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 (39 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (35 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. In "The Tempest," when Miranda says "O brave new world, That has such people in't!" | 4 |
| 2A | 5. Middlemen in illicit transactions | 6 |
| 3A | 11. Last over the line, say | 7 |
| 4A | 14. Sushi wrapper | 4 |
| 5A | 15. Waikiki welcomes | 6 |
| 6A | 16. Indigenous people of the Great Basin | 3 |
| 7A | 17. Forbidden idol | 11 |
| 8A | 19. "American ___" | 3 |
| 9A | 20. Neighborhood watering hole | 9 |
| 10A | 21. Subj. for one aspiring to become bilingual | 3 |
| 11A | 22. Particularly fine examples | 4 |
| 12A | 23. Tolkien's Treebeard, for one | 3 |
| 13A | 24. Cards | 3 |
| 14A | 26. Shamash holder | 7 |
| 15A | 28. Really rips into | 7 |
| 16A | 31. Become enamored with | 6 |
| 17A | 32. Beguile | 6 |
| 18A | 34. Bob who narrated "How I Met Your Mother" | 5 |
| 19A | 35. Historic Bulgarian ruler | 4 |
| 20A | 38. Faux flattery | 5 |
| 21A | 40. Bob who hosted PBS's "The Joy of Painting" | 4 |
| 22A | 41. Broad-shouldered Titan | 5 |
| 23A | 43. Most senior | 6 |
| 24A | 45. Italian liquor distilled from winemaking leftovers | 6 |
| 25A | 47. Downward dog and others | 9 |
| 26A | 50. Exactly as desired | 10 |
| 27A | 52. 151, once | 3 |
| 28A | 53. Discouraging words | 3 |
| 29A | 55. They come in black, Belgian and double varieties | 4 |
| 30A | 56. Path to spiritual harmony | 3 |
| 31A | 58. Bring out | 6 |
| 32A | 60. Lillehammer's land: Abbr. | 3 |
| 33A | 61. Large retail establishment ... and a hint to four squares in this puzzle | 11 |
| 34A | 63. Part of the conjugation of "être" | 3 |
| 35A | 64. Candy heart phrase | 6 |
| 36A | 65. Where "the man gave names to all ... the birds in the sky and all the wild animals" | 4 |
| 37A | 66. "Told you!" | 3 |
| 38A | 67. Containers in orchards | 6 |
| 39A | 68. Run into | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. In "The Tempest," when Miranda says "O brave new world, That has such people in't!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACTV
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. Middlemen in illicit transactions"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a barrier that serves to enclose an area
- Similar words include: surround, argue, palisade
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FENCES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "11. Last over the line, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
- Similar words include: sluggish, irksome, wearisome
- Opposite of: fast
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLOWEST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "14. Sushi wrapper"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NORI
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5A: "15. Waikiki welcomes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an acknowledgment that can be used to say hello or goodbye (aloha is hawaiian and ciao is italian)
- Similar words include: ciao, aloha
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALOHAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "16. Indigenous people of the Great Basin"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of the shoshonean people of utah and colorado and new mexico
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UTE
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7A: "17. Forbidden idol"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRAVENIMAGE
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8A: "19. "American ___""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top
- Similar words include: Proto-Indo European
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "20. Neighborhood watering hole"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOCALDIVE
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10A: "21. Subj. for one aspiring to become bilingual"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESL
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11A: "22. Particularly fine examples"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that art highly prized for its beauty or perfection
- Similar words include: precious stone, gem, treasure
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GEMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "23. Tolkien's Treebeard, for one"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "24. Cards"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a state in the rocky mountains
- Similar words include: id, Idaho, I.D.
