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 (33 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: Medium
Pro Tip: Start with the fill-in-the-blank clues - they're usually the easiest entry points!
Across Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | 1. It has its limits, in brief | 4 |
| 2A | 5. Award-winning culinary documentary series | 10 |
| 3A | 15. High number, perhaps | 4 |
| 4A | 16. Where some family secrets may be written | 10 |
| 5A | 17. Displaying finesse | 4 |
| 6A | 18. Actress who plays Trudy on "Mad Men" and Annie on "Community" | 10 |
| 7A | 19. Mothers in cotes | 4 |
| 8A | 20. Bedtime attire | 10 |
| 9A | 21. Silicon Valley V.I.P. | 7 |
| 10A | 23. Oslo Accords grp. | 3 |
| 11A | 24. Gold medalist in women's soccer and women's team foil (fencing) at 2024's Olympics, in brief | 5 |
| 12A | 25. Part of many home improvement projects | 8 |
| 13A | 30. Fissile rock | 5 |
| 14A | 31. Party leader? | 4 |
| 15A | 32. Something seized, for short | 4 |
| 16A | 33. Outdoor accommodations with flies | 5 |
| 17A | 34. "One ___" (Elizabeth Bishop poem that repeats the line "The ___ of losing isn't hard to master") | 3 |
| 18A | 35. Skin care brand from Japan | 5 |
| 19A | 36. Drive | 4 |
| 20A | 37. Give credit to | 4 |
| 21A | 38. Suitable for a game of 20 Questions, in a way | 5 |
| 22A | 39. Establishments selling craft products? | 8 |
| 23A | 41. Appears less impressive | 5 |
| 24A | 42. It's meant to be believed | 3 |
| 25A | 43. Rich | 7 |
| 26A | 45. Meet an unmet need | 10 |
| 27A | 50. ___ bowl | 4 |
| 28A | 51. Queue words | 10 |
| 29A | 52. Discover alternative | 4 |
| 30A | 53. Author of the story collections "The Little Disturbances of Man" (1959) and "Enormous Changes at the Last Minute" (1974) | 10 |
| 31A | 54. ___ mess (British dessert) | 4 |
| 32A | 55. Traditional Passover dish | 10 |
| 33A | 56. Scot's word meaning "past" | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. It has its limits, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CALC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. Award-winning culinary documentary series"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHEFSTABLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "15. High number, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an elaborate song for solo voice
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARIA
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4A: "16. Where some family secrets may be written"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RECIPEBOOK
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5A: "17. Displaying finesse"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands
- Similar words include: dextrous, dexterous
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEFT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "18. Actress who plays Trudy on "Mad Men" and Annie on "Community""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALISONBRIE
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7A: "19. Mothers in cotes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of a people living in southern benin and togo and southeastern ghana
- Similar words include: Ewe, ewe
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EWES
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8A: "20. Bedtime attire"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women
- Similar words include: gown, night-robe, nightgown
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NIGHTDRESS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "21. Silicon Valley V.I.P."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TECHCEO
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10A: "23. Oslo Accords grp."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a political movement uniting palestinian arabs in an effort to create an independent state of palestine; when formed in 1964 it was a terrorist organization dominated by yasser arafat's al-fatah; in 1968 arafat became chairman; received recognition by the united nations and by arab states in 1974 as a government in exile; has played a largely political role since the creation of the palestine national authority
- Similar words include: Palestine Liberation Organization
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "24. Gold medalist in women's soccer and women's team foil (fencing) at 2024's Olympics, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THEUS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "25. Part of many home improvement projects"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAINTJOB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "30. Fissile rock"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sedimentary rock formed by the deposition of successive layers of clay
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SHALE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "31. Party leader?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
- Similar words include: emcee, boniface, master of ceremonies
- Opposite of: parasite
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "32. Something seized, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REPO
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16A: "33. Outdoor accommodations with flies"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
- Similar words include: camp, tent, camp out
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "34. "One ___" (Elizabeth Bishop poem that repeats the line "The ___ of losing isn't hard to master")"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the products of human creativity; works of art collectively
- Similar words include: artistry, prowess, artistic production
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ART
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18A: "35. Skin care brand from Japan"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CUREL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "36. Drive"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an instinctive motive
- Similar words include: exhort, cheer, recommend
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: URGE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "37. Give credit to"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
- Similar words include: summons, quote, adduce
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CITE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "38. Suitable for a game of 20 Questions, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YESNO
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22A: "39. Establishments selling craft products?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEERBARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "41. Appears less impressive"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a wooden strip forming part of a fence
- Similar words include: chum up, pale, blench
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PALES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "42. It's meant to be believed"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
- Similar words include: doctrine, school of thought, philosophy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ISM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "43. Rich"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that based on or arising from the possession of money or wealth
- Similar words include: flush, affluent, loaded
- Opposite of: moneyless
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MONEYED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "45. Meet an unmet need"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FILLTHEGAP
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27A: "50. ___ bowl"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACAI
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28A: "51. Queue words"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONEATATIME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "52. Discover alternative"
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!
