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 (37 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (39 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. ___ ghanouj | 4 |
| 2A | 5. Like a couch potato | 4 |
| 3A | 9. "Rise and shine!" | 5 |
| 4A | 14. Patron saint of Norway | 4 |
| 5A | 15. Combustible rock | 4 |
| 6A | 16. No longer in dreamland | 5 |
| 7A | 17. Charisma | 4 |
| 8A | 18. "Orinoco Flow" singer | 4 |
| 9A | 19. Like a credit card at its limit | 5 |
| 10A | 20. *Surfer girls, in old lingo | 12 |
| 11A | 23. Ease off | 5 |
| 12A | 24. D.C. URL ending | 6 |
| 13A | 28. *Frankfurters | 7 |
| 14A | 31. Easy mark for a hustle | 7 |
| 15A | 32. Subject of Weird Al Yankovic's "The White Stuff" | 4 |
| 16A | 33. Common car freshener scent | 4 |
| 17A | 34. Score that's better than a bogey | 3 |
| 18A | 35. "Barbie" actress Issa | 3 |
| 19A | 36. *Relative of a grizzly that's named for its bright chest patch | 7 |
| 20A | 39. Umpire's clenched-fist call | 3 |
| 21A | 40. Sgt., but not pvt., e.g. | 3 |
| 22A | 41. Orgs. that may hold raffles | 4 |
| 23A | 42. Mechanical memorization | 4 |
| 24A | 43. Accessories pointed at the North Pole? | 7 |
| 25A | 45. *Internet browser borrowing a nickname for the red panda | 7 |
| 26A | 48. Slander | 6 |
| 27A | 49. What to call people ... or what not to call people | 5 |
| 28A | 50. Like a feeling of tender happiness ... or how you might feel after reading both halves of the answers to the starred clues? | 12 |
| 29A | 55. Common default computer font | 5 |
| 30A | 58. Mistake-correcting command | 4 |
| 31A | 59. Rebel Alliance princess | 4 |
| 32A | 60. Portmanteau for a screened-in feline lounge | 5 |
| 33A | 61. Fresh powder, e.g. | 4 |
| 34A | 62. Sci-fi franchise with light cycles | 4 |
| 35A | 63. Break things off | 5 |
| 36A | 64. "Amazing Grace," for one | 4 |
| 37A | 65. Eurovision contest entry | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. ___ ghanouj"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small cake leavened with yeast
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BABA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. Like a couch potato"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling
- Similar words include: jobless, groundless, light
- Opposite of: work, busy
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "9. "Rise and shine!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a set of clothing (with accessories)
- Similar words include: turnout, rig, outfit
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GETUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "14. Patron saint of Norway"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OLAV
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "15. Combustible rock"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the carboniferous period
- Similar words include: ember, char
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "16. No longer in dreamland"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that stop sleeping
- Similar words include: arouse, wake, wake up
- Opposite of: fall asleep, asleep
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AWAKE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "17. Charisma"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a magic power or magic spell
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOJO
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8A: "18. "Orinoco Flow" singer"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENYA
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9A: "19. Like a credit card at its limit"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAXED
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10A: "20. *Surfer girls, in old lingo"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEACHBUNNIES
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11A: "23. Ease off"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make less active or intense
- Similar words include: slack, slake, let up
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ABATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "24. D.C. URL ending"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOTGOV
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "28. *Frankfurters"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who performs dangerous stunts to attract attention to himself
- Similar words include: hot dog, frankfurter, hotdog
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOTDOGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "31. Easy mark for a hustle"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIVEONE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "32. Subject of Weird Al Yankovic's "The White Stuff""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that chocolate cookie with white cream filling
- Similar words include: oreo cookie
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OREO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "33. Common car freshener scent"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a coniferous tree
- Similar words include: languish, true pine, ache
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PINE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "34. Score that's better than a bogey"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (golf) the standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course
- Similar words include: equality, equation, equivalence
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "35. "Barbie" actress Issa"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "36. *Relative of a grizzly that's named for its bright chest patch"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUNBEAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "39. Umpire's clenched-fist call"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (baseball) a failure by a batter or runner to reach a base safely in baseball
- Similar words include: proscribed, tabu, knocked out
- Opposite of: safe
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OUT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "40. Sgt., but not pvt., e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NCO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "41. Orgs. that may hold raffles"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PTAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "42. Mechanical memorization"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that memorization by repetition
- Similar words include: rote learning
