger, whirl, careen
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REEL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. Weather map features"

7 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (meteorology)an isogram connecting points having equal barometric pressure at a given time
  • Similar words include: isobar
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ISOBARS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. "Enough!""

6 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOMORE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. Wu Zetian of the Zhou dynasty, for one"

7 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a woman emperor or the wife of an emperor
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMPRESS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Ginormous quantity"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of a number of fishes of the family carangidae
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCAD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Pescatarian steak option"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AHI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. Pathway to a conclusion"

15 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LINEOFREASONING

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. Relatives of sloths"

9 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that toothless mammal of southern africa and asia having a body covered with horny scales and a long snout for feeding on ants and termites
  • Similar words include: pangolin, Myrmecobius fasciatus, aardvark
  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANTEATERS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. Typewriter settings"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
  • Similar words include: desk
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DESKS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "15. Catfishing, for one"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a fraudulent business scheme
  • Similar words include: gyp, hornswoggle, con
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCAM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "16. Subjects of certain reviews at Untappd.com"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast; in some of the united states an ale is (by law) a brew of more than 4% alcohol by volume
  • Similar words include: ale
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "22. Branzino, by another name"

7 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEABASS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "24. Lodge builders"

7 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the soft brown fur of the beaver
  • Similar words include: beaver, beaver away, high hat
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEAVERS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18D: "26. Titanic"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any creature of exceptional size
  • Similar words include: titan, monster, colossus
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GIANT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19D: "28. Philosophy of many founding fathers"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the form of theological rationalism that believes in god on the basis of reason without reference to revelation
  • Similar words include: free thought
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEISM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20D: "29. Not be square with"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that be obliged to pay or repay
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OWE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21D: "30. Dollar offering"

9 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RENTALCAR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22D: "31. Org. concerned with reactor safety"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an independent federal agency created in 1974 to license and regulate nuclear power plants
  • Similar words include: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NRC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23D: "33. 3-D scan"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the use of nuclear magnetic resonance of protons to produce proton density images
  • Similar words include: magnetic resonance imaging
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MRI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24D: "34. "___ Boot""

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of several small ungulate mammals of africa and asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes
  • Similar words include: coney, hyrax, DA
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25D: "38. On"

7 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that render capable or able for some task
  • Similar words include: enable
  • Opposite of: disable
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENABLED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26D: "39. Speculative musings"

7 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHATIFS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27D: "42. "___ Taking the Hobbits to Isengard" (viral video from 2005)"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THEYRE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28D: "44. Fancy dos"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair)
  • Similar words include: do, coiffure, hairdo
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COIFS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29D: "45. Proceed with a game plan"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that englishman and pre-raphaelite painter (1827-1910)
  • Similar words include: search, William Holman Hunt, run
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HUNT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30D: "46. Quite the"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that quantifier; used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
  • Similar words include: just about, about, approximately
  • Opposite of: no
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOME

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31D: "48. Yard sticks?"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a barrier that serves to enclose an area
  • Similar words include: wall, debate, fence in
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FENCE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32D: "49. Coat material"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that thick woolen fabric used for clothing; originated in scotland
  • Similar words include: flannel, gabardine, white
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TWEED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33D: "51. Stylish, as at an awards show?"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TONY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34D: "52. Reduce"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that decrease gradually or bit by bit
  • Similar words include: peel, pare down, whittle
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PARE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35D: "55. Naught"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a quantity of no importance
  • Similar words include: aught, nada, cipher
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NIL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36D: "56. H.S.-level exam"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GED

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

Looking for more puzzle solutions? Check out our comprehensive archive of NYT crossword hints and answers. We update daily with expert analysis and solving strategies.

Disclaimer: Crossword clues and grid © The New York Times. This site provides hints and educational content for puzzle enthusiasts. XWordHint is not affiliated with The New York Times.