30A: "53. Author of the story collections "The Little Disturbances of Man" (1959) and "Enormous Changes at the Last Minute" (1974)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRACEPALEY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "54. ___ mess (British dessert)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "55. Traditional Passover dish"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEDERPLATE
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33A: "56. Scot's word meaning "past""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SYNE
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Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Academy figure | 5 |
| 2D | 2. Line of passengers? | 10 |
| 3D | 3. Relocating to a different country, e.g. | 10 |
| 4D | 4. Destination for many a rescue | 10 |
| 5D | 5. Birds whose wings might be folded? | 6 |
| 6D | 6. Prefix with -trope | 5 |
| 7D | 7. Modern pen, of a sort | 4 |
| 8D | 8. Seafood-based ingredient in Eastern cuisines | 9 |
| 9D | 9. Like someone performing a monologue, maybe | 7 |
| 10D | 10. Part of the hamstring | 6 |
| 11D | 11. Fem. or masc. | 4 |
| 12D | 12. Tunnel (into) | 4 |
| 13D | 13. Lane in Superman movies | 4 |
| 14D | 14. Just gets (by) | 4 |
| 15D | 22. "Psst" and "Go!" | 4 |
| 16D | 25. Things that ships, computers and wine retailers all have | 5 |
| 17D | 26. Plant parts that develop as a seedling grows | 10 |
| 18D | 27. Urban locale that looks out on Ellis Island | 10 |
| 19D | 28. When anything goes | 10 |
| 20D | 29. Tie with string | 4 |
| 21D | 30. One getting ripped off at a venue | 4 |
| 22D | 31. Poison classification | 9 |
| 23D | 35. Relative of turquoise | 4 |
| 24D | 37. Competitor of Venmo | 7 |
| 25D | 40. Like the herbs on a 55-Across | 6 |
| 26D | 41. Wimpy friend? | 6 |
| 27D | 43. "The Duck Variations" playwright | 5 |
| 28D | 44. Lane in Superman movies | 5 |
| 29D | 45. States of confusion | 4 |
| 30D | 46. About | 4 |
| 31D | 47. Material theorized as a possible cause of ancient Rome's decline, given its widespread use | 4 |
| 32D | 48. Berate, with "into" | 4 |
| 33D | 49. ___ monster | 4 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Academy figure"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a military trainee (as at a military academy)
- Similar words include: plebe
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CADET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Line of passengers?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AREWETHERE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Relocating to a different country, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIFECHANGE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Destination for many a rescue"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CATSHELTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Birds whose wings might be folded?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states writer (1871-1900)
- Similar words include: stretch out, crane, Stephen Crane
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRANES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Prefix with -trope"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HELIO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Modern pen, of a sort"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ECIG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Seafood-based ingredient in Eastern cuisines"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a paste of fish or shellfish
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FISHPASTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Like someone performing a monologue, maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent
- Similar words include: spotlight, highlight, foreground
- Opposite of: background, play down
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPOTLIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Part of the hamstring"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a cord or band of inelastic tissue connecting a muscle with its bony attachment
- Similar words include: sinew
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENDON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Fem. or masc."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ABBR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Tunnel (into)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who evokes boredom
- Similar words include: digest, bore-hole, assume
- Opposite of: interest
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BORE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Lane in Superman movies"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "14. Just gets (by)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EKES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "22. "Psst" and "Go!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an actor's line that immediately precedes and serves as a reminder for some action or speech
- Similar words include: discriminative stimulus, remind, cue stick
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CUES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "25. Things that ships, computers and wine retailers all have"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
- Similar words include: larboard, port, interface
- Opposite of: starboard
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PORTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "26. Plant parts that develop as a seedling grows"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRUELEAVES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "27. Urban locale that looks out on Ellis Island"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JERSEYCITY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "28. When anything goes"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OPENSEASON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "29. Tie with string"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a cord fastened around the neck with an ornamental clasp and worn as a necktie
- Similar words include: bolo tie, bola, bolo knife
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOLO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. One getting ripped off at a venue"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a short piece remaining on a trunk or stem where a branch is lost
- Similar words include: check stub, nub, ticket stub
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STUB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "31. Poison classification"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAIRMETAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "35. Relative of turquoise"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a primary subtractive color for light; has a blue-green color
- Similar words include: teal, bluish green, blue-green
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CYAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "37. Competitor of Venmo"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CASHAPP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "40. Like the herbs on a 55-Across"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that english term for a dry sharp-tasting ale with strong flavor of hops (usually on draft)
- Similar words include: acrid, acerb, piercingly
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BITTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "41. Wimpy friend?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: POPEYE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "43. "The Duck Variations" playwright"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states playwright (born in 1947)
- Similar words include: David Mamet
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAMET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "44. Lane in Superman movies"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIANE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "45. States of confusion"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
- Similar words include: fog, murk, obscure
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FOGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "46. About"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INRE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "47. Material theorized as a possible cause of ancient Rome's decline, given its widespread use"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an advantage held by a competitor in a race
- Similar words include: take, lead story, jumper cable
- Opposite of: deficit, follow
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "48. Berate, with "into""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a cord that is drawn through eyelets or around hooks in order to draw together two edges (as of a shoe or garment)
- Similar words include: lacing, plait, twine
- Opposite of: untwine
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LACE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "49. ___ monster"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a river that rises in western new mexico and flows westward through southern arizona to become a tributary of the colorado river
- Similar words include: Gila River
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GILA
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
33 Across Clues
33 Down Clues
66 Total Clues
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