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 (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. Cliff formed by a fault | 5 |
| 2A | 6. Avoided a tag, say | 4 |
| 3A | 10. Penultimate Greek letter | 3 |
| 4A | 13. "My fault entirely" | 5 |
| 5A | 14. Taste perception first identified in 1908 | 5 |
| 6A | 15. Physics unit named for a physicist | 3 |
| 7A | 16. Feature that debuted on Page 1 of The New York Times in 1997 | 11 |
| 8A | 18. Confucian "way" | 3 |
| 9A | 19. Prime breeding environment for mosquitoes | 13 |
| 10A | 20. Impression on some fancy sheets | 9 |
| 11A | 22. Puente of "The Mambo Kings" | 4 |
| 12A | 23. Traveled path | 5 |
| 13A | 24. At sea, say | 10 |
| 14A | 27. Powerful fireboat gear | 12 |
| 15A | 30. Rationalist's theology | 5 |
| 16A | 31. Decree | 4 |
| 17A | 32. Part of an analogy | 4 |
| 18A | 33. "___'s da breaks!" | 3 |
| 19A | 34. Lovestruck | 7 |
| 20A | 37. Flesh and blood | 3 |
| 21A | 38. Biblical locale guarded by a flaming sword | 4 |
| 22A | 40. Direction to bow, in music | 4 |
| 23A | 41. Squeezing (out) | 5 |
| 24A | 43. Gets bloated, say | 12 |
| 25A | 45. Pair for a pool | 10 |
| 26A | 46. Ruthless Athenian lawgiver | 5 |
| 27A | 47. Tidy up, in a way | 4 |
| 28A | 48. What collects in a puddle | 9 |
| 29A | 49. Things often getting free refills | 13 |
| 30A | 54. Simile segment | 3 |
| 31A | 55. Broadcasting giant with hundreds of stations | 11 |
| 32A | 57. ___ Friday | 3 |
| 33A | 58. Origin of the words "sky" and "scrape" | 5 |
| 34A | 59. Heather genus that's also a woman's name | 5 |
| 35A | 60. Good periods | 3 |
| 36A | 61. Former small-sized G.M. cars | 4 |
| 37A | 62. Compound with a caret-shaped molecule, as depicted by this puzzle's circled letters | 5 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Cliff formed by a fault"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge; usually formed by erosion
- Similar words include: escarp, protective embankment, escarpment
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCARP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "6. Avoided a tag, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
- Similar words include: skid, slue, slither
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLID
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "10. Penultimate Greek letter"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of pressure
- Similar words include: pounds per square inch
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PSI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "13. "My fault entirely""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALLME
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5A: "14. Taste perception first identified in 1908"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UMAMI
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6A: "15. Physics unit named for a physicist"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of electrical resistance equal to the resistance between two points on a conductor when a potential difference of one volt between them produces a current of one ampere
- Similar words include: Georg Simon Ohm
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHM
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7A: "16. Feature that debuted on Page 1 of The New York Times in 1997"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COLORPHOTOS
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8A: "18. Confucian "way""
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!
9A: "19. Prime breeding environment for mosquitoes"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STANDINGWATER
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10A: "20. Impression on some fancy sheets"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a line marking the level reached by a body of water
- Similar words include: water line
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WATERMARK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "22. Puente of "The Mambo Kings""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that yugoslav statesman who led the resistance to german occupation during world war ii and established a communist state after the war (1892-1980)
- Similar words include: Marshal Tito, Josip Broz
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TITO
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12A: "23. Traveled path"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an established line of travel or access
- Similar words include: path, road, itinerary
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROUTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "24. At sea, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONTHEWATER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "27. Powerful fireboat gear"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a hose (carried on a truck) that fires water under high pressure to disperse crowds (especially crowds of rioters)
- Similar words include: watercannon, water cannon
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WATERCANNONS
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15A: "30. Rationalist's theology"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the form of theological rationalism that believes in god on the basis of reason without reference to revelation
- Similar words include: free thought
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEISM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "31. Decree"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge)
- Similar words include: decree, rescript, edict
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "32. Part of an analogy"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ISTO
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18A: "33. "___'s da breaks!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEM
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19A: "34. Lovestruck"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that inflict a heavy blow on, with the hand, a tool, or a weapon
- Similar words include: soft on, infatuated, potty
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMITTEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "37. Flesh and blood"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person having kinship with another or others
- Similar words include: kin group, family, cognate
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "38. Biblical locale guarded by a flaming sword"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
- Similar words include: Shangri-la, promised land, heaven
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "40. Direction to bow, in music"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (of instruments in the violin family) to be played with the bow
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARCO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "41. Squeezing (out)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EKING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "43. Gets bloated, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RETAINSWATER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "45. Pair for a pool"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WATERWINGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "46. Ruthless Athenian lawgiver"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that athenian lawmaker whose code of laws prescribed death for almost every offense (circa 7th century bc)
- Similar words include: Dragon, genus Draco
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DRACO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "47. Tidy up, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air
- Similar words include: sprinkle, debris, detritus
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DUST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "48. What collects in a puddle"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that drops of fresh water that fall as precipitation from clouds
- Similar words include: rain
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAINWATER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "49. Things often getting free refills"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WATERPITCHERS
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30A: "54. Simile segment"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASA
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31A: "55. Broadcasting giant with hundreds of stations"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IHEARTRADIO
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32A: "57. ___ Friday"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters
- Similar words include: gallon
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "58. Origin of the words "sky" and "scrape""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an inhabitant of scandinavia
- Similar words include: North Germanic, Scandinavian, Northman
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NORSE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "59. Heather genus that's also a woman's name"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any plant of the genus erica
- Similar words include: true heath
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERICA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "60. Good periods"
Solving Hints:
- Similar words include: up
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "61. Former small-sized G.M. cars"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GEOS
