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 (40 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. Guns, so to speak | 6 |
| 2A | 7. Prefix with American | 4 |
| 3A | 11. Charcuterie spread | 4 |
| 4A | 15. Footnote phrase | 6 |
| 5A | 16. Sherwood, e.g. | 9 |
| 6A | 18. Qualifier to an embarrassing question | 16 |
| 7A | 20. Location for some osteoarthritis | 4 |
| 8A | 21. ___-Saint-Michel (French commune on a tidal island) | 4 |
| 9A | 22. Saps | 5 |
| 10A | 23. Sign of desperation | 3 |
| 11A | 24. Consider as one's residence | 8 |
| 12A | 27. Mrs. Addams, to Mr. Addams | 4 |
| 13A | 29. Val who played Iceman in "Top Gun" | 6 |
| 14A | 30. Guimarães greeting | 3 |
| 15A | 33. "Neato!" | 6 |
| 16A | 35. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" character ___ Linetti | 4 |
| 17A | 36. Genre for Blackpink and Twice | 4 |
| 18A | 37. Counteract negativity using lavish generosity | 16 |
| 19A | 40. Former boy band with the members Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall and Zayn, familiarly | 4 |
| 20A | 41. Bit of marginalia | 4 |
| 21A | 42. Dealt with | 6 |
| 22A | 43. Weight plate units: Abbr. | 3 |
| 23A | 44. Place to get "pawmpered," say | 6 |
| 24A | 46. Case for military police | 4 |
| 25A | 47. Like the Millennium Problems of the Clay Mathematics Institute | 8 |
| 26A | 49. Suffix with peace but not war | 3 |
| 27A | 51. Philosopher William of ___ | 5 |
| 28A | 55. Product for manscaping | 4 |
| 29A | 56. Assuming that | 4 |
| 30A | 57. More sizzle than steak | 16 |
| 31A | 61. Infamous chess trap that ends the game in two moves | 9 |
| 32A | 62. Contents of a kitchen rack | 6 |
| 33A | 63. Bump on a lid | 4 |
| 34A | 64. Thin board | 4 |
| 35A | 65. What some streakers are charged with? | 6 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Guns, so to speak"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any skeletal muscle having two origins (but especially the muscle that flexes the forearm)
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BICEPS
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2A: "7. Prefix with American"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MESO
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3A: "11. Charcuterie spread"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that soft creamy white cheese; milder than camembert
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "15. Footnote phrase"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETALII
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5A: "16. Sherwood, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OAKFOREST
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6A: "18. Qualifier to an embarrassing question"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASKINGFORAFRIEND
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7A: "20. Location for some osteoarthritis"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
- Similar words include: stifle, human knee, knee joint
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KNEE
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8A: "21. ___-Saint-Michel (French commune on a tidal island)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MONT
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9A: "22. Saps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who is not very bright
- Similar words include: stupe, stupid person, pudding head
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOLTS
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10A: "23. Sign of desperation"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an internationally recognized distress signal in radio code
- Similar words include: sol, so, soh
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "24. Consider as one's residence"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CALLHOME
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12A: "27. Mrs. Addams, to Mr. Addams"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TISH
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13A: "29. Val who played Iceman in "Top Gun""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KILMER
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14A: "30. Guimarães greeting"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that leaf or strip from a leaf of the talipot palm used in india for writing paper
- Similar words include: olla
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OLA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "33. "Neato!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHCOOL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "35. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" character ___ Linetti"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GINA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "36. Genre for Blackpink and Twice"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KPOP
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18A: "37. Counteract negativity using lavish generosity"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KILLWITHKINDNESS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "40. Former boy band with the members Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall and Zayn, familiarly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "41. Bit of marginalia"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a brief written record
- Similar words include: short letter, notation, musical note
- Opposite of: ignore
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "42. Dealt with"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEENTO
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22A: "43. Weight plate units: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one thousand grams; the basic unit of mass adopted under the systeme international d'unites
- Similar words include: kilogram, kg, kilo
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "44. Place to get "pawmpered," say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PETSPA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "46. Case for military police"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one who is away or absent without leave
- Similar words include: truant
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AWOL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "47. Like the Millennium Problems of the Clay Mathematics Institute"
Solving Hints:
- Similar words include: unresolved
- Opposite of: solved
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNSOLVED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "49. Suffix with peace but not war"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a family of languages of the fulani of west africa and used as a lingua franca in the sub-saharan regions from senegal to chad; the best known of the west african languages
- Similar words include: Fulani, Peul, Fula
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FUL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "51. Philosopher William of ___"
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!
