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 (36 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. Org. with checkpoints | 3 |
| 2A | 4. Poke accompaniment, at times | 4 |
| 3A | 8. Shoe-shaping tools | 5 |
| 4A | 13. "Abso-freaking-lutely!" | 8 |
| 5A | 15. A red plastic one might be worn on Halloween | 7 |
| 6A | 17. Skating venue | 8 |
| 7A | 18. "Thumbs-down from me" | 7 |
| 8A | 19. Bonkers | 5 |
| 9A | 20. A little sore, say | 6 |
| 10A | 22. It's what you should take, in brief | 3 |
| 11A | 23. Lundi ___, festive Monday observance in New Orleans | 4 |
| 12A | 24. Went after | 6 |
| 13A | 25. Catches | 4 |
| 14A | 26. Casual assent | 3 |
| 15A | 27. Dating qualifier | 5 |
| 16A | 28. Really fancy? | 5 |
| 17A | 29. They don't give you the full picture | 13 |
| 18A | 32. The 14.54-carat Apollo Blue, e.g., which sold for more than $42 million in 2017 | 14 |
| 19A | 34. Polite, friendly stereotype from the Midwest | 13 |
| 20A | 35. Le contraire de "après" | 5 |
| 21A | 36. Clear a sentence? | 5 |
| 22A | 37. "Girl!" | 3 |
| 23A | 40. Goddess often depicted with peacocks | 4 |
| 24A | 41. Someone singing "Something" | 6 |
| 25A | 43. Alphabetically last nutrient in a multivitamin, often | 4 |
| 26A | 44. Counsel council, for short | 3 |
| 27A | 45. Gives a wave, maybe | 6 |
| 28A | 46. "Andor" actor ___ Luna | 5 |
| 29A | 47. Research scientist's jotting | 7 |
| 30A | 49. Visitor to a fertility clinic. maybe | 8 |
| 31A | 51. Birds whose name comes from the Latin word for "golden" | 7 |
| 32A | 52. 1976 Fleetwood Mac hit said to be inspired by a Welsh witch | 8 |
| 33A | 53. Provincetown catch | 5 |
| 34A | 54. Hit's counterpart | 4 |
| 35A | 55. Spots | 3 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Org. with checkpoints"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an agency established in 2001 to safeguard united states transportation systems and insure safe air travel
- Similar words include: Transportation Security Administration
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TSA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "4. Poke accompaniment, at times"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PSST
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3A: "8. Shoe-shaping tools"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the temporal end; the concluding time
- Similar words include: last, hold up, conclusion
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LASTS
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4A: "13. "Abso-freaking-lutely!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HELLYEAH
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5A: "15. A red plastic one might be worn on Halloween"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIREHAT
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6A: "17. Skating venue"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICEARENA
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7A: "18. "Thumbs-down from me""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IVOTENO
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8A: "19. Bonkers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NUTSO
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9A: "20. A little sore, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that cause to be annoyed
- Similar words include: pissed off, steamed, stung
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MIFFED
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10A: "22. It's what you should take, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RDA
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11A: "23. Lundi ___, festive Monday observance in New Orleans"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRAS
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12A: "24. Went after"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that go after with the intent to catch
- Similar words include: tail, chase after, chase
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAILED
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13A: "25. Catches"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that tag the base runner to get him out
- Similar words include: cop, pick up, arrest
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NABS
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14A: "26. Casual assent"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YEP
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15A: "27. Dating qualifier"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIRCA
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16A: "28. Really fancy?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person)
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COVET
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17A: "29. They don't give you the full picture"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOVIETRAILERS
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18A: "32. The 14.54-carat Apollo Blue, e.g., which sold for more than $42 million in 2017"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIAMONDEARRING
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19A: "34. Polite, friendly stereotype from the Midwest"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MINNESOTANICE
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20A: "35. Le contraire de "après""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVANT
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21A: "36. Clear a sentence?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that remove from memory or existence
- Similar words include: efface, wipe off, wipe out
- Opposite of: record
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERASE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "37. "Girl!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a female person who has the same parents as another person
- Similar words include: sister, SI, silicon
- Opposite of: brother
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "40. Goddess often depicted with peacocks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that queen of the olympian gods in ancient greek mythology; sister and wife of zeus remembered for her jealously of the many mortal women zeus fell in love with; identified with roman juno
- Similar words include: Here
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HERA
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24A: "41. Someone singing "Something""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEATLE
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25A: "43. Alphabetically last nutrient in a multivitamin, often"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a bluish-white lustrous metallic element; brittle at ordinary temperatures but malleable when heated; used in a wide variety of alloys and in galvanizing iron; it occurs naturally as zinc sulphide in zinc blende
- Similar words include: Zn, atomic number 30
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZINC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "44. Counsel council, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth; worn by arabs
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ABA
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27A: "45. Gives a wave, maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAYSHI
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28A: "46. "Andor" actor ___ Luna"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIEGO
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29A: "47. Research scientist's jotting"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LABNOTE
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30A: "49. Visitor to a fertility clinic. maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EGGDONOR
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31A: "51. Birds whose name comes from the Latin word for "golden""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that mostly tropical songbird; the male is usually bright orange and black
- Similar words include: New World oriole, Old World oriole, oriole
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORIOLES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "52. 1976 Fleetwood Mac hit said to be inspired by a Welsh witch"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RHIANNON
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33A: "53. Provincetown catch"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that flesh of young atlantic cod weighing up to 2 pounds; also young haddock and pollock; often broiled
- Similar words include: schrod
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCROD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "54. Hit's counterpart"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that continuing or remaining in a place or state
- Similar words include: continue, stop, ride out
- Opposite of: change, depart
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAY
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35A: "55. Spots"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a public promotion of some product or service
- Similar words include: advertizing, ad, advertising
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Widget | 6 |
| 2D | 2. Guarded | 6 |
