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 (37 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
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. Slang for an Italian dish ... or along with QI, the highest-value two-letter word in Scrabble | 2 |
| 2A | 3. Make an impression | 4 |
| 3A | 7. Hanger-on | 5 |
| 4A | 12. Blunder | 3 |
| 5A | 14. Recital pieces | 5 |
| 6A | 16. "Same here," more stiffly | 5 |
| 7A | 17. Canapé topping | 3 |
| 8A | 18. Traction enhancer | 5 |
| 9A | 19. Ships, say | 5 |
| 10A | 20. Cheerios grain | 3 |
| 11A | 21. American architect who invented Scrabble while unemployed during the Great Depression | 11 |
| 12A | 23. Hold tightly | 5 |
| 13A | 25. Like most manuscript submissions | 5 |
| 14A | 26. Many a Scottish native | 4 |
| 15A | 28. Circuit in which Martina Navratilova holds the most singles titles, in brief | 7 |
| 16A | 33. Dish featured in Broadway's "Sweeney Todd" | 7 |
| 17A | 36. Decline | 4 |
| 18A | 37. Scrabble's name prior to its acquisition by James Brunot in 1948 | 15 |
| 19A | 41. Ford or Lincoln | 4 |
| 20A | 42. Full of vivid detail, as memory | 7 |
| 21A | 43. Supposed sign of a healthy pooch | 7 |
| 22A | 45. Onesie fastener | 4 |
| 23A | 47. Actress Rene of "Thor" | 5 |
| 24A | 50. Watchdog's warning | 5 |
| 25A | 53. Bonus score for a bingo (using all seven of one's tiles) in Scrabble | 11 |
| 26A | 58. Actress Sandra or Ruby | 3 |
| 27A | 59. Dr. Seuss' environmentalist | 5 |
| 28A | 60. Open, as a toothpaste tube | 5 |
| 29A | 61. Like Brahms's Symphony No. 3 | 3 |
| 30A | 62. Cognizant | 5 |
| 31A | 63. Home to Oral Roberts University | 5 |
| 32A | 64. Verizon competitor, informally | 3 |
| 33A | 65. Power measures | 5 |
| 34A | 66. Witnessed | 4 |
| 35A | 67. The two most valuable Scrabble tiles | 10 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Slang for an Italian dish ... or along with QI, the highest-value two-letter word in Scrabble"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "3. Make an impression"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make an etching of
- Similar words include: engrave
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETCH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "7. Hanger-on"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that carnivorous or bloodsucking aquatic or terrestrial worms typically having a sucker at each end
- Similar words include: parasite, sponger, phlebotomize
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEECH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "12. Blunder"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that to make a mistake or be incorrect
- Similar words include: mistake, stray, drift
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "14. Recital pieces"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any activity that is performed alone without assistance
- Similar words include: solo
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOLOS
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6A: "16. "Same here," more stiffly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASDOI
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7A: "17. Canapé topping"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fish eggs or egg-filled ovary; having a grainy texture
- Similar words include: hard roe
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROE
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8A: "18. Traction enhancer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a metal or leather projection (as from the sole of a shoe); prevents slipping
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLEAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "19. Ships, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
- Similar words include: send, mail, get off
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAILS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "20. Cheerios grain"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that annual grass of europe and north africa; grains used as food and fodder (referred to primarily in the plural: `oats')
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "21. American architect who invented Scrabble while unemployed during the Great Depression"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALFREDBUTTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "23. Hold tightly"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something
- Similar words include: hold on, clutches, compass
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRASP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "25. Like most manuscript submissions"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that write by means of a keyboard with types
- Similar words include: typecast, type, typewrite
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TYPED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "26. Many a Scottish native"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a gaelic-speaking celt in ireland or scotland or the isle of man
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GAEL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "28. Circuit in which Martina Navratilova holds the most singles titles, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WTATOUR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "33. Dish featured in Broadway's "Sweeney Todd""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEATPIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "36. Decline"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number)
- Similar words include: decline, ebbing, go down
- Opposite of: wax
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WANE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "37. Scrabble's name prior to its acquisition by James Brunot in 1948"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRISSCROSSWORDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "41. Ford or Lincoln"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
- Similar words include: motorcar, automobile, machine
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AUTO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "42. Full of vivid detail, as memory"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that of visual imagery of almost photographic accuracy
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EIDETIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "43. Supposed sign of a healthy pooch"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WETNOSE
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22A: "45. Onesie fastener"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of catching an object with the hands
- Similar words include: break down, tear, duck soup
- Opposite of: inelasticity
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "47. Actress Rene of "Thor""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RUSSO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "50. Watchdog's warning"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the sound of growling (as made by animals)
- Similar words include: growling, grumble, rumble
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GROWL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "53. Bonus score for a bingo (using all seven of one's tiles) in Scrabble"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIFTYPOINTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "58. Actress Sandra or Ruby"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "59. Dr. Seuss' environmentalist"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LORAX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "60. Open, as a toothpaste tube"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNCAP
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29A: "61. Like Brahms's Symphony No. 3"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INF
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30A: "62. Cognizant"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (sometimes followed by `of') having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
- Similar words include: mindful, cognisant, cognizant
- Opposite of: unmindful, unaware
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AWARE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "63. Home to Oral Roberts University"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a major city of northeastern oklahoma on the arkansas river; once known as the oil capital of the world and still heavily involved in the oil and gas industries
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TULSA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "64. Verizon competitor, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATT
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33A: "65. Power measures"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that english poet and theologian (1674-1748)
- Similar words include: watt, Watt, Isaac Watts
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WATTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "66. Witnessed"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
- Similar words include: realize, assure, witness
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "67. The two most valuable Scrabble tiles"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLANKBLANK
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Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Weightless state, for short | 5 |
| 2D | 2. Cheering wildly | 5 |
| 3D | 3. Ones who have trouble finishing sentences? | 8 |
| 4D | 4. Ring | 4 |
| 5D | 5. Chin feature | 5 |
| 6D | 6. Old and trite | 5 |
| 7D | 7. Wavelength symbol | 6 |