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "43. Accessories pointed at the North Pole?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELFHATS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "45. *Internet browser borrowing a nickname for the red panda"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIREFOX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "48. Slander"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
- Similar words include: calumniate, smear, smirch
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEFAME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "49. What to call people ... or what not to call people"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
- Similar words include: diagnose, discover, nominate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAMES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "50. Like a feeling of tender happiness ... or how you might feel after reading both halves of the answers to the starred clues?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WARMANDFUZZY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "55. Common default computer font"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARIAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "58. Mistake-correcting command"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that cancel, annul, or reverse an action or its effect
- Similar words include: unwrap, untie, loosen
- Opposite of: make, wrap
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNDO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "59. Rebel Alliance princess"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "60. Portmanteau for a screened-in feline lounge"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CATIO
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33A: "61. Fresh powder, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
- Similar words include: Charles Percy Snow, coke, pull the wool over someone's eyes
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "62. Sci-fi franchise with light cycles"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "63. Break things off"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENDIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "64. "Amazing Grace," for one"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a song of praise (to god or to a saint or to a nation)
- Similar words include: anthem
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HYMN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37A: "65. Eurovision contest entry"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a short musical composition with words
- Similar words include: strain, birdsong, birdcall
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SONG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Tell jokes to total silence, say | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Soothing succulent | 4 |
| 3D | 3. ___ California (Mexican border state) | 4 |
| 4D | 4. Fruit from a tree that can self-pollinate | 7 |
| 5D | 5. Cooler in a cooler | 6 |
| 6D | 6. Hole foods? | 6 |
| 7D | 7. ___ Staley, original lead singer of Alice in Chains | 5 |
| 8D | 8. Pizazz | 4 |
| 9D | 9. Last words on a pinball machine | 8 |
| 10D | 10. Discarded tech | 6 |
| 11D | 11. Levy | 3 |
| 12D | 12. Luau instrument, informally | 3 |
| 13D | 13. ___ Xing | 3 |
| 14D | 21. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" network | 3 |
| 15D | 22. "Let It Go" singer Menzel | 5 |
| 16D | 25. Vanish into thin air | 6 |
| 17D | 26. Acting unthinkingly | 6 |
| 18D | 27. Geometrical corner | 6 |
| 19D | 28. Like a triceratops | 6 |
| 20D | 29. Delphi prophet | 6 |
| 21D | 30. Start a long drive, in a way | 6 |
| 22D | 31. Tell a tall tale | 3 |
| 23D | 33. "This Old House" network | 3 |
| 24D | 36. Monty Python musical with a portmanteau title | 8 |
| 25D | 37. Absolute, as nonsense | 5 |
| 26D | 38. "Illmatic" rapper | 3 |
| 27D | 42. What doers produce | 7 |
| 28D | 44. Luau locale | 6 |
| 29D | 45. Obsessive pop culture subculture | 6 |
| 30D | 46. "Count me in!" | 6 |
| 31D | 47. Yellow card wielder | 3 |
| 32D | 49. Job for Mrs. Doubtfire | 5 |
| 33D | 51. Sled dog command | 4 |
| 34D | 52. Number of years that George Washington lived in the White House | 4 |
| 35D | 53. Last U.S. national park alphabetically | 4 |
| 36D | 54. Bowen formerly of "S.N.L." | 4 |
| 37D | 55. High card | 3 |
| 38D | 56. Hightailed it | 3 |
| 39D | 57. "___ be my pleasure!" | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Tell jokes to total silence, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an explosive device fused to explode under specific conditions
- Similar words include: turkey, flush it, fail
- Opposite of: pass
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BOMB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Soothing succulent"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that succulent plants having rosettes of leaves usually with fiber like hemp and spikes of showy flowers; found chiefly in africa
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALOE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. ___ California (Mexican border state)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BAJA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Fruit from a tree that can self-pollinate"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a pear-shaped tropical fruit with green or blackish skin and rich yellowish pulp enclosing a single large seed
- Similar words include: avocado tree, alligator pear, avocado pear
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVOCADO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Cooler in a cooler"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICEBAG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Hole foods?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small ring-shaped friedcake
- Similar words include: doughnut, donut, sinker
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DONUTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. ___ Staley, original lead singer of Alice in Chains"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAYNE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Pizazz"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
- Similar words include: ardor, ardour, zeal
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Last words on a pinball machine"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GAMEOVER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Discarded tech"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EWASTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Levy"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government
- Similar words include: revenue enhancement, taxation, assess
