Master the NYT crossword from January 15, 1990 with our expert hint system. We provide synonyms, antonyms, and strategic clues to help you solve without spoiling the fun.
Puzzle Difficulty: Tricky
Pro Tip: Start with the fill-in-the-blank clues - they're usually the easiest entry points!
Across Clues - Strategic Hints (39 clues)
1A: "1. Comedian Bob ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a specific instance of feeling hopeful
- Similar words include: Bob Hope, trust, desire
- Opposite of: despair
Click to reveal answer
Answer: HOPE
2A: "5. Comedian Byron ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, george burns (1906-1964)
- Similar words include: Allen Stewart Konigsberg, Gracie Allen, Woody Allen
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ALLEN
3A: "10. "But thou art ___ ready to pardon ... ": Neh. 9:17"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AGOD
4A: "14. Actor Richard ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EGAN
5A: "15. Coronet"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a jeweled headdress worn by women on formal occasions
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TIARA
6A: "16. Custody"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
- Similar words include: give care, attention, wish
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: CARE
7A: "17. Master of slapstick and pathos"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: REDSKELTON
8A: "19. He, to Hadrian"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ILLE
9A: "20. Type of TV show"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a program that is broadcast again
- Similar words include: rebroadcast
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RERUN
10A: "21. Confirmation reply"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an affirmative
- Opposite of: no
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: YES
11A: "22. Harmonica player Larry ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ADLER
12A: "23. Ancient Chinese"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SERES
13A: "25. Eye part"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the innermost light-sensitive membrane covering the back wall of the eyeball; it is continuous with the optic nerve
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RETINA
14A: "27. Fitzgerald of songdom"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ELLA
15A: "29. Beaver State"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a state in northwestern united states on the pacific
- Similar words include: Beaver State, OR
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OREGON
16A: "32. Track circuit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the upper side of the thighs of a seated person
- Similar words include: circuit, lap covering, lick
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LAP
17A: "35. Savors"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus
- Similar words include: try out, sense of taste, sample
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TASTES
18A: "38. Mets' territory"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SHEA
19A: "39. Ardor"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
- Similar words include: ardor, panache, style
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ELAN
20A: "41. Halts"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a gambling card game in which chips are placed on the ace and king and queen and jack of separate suits (taken from a separate deck); a player plays the lowest card of a suit in his hand and successively higher cards are played until the sequence stops; the player who plays a card matching one in the layout wins all the chips on that card
- Similar words include: arrest, discontinue, check
- Opposite of: continue, start
Click to reveal answer
Answer: STOPS
21A: "42. Tennis units"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
- Similar words include: exercise set, specify, localize
- Opposite of: rise
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SETS
22A: "43. Thurmond of N.B.A. fame"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NATE
23A: "44. Impede"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner)
- Similar words include: trammel, bond, cramp
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: HAMPER
24A: "46. Cheer"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RAH
25A: "47. Beginning, to Burns"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ONCOME
26A: "49. Jack-in-the-pulpit, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that starch resembling sago that is obtained from cuckoopint root
- Similar words include: aroid
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ARUM
27A: "51. "Ernani" and "Orfeo""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes
- Similar words include: opera, Opera, opera house
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OPERAS
28A: "54. Trap"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares
- Similar words include: trammel, hook, trap
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SNARE
29A: "57. Ring-shaped coral island"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an island consisting of a circular coral reef surrounding a lagoon
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ATOLL
30A: "59. Caviar"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fish eggs or egg-filled ovary; having a grainy texture
- Similar words include: hard roe
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ROE
31A: "61. Elba or Sicilia"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ISOLA
32A: "63. "Oh, My ___," Fisher hit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
- Similar words include: dada, dad, pappa
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PAPA
33A: "64. Master of insult humor"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DONRICKLES
34A: "66. Hot times in Paris"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ETES
35A: "67. Last Greek letter"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the ending of a series or sequence; --revelation
- Similar words include: Z
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OMEGA
36A: "68. Shady trees"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of various trees of the genus ulmus: important timber or shade trees
- Similar words include: elm tree, elmwood, elm
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ELMS
37A: "69. Skin: Comb. form"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DERM
38A: "70. Comedian Jackie ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that american revolutionary leader from virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the bill of rights (1725-1792)
- Similar words include: Alfred Edward Woodley Mason, A. E. W. Mason, Freemason
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MASON
39A: "71. "Let George ___""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DOIT
Down Clues - Strategic Hints (39 clues)