| 3D | 3. It's handled at the bar | 6 |
| 4D | 4. One with a burning passion? | 4 |
| 5D | 5. Bishop's locale | 3 |
| 6D | 6. Tiny nation claiming over 1,700 years of self-governance | 9 |
| 7D | 7. Cold drinks often topped with evaporated milk | 12 |
| 8D | 8. ___ experience | 5 |
| 9D | 9. Longtime teammate of Derek Jeter, familiarly | 4 |
| 10D | 10. Group of reps | 3 |
| 11D | 11. Poem so beloved by Abraham Lincoln that he carried it in his pocket and memorized it | 8 |
| 12D | 12. Sheryl ___, author of the 2013 best seller "Lean In" | 8 |
| 13D | 14. Many a bonny bairn | 4 |
| 14D | 15. Sharp wind? | 4 |
| 15D | 16. Offerings at a reception | 6 |
| 16D | 21. Ones who don't believe in global revolutions? | 12 |
| 17D | 24. Saves for later, in a way | 5 |
| 18D | 25. "Seriously!" | 5 |
| 19D | 27. Teammate of Cupid in "A Visit From St. Nicholas" | 5 |
| 20D | 28. Mythological figure who turns men into pigs | 5 |
| 21D | 29. Spiritual sustenance | 5 |
| 22D | 30. Sped right through the stop signal | 9 |
| 23D | 31. Pop up | 5 |
| 24D | 32. Ones offering cheap shots? | 8 |
| 25D | 33. How the Quran is written | 8 |
| 26D | 34. Honolulu thank you | 6 |
| 27D | 37. Ferruginous pigment | 6 |
| 28D | 38. Close (with) | 6 |
| 29D | 39. Puts down | 6 |
| 30D | 41. Like some breath | 5 |
| 31D | 42. Blinkers? | 4 |
| 32D | 43. Canyon with a much-hiked section called the Narrows | 4 |
| 33D | 45. Word with guitar or go | 4 |
| 34D | 46. Historic event the French call "le jour J" | 4 |
| 35D | 48. "___ I!" (negative reply) | 3 |
| 36D | 50. Director Coppola of 2024's "The Last Showgirl" | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Widget"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THINGY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Guarded"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that get by special effort
- Similar words include: unattackable, insure, procure
- Opposite of: insecure, unfasten
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SECURE
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3D: "3. It's handled at the bar"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALETAP
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4D: "4. One with a burning passion?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PYRO
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5D: "5. Bishop's locale"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
- Similar words include: find out, determine, get wind
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEE
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6D: "6. Tiny nation claiming over 1,700 years of self-governance"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SANMARINO
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7D: "7. Cold drinks often topped with evaporated milk"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THAIICEDTEAS
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8D: "8. ___ experience"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that inhabit or live in; be an inhabitant of
- Similar words include: exist, be, know
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIVED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Longtime teammate of Derek Jeter, familiarly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AROD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Group of reps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
- Similar words include: coiffure, determine, dress
- Opposite of: rise
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Poem so beloved by Abraham Lincoln that he carried it in his pocket and memorized it"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THERAVEN
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12D: "12. Sheryl ___, author of the 2013 best seller "Lean In""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SANDBERG
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13D: "14. Many a bonny bairn"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a girl or young woman who is unmarried
- Similar words include: jeune fille, lassie, young girl
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LASS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "15. Sharp wind?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small high-pitched flute similar to a piccolo; has a shrill tone and is used chiefly to accompany drums in a marching band
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIFE
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15D: "16. Offerings at a reception"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that slices of bread that have been toasted
- Similar words include: crisp, wassail, salute
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOASTS
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16D: "21. Ones who don't believe in global revolutions?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FLATEARTHERS
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17D: "24. Saves for later, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIVOS
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18D: "25. "Seriously!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOLIE
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19D: "27. Teammate of Cupid in "A Visit From St. Nicholas""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COMET
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20D: "28. Mythological figure who turns men into pigs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (greek mythology) a sorceress who detained odysseus on her island and turned his men into swine
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIRCE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "29. Spiritual sustenance"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hardened sugary exudation of various trees
- Similar words include: manna from heaven, miraculous food
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MANNA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "30. Sped right through the stop signal"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RANALIGHT
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23D: "31. Pop up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that come into existence; take on form or shape
- Similar words include: originate, come up, rise up
- Opposite of: turn in, go to bed
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARISE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "32. Ones offering cheap shots?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIVEBARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "33. How the Quran is written"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INARABIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "34. Honolulu thank you"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAHALO
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27D: "37. Ferruginous pigment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an earth color containing ferric oxides; used as a pigment
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIENNA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "38. Close (with)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INGOOD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "39. Puts down"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
- Similar words include: turn down, contemn, spurn
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCORNS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "41. Like some breath"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that moderate or restrain; lessen the force of
- Similar words include: bate, clobber, bat
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BATED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "42. Blinkers?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that opinion or judgment
- Similar words include: oculus, centre, center
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EYES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "43. Canyon with a much-hiked section called the Narrows"
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: Yisrael, Utopia, State of Israel
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZION
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "45. Word with guitar or go"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any activity that is performed alone without assistance
- Similar words include: alone, unaccompanied
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOLO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "46. Historic event the French call "le jour J""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DDAY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "48. "___ I!" (negative reply)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "50. Director Coppola of 2024's "The Last Showgirl""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a terrorist organization of islamic extremists whose violent activities began in 1992; aims to overthrow the secular algerian regime and replace it with an islamic state
- Similar words include: Armed Islamic Group
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GIA
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
36 Down Clues
71 Total Clues
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