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 (34 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (34 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Medium
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. First impression of a new video game? | 11 |
| 2A | 12. After-afterthought, for short | 3 |
| 3A | 15. Drone's image | 11 |
| 4A | 16. Choler | 3 |
| 5A | 17. "We should grab a meal sometime" | 11 |
| 6A | 18. Snaps | 3 |
| 7A | 19. A narwhal's "horn," technically speaking | 4 |
| 8A | 20. Many Snapchats, informally | 4 |
| 9A | 21. Unfolds, with "out" | 5 |
| 10A | 23. Author Roald Dahl, during World War II | 3 |
| 11A | 24. Command+F, on a Mac | 4 |
| 12A | 25. Veronica ___, author of the "Divergent" novels | 4 |
| 13A | 26. Reached the top of one's game | 6 |
| 14A | 28. Grain that once fed the Roman army | 5 |
| 15A | 29. Heroic tale of romance | 4 |
| 16A | 30. Seeing someone wealthier, say | 8 |
| 17A | 32. Worker involved in firings? | 6 |
| 18A | 34. Montenegrin, e.g. | 6 |
| 19A | 35. You can't cut through it | 8 |
| 20A | 37. Fictional subjects of 13 movies between 2000 and 2020 | 4 |
| 21A | 38. Fiery spirit | 5 |
| 22A | 39. Sylvan | 6 |
| 23A | 41. The Green Hornet's sidekick | 4 |
| 24A | 42. "___ have guessed?!" | 4 |
| 25A | 43. "Uh-huh!" | 3 |
| 26A | 46. Medgar ___, one inspiration for the 1964 protest anthem "Mississippi Goddam" | 5 |
| 27A | 48. Device such as a qamutiik, an Inuk means of Arctic transportation | 4 |
| 28A | 49. Relinquish | 4 |
| 29A | 50. "Missile" in many a slapstick fight | 3 |
| 30A | 51. Eschewing modesty, say | 11 |
| 31A | 54. Home security inits. since 1874 | 3 |
| 32A | 55. Summer confection | 11 |
| 33A | 56. "Hard pass" | 3 |
| 34A | 57. Digital deals for young people? | 11 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. First impression of a new video game?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STARTBUTTON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "12. After-afterthought, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "15. Drone's image"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AERIALPHOTO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "16. Choler"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
- Similar words include: wrath, ira, anger
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IRE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "17. "We should grab a meal sometime""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LETSDOLUNCH
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6A: "18. Snaps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a chest in which coins from the mint are held to await assay
- Similar words include: pyx chest, pix chest, pyx
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PIX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "19. A narwhal's "horn," technically speaking"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a hard smooth ivory colored dentine that makes up most of the tusks of elephants and walruses
- Similar words include: horn, detusk, ivory
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TUSK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "20. Many Snapchats, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VIDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "21. Unfolds, with "out""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water
- Similar words include: open, unfold, spread out
- Opposite of: fold, close
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OPENS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "23. Author Roald Dahl, during World War II"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors
- Similar words include: sleuth, espy, snoop
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "24. Command+F, on a Mac"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a productive insight
- Similar words include: ascertain, feel, regain
- Opposite of: lose
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIND
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "25. Veronica ___, author of the "Divergent" novels"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states writer whose novels portray middle-class jewish life (born in 1933)
- Similar words include: Philip Roth, Philip Milton Roth
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROTH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "26. Reached the top of one's game"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that to reach the highest point; attain maximum intensity, activity
- Similar words include: sickly, unwell, ailing
- Opposite of: bottom out
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEAKED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "28. Grain that once fed the Roman army"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FARRO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "29. Heroic tale of romance"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GEST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "30. Seeing someone wealthier, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DATINGUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "32. Worker involved in firings?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a craftsman who shapes pottery on a potter's wheel and bakes them it a kiln
- Similar words include: mess around, monkey, tinker
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: POTTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "34. Montenegrin, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an inhabitant of the balkan peninsula
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BALKAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "35. You can't cut through it"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CULDESAC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "37. Fictional subjects of 13 movies between 2000 and 2020"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: XMEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "38. Fiery spirit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
- Similar words include: fervor, ardour, fervidness
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARDOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "39. Sylvan"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that covered with growing trees and bushes etc
- Opposite of: unwooded
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WOODED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "41. The Green Hornet's sidekick"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KATO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "42. "___ have guessed?!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHOD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "43. "Uh-huh!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YEP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "46. Medgar ___, one inspiration for the 1964 protest anthem "Mississippi Goddam""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states civil rights worker in mississippi; was killed by a sniper (1925-1963)
- Similar words include: Medgar Evers, Medgar Wiley Evers
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EVERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "48. Device such as a qamutiik, an Inuk means of Arctic transportation"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow
- Similar words include: sleigh, sledge
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "49. Relinquish"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another
- Similar words include: yield, grant, concede
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CEDE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "50. "Missile" in many a slapstick fight"
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!