28A: "55. Product for manscaping"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAIR
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29A: "56. Assuming that"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IFSO
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30A: "57. More sizzle than steak"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALLBARKANDNOBITE
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31A: "61. Infamous chess trap that ends the game in two moves"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FOOLSMATE
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32A: "62. Contents of a kitchen rack"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative
- Similar words include: zest, spice up, spicery
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPICES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "63. Bump on a lid"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an infection of the sebaceous gland of the eyelid
- Similar words include: eye infection, sty, hordeolum
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STYE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "64. Thin board"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a thin strip (wood or metal)
- Similar words include: spline
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "65. What some streakers are charged with?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TASERS
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Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Woodpeckers' peckers | 5 |
| 2D | 2. "Really, my pleasure" | 10 |
| 3D | 3. "Sticky" birthday treats? | 10 |
| 4D | 4. Tahari or Saab of fashion | 4 |
| 5D | 5. Blame (on) | 3 |
| 6D | 6. Symbol used in summation | 5 |
| 7D | 7. Classical piece said to be the inspiration for Chopin's "Fantaisie-Impromptu" | 15 |
| 8D | 8. Kepler-22b or Kepler-186f, e.g. | 15 |
| 9D | 9. Calypso cousin | 3 |
| 10D | 10. Flat, say | 3 |
| 11D | 11. Zest | 4 |
| 12D | 12. Highlight ___ | 4 |
| 13D | 13. ___ fussy (can be very flexible) | 4 |
| 14D | 14. Some airport data, in brief | 4 |
| 15D | 17. Carnivora or Lagomorpha | 5 |
| 16D | 19. Word with rock or medicine | 4 |
| 17D | 24. When doubled, a fluffy Chinese dog | 4 |
| 18D | 25. Hilton competitor | 4 |
| 19D | 26. Is | 5 |
| 20D | 28. Went (for) | 4 |
| 21D | 30. Workplace with few barriers | 10 |
| 22D | 31. Became tarnished | 10 |
| 23D | 32. Lhasa ___ | 4 |
| 24D | 33. "I heard you the first time! Geez!" | 4 |
| 25D | 34. Wrapping material in mummification | 5 |
| 26D | 36. Had no doubt | 4 |
| 27D | 38. Deep-fried side dish, familiarly | 4 |
| 28D | 39. Unexciting, as a party | 4 |
| 29D | 44. Catamounts | 5 |
| 30D | 45. Like some readers | 4 |
| 31D | 48. Young's partner in accounting | 5 |
| 32D | 50. Rich soil deposit | 5 |
| 33D | 51. Saps | 4 |
| 34D | 52. Stop the bleeding, say | 4 |
| 35D | 53. Sicken with sweetness | 4 |
| 36D | 54. Fit | 4 |
| 37D | 56. Sacred bird to the Egyptians | 4 |
| 38D | 58. Info on Zillow: Abbr. | 3 |
| 39D | 59. ___-El (Superman) | 3 |
| 40D | 60. Shout at a Greek wedding | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Woodpeckers' peckers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that beaklike mouth of animals other than birds (e.g., turtles)
- Similar words include: bill, neb, schnozzle
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEAKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. "Really, my pleasure""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITSNOTHING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. "Sticky" birthday treats?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAKESICLES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Tahari or Saab of fashion"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Blame (on)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment
- Similar words include: tholepin, peg, bowling pin
- Opposite of: unpin
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Symbol used in summation"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the 18th letter of the greek alphabet
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIGMA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Classical piece said to be the inspiration for Chopin's "Fantaisie-Impromptu""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOONLIGHTSONATA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Kepler-22b or Kepler-186f, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EARTHLIKEPLANET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Calypso cousin"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SKA
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10D: "10. Flat, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that kill intentionally and with premeditation
- Similar words include: polish off, murder, cancelled
- Opposite of: on
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OFF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Zest"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous
- Similar words include: vivification, spiritedness, invigoration
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRIO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Highlight ___"
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, bobbin, whirl
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REEL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. ___ fussy (can be very flexible)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ISNT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "14. Some airport data, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a system for screening luggage in airports; an agent passes a swab around or inside luggage and then runs the swab through a machine that can detect trace amounts of explosives
- Similar words include: explosive trace detection, ETD
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "17. Carnivora or Lagomorpha"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
