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 (34 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (36 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Moderate
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. They're often engaged in engineering | 9 |
| 2A | 10. Like some on-the-go purchases | 5 |
| 3A | 15. Gift of Athena to Athenians | 9 |
| 4A | 16. Drilling site | 5 |
| 5A | 17. Controversial Richard Serra sculpture once seen in N.Y.C.'s Foley Square | 9 |
| 6A | 18. Campus opening? | 5 |
| 7A | 19. "Read Me" readers | 5 |
| 8A | 20. Mandolin accessory | 4 |
| 9A | 22. Malediction | 3 |
| 10A | 23. Salon service, for short | 4 |
| 11A | 24. St. Peter's Basilica attraction | 5 |
| 12A | 26. English writer/philosopher ___ Wollstonecraft | 4 |
| 13A | 27. The Rock's signature W.W.E. move | 12 |
| 14A | 30. Device built into most laptops | 3 |
| 15A | 33. Components of décadas | 4 |
| 16A | 34. Spit it out! | 6 |
| 17A | 35. Only mammals that can crack Brazil nut shells with their teeth | 7 |
| 18A | 37. Airline mechanic, at times | 7 |
| 19A | 38. Materialistic type of the 1980s | 6 |
| 20A | 39. Behind | 4 |
| 21A | 40. Yearbook div. | 3 |
| 22A | 41. Superlatively absurd | 12 |
| 23A | 44. Disney-owned channel | 4 |
| 24A | 45. Name of eight popes | 5 |
| 25A | 46. Abbr. next to a year on a company sign | 4 |
| 26A | 50. FYI advertisement | 3 |
| 27A | 51. ___ Games (Fortnite company) | 4 |
| 28A | 52. Speculative venture | 5 |
| 29A | 53. Commercial lead-in to -matic, once | 5 |
| 30A | 55. Acquaintance made at day care drop-off, perhaps | 9 |
| 31A | 58. High-performance British sports car | 5 |
| 32A | 59. Person giving a video testimonial, perhaps | 9 |
| 33A | 60. Nook book, e.g. | 5 |
| 34A | 61. Words next to an arrow in a maze | 9 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. They're often engaged in engineering"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GEARTEETH
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2A: "10. Like some on-the-go purchases"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INAPP
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3A: "15. Gift of Athena to Athenians"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OLIVETREE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "16. Drilling site"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that grinding tooth with a broad crown; located behind the premolars
- Similar words include: grinder
- Opposite of: molecular
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOLAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "17. Controversial Richard Serra sculpture once seen in N.Y.C.'s Foley Square"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TILTEDARC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "18. Campus opening?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an ancient numidian town in northwestern africa adjoining present-day annaba in northeastern algeria
- Similar words include: Hippo Regius, Hippopotamus amphibius, river horse
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HIPPO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "19. "Read Me" readers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who makes use of a thing; someone who uses or employs something
- Similar words include: user, exploiter, drug user
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: USERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "20. Mandolin accessory"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the head of a branch of an organized crime syndicate
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAPO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "22. Malediction"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an evil spell
- Similar words include: curse, glamour, bewitch
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "23. Salon service, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEDI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "24. St. Peter's Basilica attraction"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a representation of the virgin mary mourning over the dead body of jesus
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PIETA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "26. English writer/philosopher ___ Wollstonecraft"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the mother of jesus; christians refer to her as the virgin mary; she is especially honored by roman catholics
- Similar words include: Virgin Mary, Blessed Virgin, Madonna
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MARY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "27. The Rock's signature W.W.E. move"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEOPLESELBOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "30. Device built into most laptops"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "33. Components of décadas"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a palestinian international terrorist organization that split from the plo in 1974; has conducted terrorist attacks in 20 countries
- Similar words include: Fatah Revolutionary Council, ANO, Revolutionary Organization of Socialist Muslims
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "34. Spit it out!"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a clear liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands and mucous glands of the mouth; moistens the mouth and starts the digestion of starches
- Similar words include: spittle, spit
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SALIVA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "35. Only mammals that can crack Brazil nut shells with their teeth"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that agile long-legged rabbit-sized rodent of central america and south america and the west indies; valued as food
- Similar words include: Dasyprocta aguti, agouti
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGOUTIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "37. Airline mechanic, at times"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a worker who inserts and hammers rivets
- Similar words include: rivetter, riveting machine
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIVETER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "38. Materialistic type of the 1980s"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a young upwardly mobile professional individual; a well-paid middle-class professional who works in a city and has a luxurious life style
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YUPPIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "39. Behind"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
- Similar words include: lately, deep, belatedly
- Opposite of: early
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "40. Yearbook div."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element of the alkali metal group; turns yellow in air; occurs in celestite and strontianite
- Similar words include: Sr, steradian, atomic number 38
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SRS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "41. Superlatively absurd"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEYONDPARODY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "44. Disney-owned channel"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESPN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "45. Name of eight popes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that relating to or concerned with a city or densely populated area
- Opposite of: rural
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: URBAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "46. Abbr. next to a year on a company sign"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESTD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "50. FYI advertisement"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a protein manufactured exclusively by the prostate gland; psa is produced for the ejaculate where it liquifies the semen and allows sperm cells to swim freely; elevated levels of psa in blood serum are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer
- Similar words include: prostate specific antigen
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PSA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "51. ___ Games (Fortnite company)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
- Similar words include: larger-than-life, heroic poem, epical
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EPIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "52. Speculative venture"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who travels by air
- Similar words include: handbill, aviator, bill
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FLIER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "53. Commercial lead-in to -matic, once"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INSTA
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30A: "55. Acquaintance made at day care drop-off, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOMFRIEND