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "26. Shamash holder"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (judaism) a candelabrum with seven branches used in ceremonies to symbolize the seven days of creation
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MENORAH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "28. Really rips into"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that attack someone physically or emotionally
- Similar words include: set on, round, assail
- Opposite of: defend
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASSAILS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "31. Become enamored with"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAKETO
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17A: "32. Beguile"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
- Similar words include: tempt, lure
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENTICE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "34. Bob who narrated "How I Met Your Mother""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAGET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "35. Historic Bulgarian ruler"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a male monarch or emperor (especially of russia prior to 1917)
- Similar words include: czar, tzar
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TSAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "38. Faux flattery"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm
- Similar words include: fulsomeness, unction
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMARM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "40. Bob who hosted PBS's "The Joy of Painting""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that scottish explorer who led arctic expeditions that yielded geographic discoveries while searching for the northwest passage (1777-1856)
- Similar words include: John Ross, Sir Ronald Ross, Nellie Ross
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROSS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "41. Broad-shouldered Titan"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (greek mythology) a titan who was forced by zeus to bear the sky on his shoulders
- Similar words include: telamon, map collection, book of maps
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATLAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "43. Most senior"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the offspring who came first in the order of birth
- Similar words include: firstborn
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELDEST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "45. Italian liquor distilled from winemaking leftovers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that italian brandy made from residue of grapes after pressing
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRAPPA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "47. Downward dog and others"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YOGAPOSES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "50. Exactly as desired"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIKEACHARM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "52. 151, once"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a user interface in which you type commands instead of choosing them from a menu or selecting an icon
- Similar words include: command line interface
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "53. Discouraging words"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a radioactive transuranic element synthesized by bombarding curium with carbon ions; 7 isotopes are known
- Similar words include: no, No, nobelium
- Opposite of: yes
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "55. They come in black, Belgian and double varieties"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IPAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "56. Path to spiritual harmony"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an adherent of any branch of taoism
- Similar words include: Taoist
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "58. Bring out"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
- Similar words include: provoke, kindle, extract
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELICIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "60. Lillehammer's land: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "61. Large retail establishment ... and a hint to four squares in this puzzle"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BIGBOXSTORE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "63. Part of the conjugation of "être""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that standard time in the 5th time zone west of greenwich, reckoned at the 75th meridian; used in the eastern united states
- Similar words include: Eastern Standard Time, Eastern Time
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "64. Candy heart phrase"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEMINE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "65. Where "the man gave names to all ... the birds in the sky and all the wild animals""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
- Similar words include: paradise, heaven, promised land
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37A: "66. "Told you!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
- Similar words include: take in, run across, realise
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38A: "67. Containers in orchards"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a rugged box (usually made of wood); used for shipping
- Similar words include: crate, crateful
- Opposite of: uncrate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRATES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
39A: "68. Run into"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held
- Similar words include: run across, suffer, fitting
- Opposite of: diverge
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. It's a matter of degrees | 5 |
| 2D | 2. Beer brand with the slogan "La Playa Awaits" | 6 |
| 3D | 3. Political leaflets | 6 |
| 4D | 4. "The Four Seasons" composer | 7 |
| 5D | 5. Altered excerpts of a film posted to social media, say | 8 |
| 6D | 6. Sons of ___, exemplars of biblical wickedness | 3 |
| 7D | 7. Site of an 1899-1909 gold rush | 4 |
| 8D | 8. Deep fissure | 5 |
| 9D | 9. Bald youngster? | 6 |
| 10D | 10. Montreal-to-Boston dir. | 3 |
| 11D | 11. Freudian censor | 8 |
| 12D | 12. Conservative guesses | 12 |
| 13D | 13. Links openings? | 8 |
| 14D | 18. Imported beverage brand | 5 |
| 15D | 22. Pint-size racers | 7 |
| 16D | 25. ___ mold | 5 |
| 17D | 27. "It Ain't Hard to Tell" rapper | 3 |
| 18D | 29. Six-winged angels | 7 |
| 19D | 30. Like the appearance of armadillos and anacondas | 5 |
| 20D | 33. Many a character on "The Pitt," informally | 5 |
| 21D | 35. "Just Do It" and "Think Different" | 8 |
| 22D | 36. Fashion photographer's direction | 11 |
| 23D | 37. Not prix fixe | 8 |
| 24D | 39. Movie theaters with many screens | 10 |
| 25D | 42. Fancy hotel amenity | 3 |
| 26D | 44. Nursery purchases | 5 |
| 27D | 46. More pretentious | 6 |
| 28D | 48. Disguise, in a way | 6 |
| 29D | 49. Fancy affair | 6 |
| 30D | 51. Soft rock? | 5 |
| 31D | 54. Tube placed during angioplasty | 5 |
| 32D | 57. Article that might be prewritten, informally | 4 |
| 33D | 59. Bullet point | 4 |
| 34D | 61. Airer of "The Graham Norton Show" | 3 |
| 35D | 62. Small square | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. It's a matter of degrees"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians
- Similar words include: slant, fish, weight