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37A: "62. Compound with a caret-shaped molecule, as depicted by this puzzle's circled letters"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
- Similar words include: H2O, water system, water supply
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WATER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Anatomical containers | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Thicken | 4 |
| 3D | 3. Palindrome on an Italian restaurant menu | 4 |
| 4D | 4. September to April, in the oyster industry | 7 |
| 5D | 5. Alternatives to hourly wages | 8 |
| 6D | 6. Ecological concern | 4 |
| 7D | 7. Trellis piece | 4 |
| 8D | 8. "If u ask me" | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Gossip about, informally | 6 |
| 10D | 10. A peeling that's appealing? | 10 |
| 11D | 11. Prolifically posting about one's kids online, in a neologism | 10 |
| 12D | 12. Reassuring reply | 4 |
| 13D | 14. "That ... ain't it" | 4 |
| 14D | 17. Essence | 4 |
| 15D | 21. Certain tax-free bond, informally | 4 |
| 16D | 23. Velocity, e.g. | 4 |
| 17D | 24. Relatively unusual | 5 |
| 18D | 25. Had to have right away | 10 |
| 19D | 26. Races against the clock | 10 |
| 20D | 27. Travel by pick-up? | 5 |
| 21D | 28. "The Elder" or "The Younger" Roman | 4 |
| 22D | 29. Strains to hear? | 5 |
| 23D | 31. Hemlock relatives | 4 |
| 24D | 35. Hand, at a hacienda | 4 |
| 25D | 36. Group with a satellite truck | 8 |
| 26D | 39. Palindrome on an Indian restaurant menu | 4 |
| 27D | 42. Seven-stringed instrument that gave the guitar its name | 7 |
| 28D | 44. Ancient book of divination | 6 |
| 29D | 45. Member of a sluglike "Star Wars" species | 4 |
| 30D | 47. Presaging disaster | 4 |
| 31D | 48. Meaty pasta sauce | 4 |
| 32D | 49. Long lunch? | 4 |
| 33D | 50. Get ahead of | 4 |
| 34D | 51. Cut and paste, e.g. | 4 |
| 35D | 52. Force through a food mill | 4 |
| 36D | 53. Go way up | 4 |
| 37D | 56. Uprooting tool | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Anatomical containers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an enclosed space
- Similar words include: pocket, Sauk, sac
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SACS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Thicken"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a lump of material formed from the content of a liquid
- Similar words include: clog, clabber, coagulate
- Opposite of: homogenize
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Palindrome on an Italian restaurant menu"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALLA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. September to April, in the oyster industry"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RMONTHS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Alternatives to hourly wages"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PERDIEMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Ecological concern"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that air pollution by a mixture of smoke and fog
- Similar words include: smogginess
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMOG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Trellis piece"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a narrow thin strip of wood used as backing for plaster or to make latticework
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LATH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. "If u ask me""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the united nations agency concerned with international maritime activities
- Similar words include: International Maritime Organization
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Gossip about, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DISHON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. A peeling that's appealing?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: POTATOSKIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Prolifically posting about one's kids online, in a neologism"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SHARENTING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Reassuring reply"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMOK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "14. "That ... ain't it""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UHNO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "17. Essence"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that soft spongelike central cylinder of the stems of most flowering plants
- Similar words include: gist, nitty-gritty, marrow
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PITH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "21. Certain tax-free bond, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MUNI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "23. Velocity, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
- Similar words include: value, pace, place
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "24. Relatively unusual"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that not divisible by two
- Similar words include: left, leftover, rum
- Opposite of: even
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ODDER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "25. Had to have right away"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEEDEDASAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "26. Races against the clock"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIMETRIALS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "27. Travel by pick-up?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a period of time spent in military service
- Similar words include: thumb, encumbrance, limp
- Opposite of: unhitch
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HITCH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "28. "The Elder" or "The Younger" Roman"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CATO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "29. Strains to hear?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a short musical composition with words
- Similar words include: song, Sung, vocal
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SONGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "31. Hemlock relatives"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that nonresinous wood of a fir tree
- Similar words include: true fir, fir, fir tree
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIRS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "35. Hand, at a hacienda"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MANO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "36. Group with a satellite truck"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEWSCREW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "39. Palindrome on an Indian restaurant menu"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that leavened bread baked in a clay oven in india; usually shaped like a teardrop
- Similar words include: nan
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "42. Seven-stringed instrument that gave the guitar its name"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KITHARA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "44. Ancient book of divination"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICHING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "45. Member of a sluglike "Star Wars" species"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HUTT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "47. Presaging disaster"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless; ; - g.c.marshall
- Similar words include: horrific, dreadful, terrible
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIRE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "48. Meaty pasta sauce"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAGU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "49. Long lunch?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
- Similar words include: sub, zep, grinder
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HERO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "50. Get ahead of"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls
- Similar words include: flip, take place, occur
- Opposite of: be born, fail
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PASS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "51. Cut and paste, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that prepare for publication or presentation by correcting, revising, or adapting
- Similar words include: delete, edit out, blue-pencil
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "52. Force through a food mill"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that grains used as food either unpolished or more often polished
- Similar words include: Timothy Miles Bindon Rice, Elmer Leopold Rice, Elmer Rice
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RICE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "53. Go way up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of rising upward into the air
- Similar words include: soar upwards, sailplane, surge
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "56. Uprooting tool"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a tool with a flat blade attached at right angles to a long handle
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOE
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
37 Down Clues
74 Total Clues
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