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: 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. Constellation word before Major or Minor | 4 |
| 2A | 5. Something to blow off or let off | 5 |
| 3A | 10. "So-o-o cute!" | 3 |
| 4A | 13. Western defense grp. | 4 |
| 5A | 14. "I ___ been a contender ..." | 6 |
| 6A | 15. Lead-in to natal or nuptial | 3 |
| 7A | 16. *Outdoor sport with sticks (1979, 1984) | 11 |
| 8A | 18. Gentle touch | 3 |
| 9A | 19. Letters for a mind reader | 3 |
| 10A | 20. Grunt from a pigpen | 4 |
| 11A | 21. Athlete's representative | 5 |
| 12A | 23. Take weapons away from | 6 |
| 13A | 25. *Period for Fred, Wilma and Pebbles (2016, 2023) | 8 |
| 14A | 28. More in-your-business | 6 |
| 15A | 30. Encourages to buy a more expensive model, say | 7 |
| 16A | 31. Ernest Hemingway's "To Have and Have ___" | 3 |
| 17A | 32. Monster of folk tales | 4 |
| 18A | 34. Goal for collectors | 3 |
| 19A | 35. *Temporary guest from a canine shelter (1988, 1991) | 9 |
| 20A | 39. Oscars airer | 3 |
| 21A | 42. "Pencils down!" | 4 |
| 22A | 43. Double-decker, e.g. | 3 |
| 23A | 45. Strings along | 7 |
| 24A | 48. Some steaks | 6 |
| 25A | 51. *Popular fruit dessert (2001) | 8 |
| 26A | 53. Rebel as a group | 6 |
| 27A | 55. Zimbalist Jr. of "77 Sunset Strip" | 5 |
| 28A | 56. Plastic Ono Band's "Happy ___ (War Is Over)" | 4 |
| 29A | 58. Network for "The Wire" and "Euphoria" | 3 |
| 30A | 59. Birthplace of the bossa nova, informally | 3 |
| 31A | 60. Academy Award category ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues | 11 |
| 32A | 64. Vietnamese holiday with a palindromic name | 3 |
| 33A | 65. Baltimore baseball pro | 6 |
| 34A | 66. Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower | 4 |
| 35A | 67. "___ gratia artis" (classic MGM motto) | 3 |
| 36A | 68. Chicken noodle scoop | 5 |
| 37A | 69. Heredity unit | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Constellation word before Major or Minor"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. Something to blow off or let off"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere
- Similar words include: steam clean, steamer
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "10. "So-o-o cute!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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4A: "13. Western defense grp."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an international organization created in 1949 by the north atlantic treaty for purposes of collective security
- Similar words include: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "14. "I ___ been a contender ...""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "15. Lead-in to natal or nuptial"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "16. *Outdoor sport with sticks (1979, 1984)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "18. Gentle touch"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the sound made by a gentle blow
- Similar words include: tap, glib, rap
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "19. Letters for a mind reader"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that apparent power to perceive things that are not present to the senses
- Similar words include: E.S.P., clairvoyance, extrasensory perception
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "20. Grunt from a pigpen"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the short low gruff noise of the kind made by hogs
- Similar words include: grunt, squeal
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "21. Athlete's representative"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect
- Similar words include: agentive role, federal agent, factor
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "23. Take weapons away from"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that remove offensive capability from
- Similar words include: demilitarise, demilitarize, unarm
- Opposite of: arm
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "25. *Period for Fred, Wilma and Pebbles (2016, 2023)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "28. More in-your-business"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that offensively curious or inquisitive
- Similar words include: prying, nosy, snoopy
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "30. Encourages to buy a more expensive model, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "31. Ernest Hemingway's "To Have and Have ___""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that negation of a word or group of words
- Similar words include: non
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "32. Monster of folk tales"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a cruel wicked and inhuman person
- Similar words include: devil, demon, fiend
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "34. Goal for collectors"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
- Similar words include: position, correct, laid
- Opposite of: rise
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "35. *Temporary guest from a canine shelter (1988, 1991)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "39. Oscars airer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
- Similar words include: ABCs, alphabet, ABC's
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "42. "Pencils down!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an instance or single occasion for some event
- Similar words include: clip, prison term, sentence
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "43. Double-decker, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a vehicle carrying many passengers; used for public transport
- Similar words include: charabanc, omnibus, motorbus
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "45. Strings along"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "48. Some steaks"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "51. *Popular fruit dessert (2001)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "53. Rebel as a group"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "55. Zimbalist Jr. of "77 Sunset Strip""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "56. Plastic Ono Band's "Happy ___ (War Is Over)""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a christian holiday celebrating the birth of christ; a quarter day in england, wales, and ireland
- Similar words include: Christmas Day, Dec 25, Christmas
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "58. Network for "The Wire" and "Euphoria""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "59. Birthplace of the bossa nova, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the former capital and 2nd largest city of brazil; chief brazilian port; famous as a tourist attraction
- Similar words include: Rio de Janeiro
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "60. Academy Award category ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "64. Vietnamese holiday with a palindromic name"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the new year in vietnam; observed for three days after the first full moon after january 20th
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "65. Baltimore baseball pro"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that mostly tropical songbird; the male is usually bright orange and black
- Similar words include: Old World oriole, American oriole, New World oriole
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "66. Colorful body part ... or a colorful flower"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
- Similar words include: sword lily, iris diaphragm, fleur-de-lis
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "67. "___ gratia artis" (classic MGM motto)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a colorless and odorless inert gas; one of the six inert gases; comprises approximately 1% of the earth's atmosphere
- Similar words include: are, argon, Arkansas
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "68. Chicken noodle scoop"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a spoon-shaped vessel with a long handle; frequently used to transfer liquids from one container to another
- Similar words include: laden, lade
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37A: "69. Heredity unit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (genetics) a segment of dna that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding dna as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity
- Similar words include: factor, cistron