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANGLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Beer brand with the slogan "La Playa Awaits""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the outermost region of the sun's atmosphere; visible as a white halo during a solar eclipse
- Similar words include: Saint Ulmo's fire, St. Elmo's fire, electric glow
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CORONA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Political leaflets"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an extended area of land
- Similar words include: tract, nerve tract, pathway
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRACTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. "The Four Seasons" composer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that italian baroque composer and violinist (1675-1741)
- Similar words include: Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, Antonio Vivaldi
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VIVALDI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Altered excerpts of a film posted to social media, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FANEDITS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Sons of ___, exemplars of biblical wickedness"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Site of an 1899-1909 gold rush"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a town in western alaska on the southern coast of the seward peninsula; an important center of an alaskan gold rush at the beginning of the 20th century
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Deep fissure"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a deep opening in the earth's surface
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHASM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Bald youngster?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a young eagle
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EAGLET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Montreal-to-Boston dir."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the compass point midway between south and southeast
- Similar words include: south southeast, sou'-sou'-east
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SSE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Freudian censor"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (psychoanalysis) that part of the unconscious mind that acts as a conscience
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUPEREGO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Conservative guesses"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOWESTIMATES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Links openings?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEESHOTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "18. Imported beverage brand"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EVIAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "22. Pint-size racers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOKARTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "25. ___ mold"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any thick, viscous matter
- Similar words include: muck, gook, goo
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLIME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "27. "It Ain't Hard to Tell" 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: Na, sodium, atomic number 11
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "29. Six-winged angels"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an angel of the first order; usually portrayed as the winged head of a child
- Similar words include: seraph
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SERAPHS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "30. Like the appearance of armadillos and anacondas"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that rough to the touch; covered with scales or scurf
- Similar words include: leprose, lepidote, scaley
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCALY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "33. Many a character on "The Pitt," informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERDOC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "35. "Just Do It" and "Think Different""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAGLINES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "36. Fashion photographer's direction"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STRIKEAPOSE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "37. Not prix fixe"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALACARTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "39. Movie theaters with many screens"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEGAPLEXES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "42. Fancy hotel amenity"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a health resort near a spring or at the seaside
- Similar words include: watering hole, health club, watering place
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "44. Nursery purchases"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the state of being covered with unclean things
- Similar words include: ground, colly, dirt
- Opposite of: clean
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOILS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "46. More pretentious"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that showily imitative of art or artists
- Similar words include: arty
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARTIER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "48. Disguise, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that convert information into code
- Opposite of: decode
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENCODE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "49. Fancy affair"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a party of people assembled in the evening (usually at a private house)
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOIREE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "51. Soft rock?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that molten rock in the earth's crust
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAGMA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "54. Tube placed during angioplasty"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a slender tube inserted inside a tubular body part (as a blood vessel) to provide support during and after surgical anastomosis
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STENT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "57. Article that might be prewritten, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a notice of someone's death; usually includes a short biography
- Similar words include: obituary, necrology
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OBIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "59. Bullet point"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list
- Similar words include: particular, detail, token
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITEM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "61. Airer of "The Graham Norton Show""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BBC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "62. Small square"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
- Similar words include: unity, unitary, unmatched
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONE
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
39 Across Clues
35 Down Clues
74 Total Clues
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