Last updated: July 10, 2026 at 06:59 AM

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

XWordHint Crossword Answers May 06, 2026 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

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: 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. Don't believe it 3
2A 4. Soccer great Mia 4
3A 8. Prepared (for) 6
4A 14. Feature of a spy film 8
5A 16. Scalper's transaction 6
6A 17. Prairie bloom for which a creamery is named 8
7A 18. DC good guy 6
8A 19. They're found in a circle 5
9A 20. Dispensary inits. 3
10A 22. Late spring or early summer bloom 5
11A 23. Leave speechless 3
12A 24. Texter's "I can't even" 3
13A 26. In perpetuity 4
14A 28. Winter coat? 3
15A 29. Narrow margin of victory 4
16A 30. Lunchbox staple, informally 3
17A 33. All primes except 2 10
18A 37. Country nearest to the Equator without touching it 4
19A 38. Hybridized, botanically ... or like four pairs of answers in this puzzle (and the circled letters they intersect on)? 15
20A 40. "Stop right there!" 4
21A 41. "Great Scott!" 10
22A 42. Bird adapted for silent flight 3
23A 43. Charging option 4
24A 44. Deciding periods, in brief 3
25A 45. Airdrops? 4
26A 46. [I'm a good boy!] 3
27A 47. Summer cooler 3
28A 50. Movement started by Tarana Burke in 2006 5
29A 53. Dip 3
30A 55. Philosopher William of ___ 5
31A 57. Become part of a club 6
32A 59. ___ method (type of teaching) 8
33A 61. Bloom whose toxic nectar is one source of "mad honey" 6
34A 62. Flower found along a metaphorical path of ease 8
35A 63. A bad review might merit a rotten one 6
36A 64. Like some advice 4
37A 65. Manhattan liquor 3

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Don't believe it"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
  • Similar words include: prevarication, dwell, lie down
  • Opposite of: stand, arise
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "4. Soccer great Mia"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAMM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "8. Prepared (for)"

6 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult
  • Similar words include: stimulate, stabilize, stabilise
  • Opposite of: sedate, de-energize
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRACED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "14. Feature of a spy film"

8 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends
  • Similar words include: scheme, machination, fascinate
  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INTRIGUE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "16. Scalper's transaction"

6 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the selling of something purchased
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RESALE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "17. Prairie bloom for which a creamery is named"

8 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that sometimes placed in genus scilla
  • Similar words include: prairie gentian, Campanula rotundifolia, wood hyacinth
  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLUEBELL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "18. DC good guy"

6 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an orderly assigned to serve a british military officer
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BATMAN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "19. They're found in a circle"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the length of a line segment between the center and circumference of a circle or sphere
  • Similar words include: wheel spoke, radius, spoke
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RADII

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "20. Dispensary inits."

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CBD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "22. Late spring or early summer bloom"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of numerous plants widely cultivated for their showy single or double red or pink or white flowers
  • Similar words include: paeony
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEONY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "23. Leave speechless"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
  • Similar words include: fear, veneration, reverence
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AWE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "24. Texter's "I can't even""

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "26. In perpetuity"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that at any time
  • Similar words include: always, of all time, ever so
  • Opposite of: never
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EVER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "28. Winter coat?"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that water frozen in the solid state
  • Similar words include: meth, frappe, ice-skating rink
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "29. Narrow margin of victory"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
  • Similar words include: tomentum, pilus, hairsbreadth
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAIR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "30. Lunchbox staple, informally"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PBJ

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "33. All primes except 2"

10 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ODDNUMBERS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "37. Country nearest to the Equator without touching it"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a republic in western south america; achieved independence from spain in 1821; was the heart of the inca empire from the 12th to 16th centuries
  • Similar words include: Republic of Peru
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PERU

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "38. Hybridized, botanically ... or like four pairs of answers in this puzzle (and the circled letters they intersect on)?"

15 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CROSSPOLLINATED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "40. "Stop right there!""

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the state of inactivity following an interruption
  • Similar words include: stay, stanch, halting
  • Opposite of: start
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HALT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "41. "Great Scott!""