- Similar words include: rules of order, prescribe, ordain
- Opposite of: disorderliness, disorder
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORDER
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16D: "19. Word with rock or medicine"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that people in general (often used in the plural)
- Similar words include: common people, family line, sept
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FOLK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "24. When doubled, a fluffy Chinese dog"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the imperial dynasty of china from 1122 to 221 bc; notable for the rise of confucianism and taoism
- Similar words include: eats, grub, Chow dynasty
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "25. Hilton competitor"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OMNI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "26. Is"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that how a result is obtained or an end is achieved
- Similar words include: entail, think, substance
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEANS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "28. Went (for)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent
- Similar words include: sell, trade, deal
- Opposite of: buy, unsold
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOLD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. Workplace with few barriers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OPENOFFICE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "31. Became tarnished"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOSTLUSTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "32. Lhasa ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: APSO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "33. "I heard you the first time! Geez!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OKOK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "34. Wrapping material in mummification"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant
- Similar words include: linen paper
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LINEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "36. Had no doubt"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
- Similar words include: know, do it, roll in the hay
- Opposite of: ignore
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KNEW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "38. Deep-fried side dish, familiarly"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small amount (especially of a drink)
- Similar words include: tot, yearling, bambino
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "39. Unexciting, as a party"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that people who are no longer living
- Similar words include: short, bushed, all in
- Opposite of: alive, living
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "44. Catamounts"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that large american feline resembling a lion
- Similar words include: mountain lion, Felis concolor, catamount
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PUMAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "45. Like some readers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (often followed by `for') ardently or excessively desirous
- Similar words include: devouring, esurient, zealous
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVID
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "48. Young's partner in accounting"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that painter (born in germany, resident of france and the united states) who was a cofounder of dadaism; developed the technique of collage (1891-1976)
- Similar words include: Max Ernst
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERNST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "50. Rich soil deposit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fine-grained unstratified accumulation of clay and silt deposited by the wind
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOESS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "51. Saps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an awkward stupid person
- Similar words include: lout, clod, gawk
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OAFS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "52. Stop the bleeding, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a lump of material formed from the content of a liquid
- Similar words include: coagulate, coagulum, clabber
- Opposite of: homogenize
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "53. Sicken with sweetness"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that supply or feed to surfeit
- Similar words include: pall, surfeit
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLOY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "54. Fit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (usually followed by `to') having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
- Similar words include: able-bodied, capable
- Opposite of: unable
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ABLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "56. Sacred bird to the Egyptians"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that wading birds of warm regions having long slender down-curved bills
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IBIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38D: "58. Info on Zillow: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
39D: "59. ___-El (Superman)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
40D: "60. Shout at a Greek wedding"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OPA
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
40 Down Clues
75 Total Clues
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