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Luau instrument, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small guitar having four strings
- Similar words include: ukulele
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UKE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. ___ Xing"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "21. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" network"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HBO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "22. "Let It Go" singer Menzel"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDINA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "25. Vanish into thin air"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOPOOF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "26. Acting unthinkingly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONAUTO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "27. Geometrical corner"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the point of intersection of lines or the point opposite the base of a figure
- Similar words include: acme, peak, apex
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VERTEX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "28. Like a triceratops"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that stab or pierce with a horn or tusk
- Similar words include: horn, tusk
- Opposite of: hornless
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HORNED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "29. Delphi prophet"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an authoritative person who divines the future
- Similar words include: prophet, vaticinator, seer
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORACLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. Start a long drive, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of hitting a golf ball from the teeing ground at the start of each hole
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEEOFF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "31. Tell a tall tale"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
- Similar words include: lie down, Trygve Halvden Lie, prevarication
- Opposite of: arise, stand
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "33. "This Old House" network"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a solution containing a phosphate buffer
- Similar words include: pebibyte, phosphate buffer solution, lead
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PBS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "36. Monty Python musical with a portmanteau title"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPAMALOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "37. Absolute, as nonsense"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
- Similar words include: everlasting, staring, perfect
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UTTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "38. "Illmatic" rapper"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group; occurs abundantly in natural compounds (especially in salt water); burns with a yellow flame and reacts violently in water; occurs in sea water and in the mineral halite (rock salt)
- Similar words include: atomic number 11, Na, sodium
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "42. What doers produce"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
- Similar words include: result, effect, ensue
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RESULTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "44. Luau locale"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a state in the united states in the central pacific on the hawaiian islands
- Similar words include: Hawai'i, HI, Aloha State
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAWAII
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "45. Obsessive pop culture subculture"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fans of a sport or famous person
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FANDOM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "46. "Count me in!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMDOWN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "47. Yellow card wielder"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (sports) the chief official (as in boxing or american football) who is expected to ensure fair play
- Similar words include: referee
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "49. Job for Mrs. Doubtfire"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a woman who is the custodian of children
- Similar words include: nanny-goat, she-goat, nursemaid
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NANNY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "51. Sled dog command"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any soft or soggy mass
- Similar words include: pulp, treacle, dogsled
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MUSH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "52. Number of years that George Washington lived in the White House"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a quantity of no importance
- Similar words include: aught, zero point, nought
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZERO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "53. Last U.S. national park alphabetically"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that originally a stronghold captured by david (the 2nd king of the israelites); above it was built a temple and later the name extended to the whole hill; finally it became a synonym for the city of jerusalem
- Similar words include: State of Israel, Yisrael, Israel
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZION
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "54. Bowen formerly of "S.N.L.""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the bright positive masculine principle in chinese dualistic cosmology
- Opposite of: yin
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YANG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "55. High card"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
- Similar words include: virtuoso, superstar, tiptop
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38D: "56. Hightailed it"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
- Similar words include: fly the coop, run for, carry
- Opposite of: idle, malfunction
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
39D: "57. "___ be my pleasure!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITD
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
37 Across Clues
39 Down Clues
76 Total Clues
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