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Like expired parking meters | 5 |
| 2D | 2. ___ Bran | 6 |
| 3D | 3. Bobby, Peter or Greg, to Carol Brady | 7 |
| 4D | 4. Internet pioneer | 3 |
| 5D | 5. "Coming ___ to a theater near you" | 4 |
| 6D | 6. Partner of nips | 5 |
| 7D | 7. Relative of a reindeer | 3 |
| 8D | 8. Suffix with lemon or orange | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Ancient Central American pyramid builders | 6 |
| 10D | 10. They go to a higher court | 7 |
| 11D | 11. Round up, as cattle | 7 |
| 12D | 12. Receiving the most rain | 7 |
| 13D | 14. Grandfather clock sound | 5 |
| 14D | 17. Piquant triangular chip | 6 |
| 15D | 22. "Gosh!" | 3 |
| 16D | 24. Starting on | 4 |
| 17D | 26. Small castle tower | 6 |
| 18D | 27. Guest opinion column | 4 |
| 19D | 29. Corkscrew-shaped pasta | 6 |
| 20D | 33. Opal or ruby | 3 |
| 21D | 36. "Enough already!" | 4 |
| 22D | 37. Double-reed woodwind player | 6 |
| 23D | 38. Biceps, boastfully | 4 |
| 24D | 39. Canadian province north of Montana | 7 |
| 25D | 40. More brawny | 7 |
| 26D | 41. Bugs Bunny's supply | 7 |
| 27D | 44. "Now, you listen to me ..." | 7 |
| 28D | 46. Beats by ___ (headphone brand) | 3 |
| 29D | 47. Word with sex or status | 6 |
| 30D | 49. Support for a knee or a neck | 5 |
| 31D | 50. Enters a game at the half, say | 6 |
| 32D | 52. Praise enthusiastically | 5 |
| 33D | 54. Group assisting a sheriff | 5 |
| 34D | 57. Like a bull or buck | 4 |
| 35D | 61. Memorable period | 3 |
| 36D | 62. Caesar of old comedy | 3 |
| 37D | 63. 18-wheeler | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Like expired parking meters"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that not given support
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. ___ Bran"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dried grape
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Bobby, Peter or Greg, to Carol Brady"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the son your spouse by a former marriage
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Internet pioneer"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. "Coming ___ to a theater near you""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that in the near future
- Similar words include: shortly, presently, before long
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Partner of nips"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that eatables (especially sweets)
- Similar words include: tuck, gather, pucker
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Relative of a reindeer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male; called `elk' in europe and `moose' in north america
- Similar words include: Cervus elaphus, American elk, Cervus elaphus canadensis
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Suffix with lemon or orange"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice
- Similar words include: fruit drink
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Ancient Central American pyramid builders"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of an american indian people of yucatan and belize and guatemala who had a culture (which reached its peak between ad 300 and 900) characterized by outstanding architecture and pottery and astronomy
- Similar words include: Mayan language, Maya, Mayan
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. They go to a higher court"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that earnest or urgent request
- Similar words include: appeal, prayer, entreaty
- Opposite of: repel
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Round up, as cattle"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an angry dispute
- Similar words include: quarrel, haggle, brawl
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Receiving the most rain"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
- Similar words include: soused, sozzled, squiffy
- Opposite of: dry
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "14. Grandfather clock sound"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned bells that are struck with a hammer; used as an orchestral instrument
- Similar words include: gong, bell
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "17. Piquant triangular chip"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "22. "Gosh!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a unit of force equal to the force exerted by gravity; used to indicate the force to which a body is subjected when it is accelerated
- Similar words include: g, g-force
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "24. Starting on"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "26. Small castle tower"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small tower extending above a building
- Similar words include: gun turret, gun enclosure
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "27. Guest opinion column"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "29. Corkscrew-shaped pasta"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "33. Opal or ruby"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that art highly prized for its beauty or perfection
- Similar words include: treasure, gemstone, precious stone
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "36. "Enough already!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the event of something ending
- Similar words include: hold on, lay off, stop over
- Opposite of: begin, continuant consonant
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "37. Double-reed woodwind player"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a musician who plays the oboe
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "38. Biceps, boastfully"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
- Similar words include: torpedo, hit man, ordnance
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "39. Canadian province north of Montana"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of the three prairie provinces in western canada; rich in oil and natural gas and minerals
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "40. More brawny"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that muscular and heavily built
- Similar words include: burly, beefy, husky
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "41. Bugs Bunny's supply"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that deep orange edible root of the cultivated carrot plant
- Similar words include: cultivated carrot, Daucus carota sativa, carrot
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "44. "Now, you listen to me ...""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "46. Beats by ___ (headphone brand)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "47. Word with sex or status"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
- Similar words include: symbolisation, symbolic representation, symbolization
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "49. Support for a knee or a neck"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a support that steadies or strengthens something else
- Similar words include: energize, duet, stabilize
- Opposite of: de-energise, sedate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "50. Enters a game at the half, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "52. Praise enthusiastically"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that praise, glorify, or honor
- Similar words include: glorify, exalt, laud
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "54. Group assisting a sheriff"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a temporary police force
- Similar words include: posse comitatus
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "57. Like a bull or buck"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)
- Similar words include: virile, manly, manful
- Opposite of: female
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "61. Memorable period"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
- Similar words include: epoch, geological era, earned run average
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "62. Caesar of old comedy"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "63. 18-wheeler"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that gear (including necessary machinery) for a particular enterprise
- Similar words include: getup, fishing gear, cheat
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
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
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