30A: "51. Eschewing modesty, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LIVINGLARGE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "54. Home security inits. since 1874"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "55. Summer confection"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICECREAMBAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "56. "Hard pass""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "57. Digital deals for young people?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PINKYSWEARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. NH4NO3 and others | 5 |
| 2D | 2. Get set to drive | 5 |
| 3D | 3. Bohemian | 5 |
| 4D | 4. Consideration in setting insurance rates | 4 |
| 5D | 5. Just a ___ | 3 |
| 6D | 6. Emits a stream of hot air | 9 |
| 7D | 7. Satellite transmission path | 6 |
| 8D | 8. Hit the ground loudly | 7 |
| 9D | 9. Hyperbolic amount of work | 4 |
| 10D | 10. Unscripted, for short? | 3 |
| 11D | 11. Neighborhood once home to N.Y.C.'s so-called "Gasoline Alley" | 4 |
| 12D | 12. The world's biggest one contains seven keyboards | 9 |
| 13D | 13. Publisher's order | 8 |
| 14D | 14. Pleasurable place to do business? | 7 |
| 15D | 22. Made the fool | 7 |
| 16D | 24. Grow progressively more rancid | 6 |
| 17D | 26. Lab access point? | 7 |
| 18D | 27. Trifling bit | 3 |
| 19D | 28. Made a scene, say | 6 |
| 20D | 29. Some yellowish canines | 9 |
| 21D | 31. Shelters some look to when duty calls? | 9 |
| 22D | 32. The good life, in Spanish vernacular | 8 |
| 23D | 33. Like some emotions and recruits | 3 |
| 24D | 35. One might frequently be buttered up | 7 |
| 25D | 36. Feature of Alfalfa's hair in "The Little Rascals" | 7 |
| 26D | 40. Annual award for short stories | 6 |
| 27D | 43. ___ Buena (island in San Francisco Bay) | 5 |
| 28D | 44. Exiled character in "King Lear" | 5 |
| 29D | 45. Age-mates | 5 |
| 30D | 47. Little mistake | 4 |
| 31D | 48. Longtime soccer manager ___-Göran Eriksson | 4 |
| 32D | 49. Cost in total, with "to" | 4 |
| 33D | 52. Pas ___ (somewhere else: Fr.) | 3 |
| 34D | 53. "It's the ___!" | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. NH4NO3 and others"
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: saltiness, table salt, common salt
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SALTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Get set to drive"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEEUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Bohemian"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARTSY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Consideration in setting insurance rates"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
- Similar words include: chance, risk of exposure, adventure
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RISK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Just a ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a slight amount or degree of difference
- Similar words include: shade
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Emits a stream of hot air"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that orate verbosely and windily
- Similar words include: bloviate
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLOVIATES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Satellite transmission path"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a transmission from earth to a spacecraft or the path of such a transmission
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UPLINK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Hit the ground loudly"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make a dull sound
- Similar words include: thump, thud, scrunch
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THUDDED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Hyperbolic amount of work"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a large number or amount
- Similar words include: long ton, rafts, short ton
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TONS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Unscripted, for short?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (of securities) not traded on a stock exchange
- Similar words include: over-the-counter
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OTC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Neighborhood once home to N.Y.C.'s so-called "Gasoline Alley""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOHO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. The world's biggest one contains seven keyboards"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PIPEORGAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Publisher's order"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PRINTRUN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "14. Pleasurable place to do business?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEXSHOP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "22. Made the fool"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dress or decorate showily or gaudily
- Similar words include: prank
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PRANKED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "24. Grow progressively more rancid"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sore that has become inflamed and formed pus
- Similar words include: suppurating sore, maturate, suppurate
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FESTER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "26. Lab access point?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PETDOOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "27. Trifling bit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a light touch or stroke
- Similar words include: splatter, tap, swob
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DAB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "28. Made a scene, say"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make a film or photograph of something
- Similar words include: take, film, shoot
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FILMED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "29. Some yellowish canines"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOLDTEETH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "31. Shelters some look to when duty calls?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAXDODGES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "32. The good life, in Spanish vernacular"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PURAVIDA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "33. Like some emotions and recruits"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that informal terms for nakedness
- Similar words include: stark naked, sore, in the altogether
- Opposite of: cooked
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "35. One might frequently be buttered up"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAKEPAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "36. Feature of Alfalfa's hair in "The Little Rascals""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a tuft of hair that grows in a different direction from the rest of the hair and usually will not lie flat
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COWLICK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "40. Annual award for short stories"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHENRY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "43. ___ Buena (island in San Francisco Bay)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YERBA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "44. Exiled character in "King Lear""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the younger brother of edwy who became king of northumbria when it renounced edwy; on edwy's death he succeeded to the throne of england (944-975)
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDGAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "45. Age-mates"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
- Similar words include: equal, peer, match
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "47. Little mistake"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a socially awkward or tactless act
- Similar words include: sideslip, eluding, luxate
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLIP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "48. Longtime soccer manager ___-Göran Eriksson"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SVEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "49. Cost in total, with "to""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
- Similar words include: make out, amount, do
- Opposite of: leave, go
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CAME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "52. Pas ___ (somewhere else: Fr.)"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "53. "It's the ___!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the collection of rules imposed by authority
- Similar words include: natural law, practice of law, law of nature
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAW
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
34 Across Clues
34 Down Clues
68 Total Clues
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