1D: "1. Mister, in Germany"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a german man; used before the name as a title equivalent to mr in english
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: HERR
2D: "2. S-shaped moldings"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a molding that (in section) has the shape of an s with the convex part above and the concave part below
- Similar words include: ogee, cyma reversa
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OGEES
3D: "3. Chaplain, to a G.I."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a chaplain in one of the military services
- Similar words include: sky pilot, Father, Holy Joe
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PADRE
4D: "4. Guarantee"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make certain of
- Similar words include: guarantee, ascertain, secure
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ENSURE
5D: "5. Mischievous Olympian"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
- Similar words include: eat up, wipe out, feed
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ATE
6D: "6. Calla ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any liliaceous plant of the genus lilium having showy pendulous flowers
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LILY
7D: "7. Subsequently"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that coming at a subsequent time or stage
- Similar words include: ulterior, later on, posterior
- Opposite of: early
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LATER
8D: "8. Irregular"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that having an irregularly notched or toothed margin as though gnawed
- Similar words include: toothed, jaggy, notched
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EROSE
9D: "9. Fabray, to friends"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that your grandmother
- Similar words include: gran, nanna, Nan River
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NAN
10D: "10. Quality of being sour"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ACIDNESS
11D: "11. Comedian featuring inventive props"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: GALLAGHER
12D: "12. Heraldry border"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ORLE
13D: "13. Venison source"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that distinguished from bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers
- Similar words include: cervid
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DEER
14D: "18. Genuflected"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that rest one's weight on one's knees
- Similar words include: kneel
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: KNELT
15D: "22. Atmosphere"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
- Similar words include: airwave, send, melody
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AIR
16D: "24. Swordsman"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who slashes another person
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SLASHER
17D: "26. Quoits players"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that terms of abuse for a masturbator
- Similar words include: tosser, jerk-off, wanker
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TOSSERS
18D: "28. Movie barker"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ASTA
19D: "30. Mountain chain in Greece"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OETA
20D: "31. Old car or poet"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states writer noted for his droll epigrams (1902-1971)
- Similar words include: Ogden Nash
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NASH
21D: "32. Comedian Jay ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LENO
22D: "33. Comedian King"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ALAN
23D: "34. Master of Italian mimicry"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PATCOOPER
24D: "36. Comedian Dreesen"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (ethnic slur) offensive and derogatory name for a black man who is abjectly servile and deferential to whites
- Similar words include: turkey cock, gobbler, tomcat
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TOM
25D: "37. Rixey of pitching fame"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EPPA
26D: "40. Abnormal tissue growth"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an abnormal new mass of tissue that serves no purpose
- Similar words include: tumor, tumour
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NEOPLASM
27D: "45. Mystical"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that relating to or consisting of runes
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RUNIC
28D: "48. Comedian Brooks"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MEL
29D: "50. Disguised"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hide under a false appearance
- Similar words include: cloaked, disguised, dissemble
- Opposite of: unmask
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MASKED
30D: "52. Fragrance"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any property detected by the olfactory system
- Similar words include: odor, perfume, olfactory property
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AROMA
31D: "53. Loudness units"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of perceived loudness equal to the loudness of a 1000-hertz tone at 40 db above threshold
- Similar words include: sone
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SONES
32D: "55. Viking chieftain"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that norse chieftain who became the first duke of normandy (860-931)
- Similar words include: Rolf, Hrolf
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ROLLO
33D: "56. Oleoresin used in incense"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fragrant resin obtain from trees of the family burseraceae and used as incense
- Similar words include: gum elemi
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ELEMI
34D: "57. Imitated"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that imitate uncritically and in every aspect
- Similar words include: ape, caricature
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: APED
35D: "58. London art gallery"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states poet and critic (1899-1979)
- Similar words include: John Orley Allen Tate, Allen Tate
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TATE
36D: "60. Therefore"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (used as a sentence connector) therefore or consequently
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ERGO
37D: "62. Vice prin., e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ASST
38D: "64. Comedian DeLuise"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DOM
39D: "65. Author Fleming"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: IAN
Puzzle Stats
39 Across
39 Down
78 Total