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "58. High-performance British sports car"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that native to eastern asia; widely cultivated for its large pink or white flowers
- Similar words include: white lily, Nymphaea lotus, genus Lotus
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOTUS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "59. Person giving a video testimonial, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAIDACTOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "60. Nook book, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETEXT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "61. Words next to an arrow in a maze"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STARTHERE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Arose | 5 |
| 2D | 2. Mertens of tennis | 5 |
| 3D | 3. Wasn't doing well | 5 |
| 4D | 4. One way to enjoy the great outdoors, informally | 6 |
| 5D | 5. They break after some drives | 4 |
| 6D | 6. Boarding datum, in brief | 3 |
| 7D | 7. Basic baseball stat | 3 |
| 8D | 8. Toyota models from 1978 to 1999 | 7 |
| 9D | 9. Greek goddess whose name becomes a Mexican beer if you change the first letter to T | 6 |
| 10D | 10. Texter's disclaimer | 4 |
| 11D | 11. "___ am your father" (often-misquoted film line) | 3 |
| 12D | 12. Product with the onetime slogan "An adventure in every bowl!" | 9 |
| 13D | 13. Superficially conceal, as a problem | 9 |
| 14D | 14. Conflicts waged on behalf of third-party powers | 9 |
| 15D | 21. Whispered exhortation | 8 |
| 16D | 24. Settled a debt reluctantly | 8 |
| 17D | 25. When many take stock, informally? | 4 |
| 18D | 26. Fr. title | 4 |
| 19D | 28. Put away some groceries? | 5 |
| 20D | 29. Like many houses | 5 |
| 21D | 30. "I'll think about this and decide later" grouping | 9 |
| 22D | 31. "Apparently no" | 9 |
| 23D | 32. Two-in-one computer command | 9 |
| 24D | 36. Atop | 4 |
| 25D | 37. Atypical, to Antonius | 4 |
| 26D | 39. Certain smock | 7 |
| 27D | 42. Does self-checkout? | 6 |
| 28D | 43. Christian who was the 2018 N.L. M.V.P. | 6 |
| 29D | 47. Number of Spanish provincias that touch Portugal | 5 |
| 30D | 48. Vibe | 5 |
| 31D | 49. Founder of the record label Aftermath | 5 |
| 32D | 51. One direction | 4 |
| 33D | 52. Part of a Greek Row, informally | 4 |
| 34D | 54. Certain fancy attire, for short | 3 |
| 35D | 56. Cara ___ (Italian term of affection) | 3 |
| 36D | 57. Prez with a V.P. nicknamed "Cactus Jack" | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Arose"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOTUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Mertens of tennis"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELISE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Wasn't doing well"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that be ill or unwell
- Similar words include: pain, ail, trouble
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AILED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. One way to enjoy the great outdoors, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RVTRIP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. They break after some drives"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the starting place for each hole on a golf course
- Similar words include: teeing ground, tee up, golf tee
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Boarding datum, 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
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Basic baseball stat"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
- Similar words include: epoch, geological era, earned run average
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Toyota models from 1978 to 1999"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that male hawk especially male peregrine or gyrfalcon
- Similar words include: tercel, tercelet, tiercel
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TERCELS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Greek goddess whose name becomes a Mexican beer if you change the first letter to T"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (greek mythology) greek goddess of fertility who later became associated with persephone as goddess of the underworld and protector of witches
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HECATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Texter's disclaimer"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMHO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. "___ am your father" (often-misquoted film line)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Product with the onetime slogan "An adventure in every bowl!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALPHABITS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Superficially conceal, as a problem"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAPEROVER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "14. Conflicts waged on behalf of third-party powers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PROXYWARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "21. Whispered exhortation"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PASSITON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "24. Settled a debt reluctantly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PONIEDUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "25. When many take stock, informally?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a corporation's first offer to sell stock to the public
- Similar words include: IPO, initial offering, initial public offering
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IPOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "26. Fr. title"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MLLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "28. Put away some groceries?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EATIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "29. Like many houses"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EAVED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. "I'll think about this and decide later" grouping"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAYBEPILE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "31. "Apparently no""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IGUESSNOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "32. Two-in-one computer command"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COPYPASTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "36. Atop"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UPON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "37. Atypical, to Antonius"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RARA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "39. Certain smock"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LABCOAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "42. Does self-checkout?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dress or groom with elaborate care
- Similar words include: dress, plume, primp
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PRIMPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "43. Christian who was the 2018 N.L. M.V.P."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YELICH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "47. Number of Spanish provincias that touch Portugal"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIETE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "48. Vibe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the adult male singing voice above baritone
- Similar words include: tenor voice, strain
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "49. Founder of the record label Aftermath"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DRDRE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "51. One direction"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
- Similar words include: E, eastern United States, Orient
- Opposite of: west
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EAST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "52. Part of a Greek Row, informally"
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!
34D: "54. Certain fancy attire, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that semiformal evening dress for men
- Similar words include: tuxedo, black tie, dinner jacket
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TUX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "56. Cara ___ (Italian term of affection)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MIA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "57. Prez with a V.P. nicknamed "Cactus Jack""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that 32nd president of the united states; elected four times; instituted new deal to counter the great depression and led country during world war ii (1882-1945)
- Similar words include: F. D. Roosevelt, Roosevelt, President Franklin Roosevelt
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FDR
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
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