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 (30 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: Tricky
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. Grappling is used in this | 11 |
| 2A | 12. Ones who handle minor health problems? | 13 |
| 3A | 14. Dessert introduced to the U.S. in the 1780s, after Thomas Jefferson discovered it in France | 15 |
| 4A | 16. Like someone in pointe shoes, maybe | 5 |
| 5A | 17. ___-di-dah | 3 |
| 6A | 18. Say "hey," slangily | 5 |
| 7A | 19. They're at the tops of some ladders, informally | 4 |
| 8A | 20. Offering that's fresh off the press? | 5 |
| 9A | 22. Pyroclastic material | 4 |
| 10A | 23. Sheet music abbr. | 3 |
| 11A | 24. Deliberate | 7 |
| 12A | 26. Sex Pistols song disparaging the band's former label | 3 |
| 13A | 27. Foundation of music? | 8 |
| 14A | 29. Fun activity for a summer day | 6 |
| 15A | 31. Dice rolls from Jail to Free Parking, in Monopoly | 4 |
| 16A | 32. Serving of meat loaf, maybe | 4 |
| 17A | 33. Evil spirits | 6 |
| 18A | 36. Accumulates | 8 |
| 19A | 40. "Silly me!" | 3 |
| 20A | 41. Barely gets (by) | 7 |
| 21A | 43. Org. associated with the Wanamaker Trophy | 3 |
| 22A | 44. Menu bar option | 4 |
| 23A | 46. Tennis legend who won the French Open when she was just 16 | 5 |
| 24A | 47. Season | 4 |
| 25A | 48. Protection, as from an organization | 5 |
| 26A | 50. Jaguar, e.g. | 3 |
| 27A | 51. To whom you might say "I wish ..." | 5 |
| 28A | 52. Southern California site whose 1909 opening was accompanied by a visit from the U.S.S. Albany | 15 |
| 29A | 55. Attraction at the 52-Across | 13 |
| 30A | 56. Old man? | 11 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Grappling is used in this"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MARTIALARTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "12. Ones who handle minor health problems?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a specialist in the care of babies
- Similar words include: baby doctor, pediatrician, paediatrician
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEDIATRICIANS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "14. Dessert introduced to the U.S. in the 1780s, after Thomas Jefferson discovered it in France"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VANILLAICECREAM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "16. Like someone in pointe shoes, maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONTOE
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5A: "17. ___-di-dah"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization
- Similar words include: la
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "18. Say "hey," slangily"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a very loud utterance (like the sound of an animal)
- Similar words include: roar, holler, yowl
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOLLA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "19. They're at the tops of some ladders, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the corporate executive responsible for the operations of the firm; reports to a board of directors; may appoint other managers (including a president)
- Similar words include: CEO, chief executive officer, chief operating officer
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CEOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "20. Offering that's fresh off the press?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a beverage made from juice pressed from apples
- Similar words include: cyder
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIDER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "22. Pyroclastic material"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the scum formed by oxidation at the surface of molten metals
- Similar words include: dross, scoria
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLAG
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10A: "23. Sheet music abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARR
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11A: "24. Deliberate"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that have the will and intention to carry out some action
- Similar words include: contrive, design, plan
- Opposite of: unplanned
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLANNED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "26. Sex Pistols song disparaging the band's former label"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMI
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13A: "27. Foundation of music?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BASSLINE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "29. Fun activity for a summer day"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a day devoted to an outdoor social gathering
- Similar words include: breeze, duck soup, piece of cake
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PICNIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "31. Dice rolls from Jail to Free Parking, in Monopoly"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
- Similar words include: X, 10, ten
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "32. Serving of meat loaf, maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that block consisting of a thick piece of something
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLAB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "33. Evil spirits"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women
- Similar words include: incubus, nightmare
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INCUBI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "36. Accumulates"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BUILDSUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "40. "Silly me!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the syllable naming the first (tonic) note of any major scale in solmization
- Similar words include: do, ut
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "41. Barely gets (by)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a harsh noise made by scraping
- Similar words include: scratch, scrape up, kowtow
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCRAPES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "43. Org. associated with the Wanamaker Trophy"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PGA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "44. Menu bar option"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that prepare for publication or presentation by correcting, revising, or adapting
- Similar words include: cut, redact, delete
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "46. Tennis legend who won the French Open when she was just 16"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states tennis player (born in yugoslavia in 1973)
- Similar words include: Monica Seles
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SELES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "47. Season"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
- Similar words include: table salt, common salt, salinity
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SALT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "48. Protection, as from an organization"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that kindly endorsement and guidance
- Similar words include: auspices, protection, egis
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AEGIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "50. Jaguar, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
- Similar words include: elevator car, automobile, railcar
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "51. To whom you might say "I wish ...""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (islam) an invisible spirit mentioned in the koran and believed by muslims to inhabit the earth and influence mankind by appearing in the form of humans or animals
- Similar words include: djinny, djinni, djinn
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GENIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "52. Southern California site whose 1909 opening was accompanied by a visit from the U.S.S. Albany"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SANTAMONICAPIER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "55. Attraction at the 52-Across"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROLLERCOASTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "56. Old man?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that extinct robust human of middle paleolithic in europe and western asia
- Similar words include: Neandertal man, neandertal, oafish
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEANDERTHAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Guides | 7 |
| 2D | 2. "Peace out!" | 5 |
| 3D | 3. Perturb | 4 |
| 4D | 4. Chess legend Mikhail ___ | 3 |
| 5D | 5. Bolognese, Parmesan, etc. | 8 |
| 6D | 6. Daughter of King Minos, in myth | 7 |
| 7D | 7. Tree growth indicative of good air quality | 6 |
| 8D | 8. Part of a great deal? | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Opulent | 4 |
| 10D | 10. Tubers from which a gluten-free type of flour is derived | 5 |
| 11D | 11. Herman ___, Dutch ophthalmologist known for his visual acuity testing | 7 |
| 12D | 12. Cafe chain | 6 |
| 13D | 13. Major product of Milan | 6 |
| 14D | 14. English lesson subject, for short | 5 |
| 15D | 15. "Science is ___ that works": Kurt Vonnegut | 5 |
| 16D | 20. Training courses | 7 |
| 17D | 21. Yes and no, say | 7 |
| 18D | 24. Common folk | 5 |
| 19D | 25. Rings | 5 |