10 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOLYTOLEDO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "42. Bird adapted for silent flight"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes
  • Similar words include: bird of Minerva, hooter, bird of night
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OWL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "43. Charging option"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an endorsement made in a passport that allows the bearer to enter the country issuing it
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VISA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "44. Deciding periods, in brief"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "45. Airdrops?"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a thin fog with condensation near the ground
  • Similar words include: fog, obscure, mist over
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MIST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "46. [I'm a good boy!]"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARF

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "47. Summer cooler"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice
  • Similar words include: fruit drink
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "50. Movement started by Tarana Burke in 2006"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: METOO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "53. Dip"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a shape that sags
  • Similar words include: sag down, flag, swag
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "55. Philosopher William of ___"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that english scholastic philosopher and assumed author of occam's razor (1285-1349)
  • Similar words include: Ockham, William of Occam, William of Ockham
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OCCAM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "57. Become part of a club"

6 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that register formally as a participant or member
  • Similar words include: enter, enrol, recruit
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENROLL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "59. ___ method (type of teaching)"

8 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that of or relating to socrates or to his method of teaching
  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOCRATIC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "61. Bloom whose toxic nectar is one source of "mad honey""

6 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AZALEA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34A: "62. Flower found along a metaphorical path of ease"

8 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of numerous short-stemmed plants of the genus primula having tufted basal leaves and showy flowers clustered in umbels or heads
  • Similar words include: primula
  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PRIMROSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35A: "63. A bad review might merit a rotten one"

6 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that mildly acid red or yellow pulpy fruit eaten as a vegetable
  • Similar words include: love apple, tomato plant, Lycopersicon esculentum
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOMATO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36A: "64. Like some advice"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom
  • Similar words include: salvia, sage-green
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAGE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

37A: "65. Manhattan liquor"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the seed of the cereal grass
  • Similar words include: Secale cereale, rye whiskey, rye whisky
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RYE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1D 1. First sign of fall 5
2D 2. Family tree addition 5
3D 3. One of 12 in a Pulitzer-winning piece by composer/pianist William Bolcom 5
4D 4. Blossom in a lei 8
5D 5. Period in history 3
6D 6. Bed cover 5
7D 7. Scary Spice, by another nickname 4
8D 8. Texter's "just a sec" 3
9D 9. Harvesting machine 6
10D 10. Cousin of edelweiss 5
11D 11. Pattern based on nature, for short 4
12D 12. Stylish flair 4
13D 13. Turn down 4
14D 15. King, in Portuguese 3
15D 21. First word from a wedding officiant 6
16D 25. Home of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music 7
17D 27. Alice, in Wonderland 7
18D 28. Part of M.I.T.: Abbr. 4
19D 29. Very, slangily 5
20D 30. Politician Buttigieg 4
21D 31. Partner of born 4
22D 32. Sport with throws 4
23D 33. Siete + uno 4
24D 34. Cry in a gunfight 4
25D 35. Cutie pie 4
26D 36. Gives a lift 6
27D 37. Besties 4
28D 39. "I'll pass" 8
29D 43. Flower found at the end of a rainbow? 6
30D 45. Cold, hard cash 5
31D 46. Ancient marketplace 5
32D 47. Company man? 5
33D 48. "Link" in a botanical chain 5
34D 49. Play the host 5
35D 50. Nitty-gritty 4
36D 51. Automaker Ferrari 4
37D 52. Airport transport 4
38D 54. Some vipers 4
39D 56. Viper, e.g. 3
40D 58. Language of Vientiane 3
41D 60. Smoke 3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. First sign of fall"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in libra
  • Similar words include: Libra the Scales, Libra the Balance, Balance
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIBRA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. Family tree addition"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INLAW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. One of 12 in a Pulitzer-winning piece by composer/pianist William Bolcom"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a short composition for a solo instrument; intended as an exercise or to demonstrate technical virtuosity
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETUDE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Blossom in a lei"

8 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any plant of the genus hibiscus
  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HIBISCUS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Period in history"