| 8D | 8. Genesis twin | 4 |
| 9D | 9. Doctor | 4 |
| 10D | 10. Belmont entry | 4 |
| 11D | 11. Sound during a cat fight | 4 |
| 12D | 13. Put on sale, perhaps | 5 |
| 13D | 15. From one tone to the next adjacent tone, in music | 8 |
| 14D | 22. Finds repugnant | 7 |
| 15D | 24. Biblical figure with a notoriously bad hair day? | 6 |
| 16D | 27. Gets ready to hit the ice | 7 |
| 17D | 29. Like some garages | 6 |
| 18D | 30. Crew need | 3 |
| 19D | 31. Hamburger connection? | 3 |
| 20D | 32. Some scale members | 3 |
| 21D | 34. Vies for a roster spot | 8 |
| 22D | 35. Group of seals | 3 |
| 23D | 37. Crow's cry | 3 |
| 24D | 38. Wish undone | 3 |
| 25D | 39. Addams Family cousin | 3 |
| 26D | 40. Record held by the Spruce Goose for over 70 years, at 320 feet | 8 |
| 27D | 44. Straight-horned antelopes | 6 |
| 28D | 46. Spots for addresses | 5 |
| 29D | 48. Kind of cavity | 5 |
| 30D | 49. Frère de la mère | 5 |
| 31D | 51. Forgot what you intended to say | 9 |
| 32D | 52. Didn't fill in, as a field on an application | 9 |
| 33D | 53. Design problem | 4 |
| 34D | 54. Part of the Corn Belt | 4 |
| 35D | 55. Row house? | 4 |
| 36D | 56. Patisserie pastry | 4 |
| 37D | 57. Stun, in a way | 4 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Weightless state, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZEROG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Cheering wildly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AROAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Ones who have trouble finishing sentences?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who escapes
- Similar words include: run, lam, miss
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESCAPEES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Ring"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fee levied for the use of roads or bridges (used for maintenance)
- Similar words include: cost, bell, price
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOLL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Chin feature"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a split or indentation in something (as the palate or chin)
- Similar words include: cling, fissure, dissected
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLEFT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Old and trite"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair; -coleridge
- Similar words include: grey-headed, hoar, rusty
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOARY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Wavelength symbol"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the 11th letter of the greek alphabet
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAMBDA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Genesis twin"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (old testament) the eldest son of isaac who would have inherited the covenant that god made with abraham and that abraham passed on to isaac; he traded his birthright to his twin brother jacob for a mess of pottage
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESAU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Doctor"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that prepare for publication or presentation by correcting, revising, or adapting
- Similar words include: blue-pencil, edit out, delete
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Belmont entry"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a young male horse under the age of four
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COLT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Sound during a cat fight"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
- Similar words include: bird, sibilate, whoosh
- Opposite of: applaud
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HISS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "13. Put on sale, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RETAG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "15. From one tone to the next adjacent tone, in music"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one thing at a time
- Similar words include: piecemeal, step-by-step, bit-by-bit
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STEPWISE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "22. Finds repugnant"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dislike intensely; feel antipathy or aversion towards
- Similar words include: hate, detest
- Opposite of: love
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DETESTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "24. Biblical figure with a notoriously bad hair day?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (old testament) a judge of israel who performed herculean feats of strength against the philistines until he was betrayed to them by his mistress delilah
- Similar words include: bruiser, bull, strapper
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAMSON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "27. Gets ready to hit the ice"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LACESUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "29. Like some garages"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TWOCAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "30. Crew need"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an implement used to propel or steer a boat
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "31. Hamburger connection?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UND
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "32. Some scale members"
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: rhenium, atomic number 75, re
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "34. Vies for a roster spot"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRIESOUT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "35. Group of seals"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the vessel that contains the seeds of a plant (not the seeds themselves)
- Similar words include: fuel pod, seedcase, cod
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: POD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "37. Crow's cry"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the sound made by corvine birds
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "38. Wish undone"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that european strong-scented perennial herb with grey-green bitter-tasting leaves; an irritant similar to poison ivy
- Similar words include: herb of grace, ruefulness, sorrow
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RUE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "39. Addams Family cousin"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "40. Record held by the Spruce Goose for over 70 years, at 320 feet"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that linear distance between the extremities of an airfoil
- Similar words include: wingspread
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WINGSPAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "44. Straight-horned antelopes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that large african antelope with long straight nearly upright horns
- Similar words include: oryx, pasang
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORYXES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "46. Spots for addresses"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
- Similar words include: podium, rostrum, stump
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PODIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "48. Kind of cavity"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an abnormal passage leading from a suppurating cavity to the body surface
- Similar words include: venous sinus, fistula
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SINUS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "49. Frère de la mère"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONCLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "51. Forgot what you intended to say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WENTBLANK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "52. Didn't fill in, as a field on an application"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEFTBLANK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "53. Design problem"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an imperfection in an object or machine
- Similar words include: defect, blemish, fault
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FLAW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "54. Part of the Corn Belt"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of the siouan people formerly living in iowa and minnesota and missouri
- Similar words include: IA, Ioway, Hawkeye State
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IOWA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "55. Row house?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a social club for male undergraduates
- Similar words include: fraternity
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FRAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "56. Patisserie pastry"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money
- Similar words include: cyprian, woman of the street, working girl
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TART
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "57. Stun, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TASE
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
37 Down Clues
72 Total Clues
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