| 20D | 28. Apt name for a chef | 3 |
| 21D | 30. Compound in some sleep aids, familiarly | 3 |
| 22D | 32. Largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area | 8 |
| 23D | 33. What do you have in mind? | 5 |
| 24D | 34. "Sorry, honey" | 6 |
| 25D | 35. French bun | 7 |
| 26D | 36. Parity | 7 |
| 27D | 37. Variety of dog associated with King Charles | 7 |
| 28D | 38. More unpleasant | 6 |
| 29D | 39. ___ Noster (the Lord's Prayer) | 5 |
| 30D | 42. Capture, in a way | 6 |
| 31D | 45. Mr. or Mrs. | 5 |
| 32D | 47. Bodily partitions | 5 |
| 33D | 49. Room in an adobe | 4 |
| 34D | 51. Long cut | 4 |
| 35D | 53. Chaps | 3 |
| 36D | 54. One of three in the Horatio Henry Couldery painting "Curiosity" | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Guides"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a wise and trusted guide and advisor
- Similar words include: wise man, mentor
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MENTORS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. "Peace out!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a farewell remark
- Similar words include: good-by, bye-bye, so long
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADIOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Perturb"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
- Similar words include: bother, rag, devil
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RILE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Chess legend Mikhail ___"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Bolognese, Parmesan, etc."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a native or inhabitant of italy
- Similar words include: Italian
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITALIANS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Daughter of King Minos, in myth"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that beautiful daughter of minos and pasiphae; she fell in love with theseus and gave him the thread with which he found his way out of the minotaur's labyrinth
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARIADNE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Tree growth indicative of good air quality"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of several eruptive skin diseases characterized by hard thick lesions grouped together and resembling lichens growing on rocks
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LICHEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Part of a great deal?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
- Similar words include: Allied Command Europe, unity, hotshot
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Opulent"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that people who have possessions and wealth (considered as a group)
- Similar words include: full-bodied, robust, plentiful
- Opposite of: poor people, lean
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RICH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Tubers from which a gluten-free type of flour is derived"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that edible starchy tuberous root of taro plants
- Similar words include: taro root, dalo, eddo
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAROS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Herman ___, Dutch ophthalmologist known for his visual acuity testing"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dutch ophthalmologist who introduced the snellen chart to study visual acuity (1834-1908)
- Similar words include: Hermann Snellen
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNELLEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Cafe chain"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PANERA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Major product of Milan"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that highly seasoned fatty sausage of pork and beef usually dried
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SALAMI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "14. English lesson subject, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VOCAB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "15. "Science is ___ that works": Kurt Vonnegut"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any art that invokes supernatural powers
- Similar words include: legerdemain, magical, deception
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAGIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "20. Training courses"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a medical establishment run by a group of medical specialists
- Similar words include: clinic
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLINICS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "21. Yes and no, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
- Similar words include: respond, answer, response
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REPLIES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "24. Common folk"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of the common people
- Similar words include: plebeian, pleb
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLEBS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "25. Rings"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the face of a timepiece; graduated to show the hours
- Similar words include: telephone dial, dial
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIALS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "28. Apt name for a chef"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. Compound in some sleep aids, familiarly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CBD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "32. Largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of greater rank or station or quality
- Similar words include: higher-ranking, superscript, ranking
- Opposite of: subscript, inferior
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUPERIOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "33. What do you have in mind?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
- Similar words include: musical theme, estimation, approximation
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDEAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "34. "Sorry, honey""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NODEAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "35. French bun"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a roll of hair worn at the nape of the neck
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHIGNON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "36. Parity"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a state of equilibrium
- Similar words include: equalizer, equipoise, Libra
- Opposite of: unbalance, imbalance
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BALANCE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "37. Variety of dog associated with King Charles"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of several breeds of small to medium-sized gun dogs with a long silky coat and long frilled ears
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPANIEL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "38. More unpleasant"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that displeasing to the senses
- Similar words include: worthless, surly, horrible
- Opposite of: beautiful
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UGLIER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "39. ___ Noster (the Lord's Prayer)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an informal use of the latin word for father; sometimes used by british schoolboys or used facetiously
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PATER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "42. Capture, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
- Similar words include: record book, memorialise, book
- Opposite of: erase
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RECORD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "45. Mr. or Mrs."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with
- Similar words include: claim, rubric, entitle
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TITLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "47. Bodily partitions"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (anatomy) a dividing partition between two tissues or cavities
- Similar words include: septum
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEPTA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "49. Room in an adobe"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SALA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "51. Long cut"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a wound made by cutting
- Similar words include: cut, slash, slice
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GASH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "53. Chaps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the force of workers available
- Similar words include: humanity, humankind, Man
- Opposite of: civilian, woman
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "54. One of three in the Horatio Henry Couldery painting "Curiosity""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
- Similar words include: bozo, cat-o'-nine-tails, Caterpillar
- Opposite of: keep down
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAT
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
30 Across Clues
36 Down Clues
66 Total Clues
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