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that how long something has existed
  • Similar words include: mature, historic period, maturate
  • Opposite of: rejuvenate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. Bed cover"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a protective covering of rotting vegetable matter spread to reduce evaporation and soil erosion
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MULCH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. Scary Spice, by another nickname"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MELB

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. Texter's "just a sec""

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRB

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Harvesting machine"

6 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that someone who helps to gather the harvest
  • Similar words include: harvester, Grim Reaper
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REAPER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Cousin of edelweiss"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus aster with showy daisylike flowers
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASTER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. Pattern based on nature, for short"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that fabric dyed with splotches of green and brown and black and tan; intended to make the wearer of a garment made of this fabric hard to distinguish from the background
  • Similar words include: camouflage
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAMO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. Stylish flair"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
  • Similar words include: dash, flair, panache
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELAN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. Turn down"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that declare untrue; contradict
  • Similar words include: traverse, refuse, abnegate
  • Opposite of: admit, allow
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DENY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "15. King, in Portuguese"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "21. First word from a wedding officiant"

6 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that in a sincere and heartfelt manner
  • Similar words include: affectionately, dear, in a heartfelt way
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEARLY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "25. Home of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music"

7 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that largest city of tennessee; located in southwestern tennessee on bluffs overlooking the mississippi river
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEMPHIS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "27. Alice, in Wonderland"

7 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that someone who visits
  • Similar words include: visitant
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VISITOR

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18D: "28. Part of M.I.T.: Abbr."

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that in or of the present month
  • Similar words include: instant
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INST

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19D: "29. Very, slangily"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HELLA

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20D: "30. Politician Buttigieg"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PETE

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21D: "31. Partner of born"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that copulate with a female, used especially of horses
  • Similar words include: engender, multiply, cover
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRED

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22D: "32. Sport with throws"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a sport adapted from jujitsu (using principles of not resisting) and similar to wrestling; developed in japan
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JUDO

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23D: "33. Siete + uno"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OCHO

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24D: "34. Cry in a gunfight"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a gully that is shallower than a ravine
  • Similar words include: drawing card, tie, delineate
  • Opposite of: push, deposit
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DRAW

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25D: "35. Cutie pie"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a small replica of a person; used as a toy
  • Similar words include: chick, bird, skirt
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOLL

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26D: "36. Gives a lift"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the act of giving hope or support to someone
  • Similar words include: cost increase, boost, hike up
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOOSTS

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27D: "37. Besties"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
  • Similar words include: pal, brother, chum
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PALS

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28D: "39. "I'll pass""

8 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTFORME

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29D: "43. Flower found at the end of a rainbow?"

6 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
  • Similar words include: purplish, reddish blue, purple
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VIOLET

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30D: "45. Cold, hard cash"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOOLA

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31D: "46. Ancient marketplace"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that 100 agorot equal 1 shekel in israel
  • Similar words include: public square
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGORA

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32D: "47. Company man?"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a theatrical performer
  • Similar words include: doer, thespian, role player
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACTOR

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33D: "48. "Link" in a botanical chain"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DAISY

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34D: "49. Play the host"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a person who acts as host at formal occasions (makes an introductory speech and introduces other speakers)
  • Similar words include: host, compere, master of ceremonies
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMCEE

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35D: "50. Nitty-gritty"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food
  • Similar words include: gist, center, sum
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEAT

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36D: "51. Automaker Ferrari"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENZO

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37D: "52. Airport transport"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

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: trolley car, tramway, aerial tramway
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRAM

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38D: "54. Some vipers"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that of southern europe; similar to but smaller than the adder
  • Similar words include: asp viper, Naja haje, Vipera aspis
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASPS

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39D: "56. Viper, e.g."

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
  • Similar words include: railcar, railway car, auto
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAR

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40D: "58. Language of Vientiane"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a member of a buddhist people inhabiting the area of the mekong river in laos and thailand and speaking the lao language; related to the thais
  • Similar words include: Laotian
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAO

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41D: "60. Smoke"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIG

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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

37 Across Clues
41 Down Clues
78 Total Clues

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Last updated: May 06, 2026 at 06:17 AM