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 (36 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: 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. Unite, with "up" | 4 |
| 2A | 5. Many an extra in the "Lord of the Rings" movies | 3 |
| 3A | 8. Like fondue, traditionally | 5 |
| 4A | 13. Nairobi-based collection of NGOs | 5 |
| 5A | 15. Restriction on how much one can serve | 9 |
| 6A | 17. Conductor's reference | 5 |
| 7A | 18. Opportunity to compare notes, perhaps | 9 |
| 8A | 19. Very traditional sort | 6 |
| 9A | 21. Khloe, Kim or Kourtney, familiarly | 3 |
| 10A | 22. Jennifer who won a Pulitzer for "A Visit From the Goon Squad" | 4 |
| 11A | 23. Concerning | 4 |
| 12A | 24. Weight | 4 |
| 13A | 26. Orange video game character who appears in "Wreck-It Ralph" | 5 |
| 14A | 27. Retailer with mountains in its logo | 3 |
| 15A | 28. Persuade, as on a course of action | 4 |
| 16A | 29. Shade | 3 |
| 17A | 30. Smartphone feature that debuted worldwide in 2011 | 13 |
| 18A | 34. Hot | 6 |
| 19A | 35. Kind of acid partly responsible for sourdough's tang | 6 |
| 20A | 37. "Sorry, that's way above my pay grade" | 13 |
| 21A | 40. Black ___ | 3 |
| 22A | 41. Line holders | 4 |
| 23A | 42. Brilliant example | 3 |
| 24A | 43. Digs up by the roots | 5 |
| 25A | 46. Cry at the end of a countdown | 4 |
| 26A | 47. Dead center? | 4 |
| 27A | 48. Song whose titular subject has a "dark brown voice" | 4 |
| 28A | 49. Mesh | 3 |
| 29A | 50. One side of many a transaction | 6 |
| 30A | 52. Backs up on its own, say | 9 |
| 31A | 55. Titular animated dog of children's TV | 5 |
| 32A | 56. Go down swinging, perhaps | 9 |
| 33A | 57. What might add a bit of flavor to a salsa? | 5 |
| 34A | 58. Company bought by Tempur-Pedic in 2012 | 5 |
| 35A | 59. W.W. II-era occupation for baseball's Moe Berg, following his playing career | 3 |
| 36A | 60. Rides | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Unite, with "up""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a cooperative unit (especially in sports)
- Similar words include: squad, team up
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEAM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. Many an extra in the "Lord of the Rings" movies"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous
- Similar words include: extremely low frequency, brownie, pixy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "8. Like fondue, traditionally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the natives or inhabitants of switzerland
- Similar words include: Swiss people
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SWISS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "13. Nairobi-based collection of NGOs"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OXFAM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "15. Restriction on how much one can serve"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TERMLIMIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "17. Conductor's reference"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
- Similar words include: hit, musical score, sexual conquest
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCORE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "18. Opportunity to compare notes, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STUDYDATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8A: "19. Very traditional sort"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who insists on great precision and correctness (especially in the use of words)
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PURIST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "21. Khloe, Kim or Kourtney, familiarly"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a female person who has the same parents as another person
- Similar words include: te, atomic number 14, sister
- Opposite of: brother
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "22. Jennifer who won a Pulitzer for "A Visit From the Goon Squad""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EGAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "23. Concerning"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASTO
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12A: "24. Weight"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the property of being large in mass
- Similar words include: ponderousness, ponderosity, heave up
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEFT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "26. Orange video game character who appears in "Wreck-It Ralph""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: QBERT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "27. Retailer with mountains in its logo"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "28. Persuade, as on a course of action"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the activity of persuading someone to buy
- Similar words include: deal, trade, betray
- Opposite of: buy
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SELL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "29. Shade"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
- Similar words include: imbue, chromaticity
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HUE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "30. Smartphone feature that debuted worldwide in 2011"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMOJIKEYBOARD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "34. Hot"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an erotic person
- Similar words include: titillating
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EROTIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "35. Kind of acid partly responsible for sourdough's tang"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that of or relating to or obtained from milk (especially sour milk or whey)
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LACTIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "37. "Sorry, that's way above my pay grade""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IJUSTWORKHERE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "40. Black ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (roman mythology) goddess of abundance and fertility; wife of saturn; counterpart of greek rhea and cybele of ancient asia minor
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "41. Line holders"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a long thin implement made of metal or wood
- Similar words include: retinal rod, pole, rod
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RODS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "42. Brilliant example"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that art highly prized for its beauty or perfection
- Similar words include: stone, precious stone, gemstone
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GEM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "43. Digs up by the roots"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that informal terms for a meal
- Similar words include: mooch, eats, bum
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRUBS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "46. Cry at the end of a countdown"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an instance or single occasion for some event
- Similar words include: clock time, clock, sentence
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "47. Dead center?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)
- Similar words include: grave
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOMB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "48. Song whose titular subject has a "dark brown voice""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOLA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "49. Mesh"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a display of bad temper
- Similar words include: agree, fit out, primed
- Opposite of: disagree, unfit
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "50. One side of many a transaction"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
- Similar words include: principal, trader, monger
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEALER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "52. Backs up on its own, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AUTOSAVES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "55. Titular animated dog of children's TV"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLUEY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "56. Go down swinging, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an out resulting from the batter getting three strikes
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STRIKEOUT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "57. What might add a bit of flavor to a salsa?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small drum; played with the hands
- Similar words include: Tragelaphus eurycerus, bongo drum, Boocercus eurycerus
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BONGO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "58. Company bought by Tempur-Pedic in 2012"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEALY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "59. W.W. II-era occupation for baseball's Moe Berg, following his playing career"
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: stag, spot, snoop
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36A: "60. Rides"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault
- Similar words include: scold, plug, hen-peck
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Left | 7 |
| 2D | 2. "Um ... what?!" | 8 |
| 3D | 3. With even stronger reasoning, in law | 9 |
| 4D | 4. Super man? | 5 |
| 5D | 5. Quite a few characters in 2025's "Elio," for short | 3 |
| 6D | 6. Unleashes | 7 |
| 7D | 7. Results of one's labors, so to speak | 5 |
| 8D | 8. Shrewd | 3 |
| 9D | 9. You might give this to someone you want to avoid | 9 |
| 10D | 10. Outward appearance | 5 |
| 11D | 11. Instrument that's held at about a 45-degree angle from the player's body | 5 |
| 12D | 12. Inner tube? | 5 |
| 13D | 14. "Bonjour, ___ amis!" | 3 |
| 14D | 16. Figures listed on Zocdoc, for short | 3 |
| 15D | 20. Gustav Klimt masterpiece | 7 |
| 16D | 25. Choose | 5 |
| 17D | 26. Charlatans | 6 |
| 18D | 28. Exercises with a "butterfly" variation, in which the soles of one's feet are pressed together | 6 |
| 19D | 29. Overtook? | 7 |
| 20D | 31. Cosmetic additive that comes from the Southwest | 9 |
| 21D | 32. Flowering period | 5 |
| 22D | 33. Actor who plays the title role on TV's "Andor" | 9 |
| 23D | 36. Classic Easter treat | 8 |
| 24D | 38. Report | 7 |
| 25D | 39. Items frozen in cryopreservation | 7 |
| 26D | 43. Flute, for one | 5 |
| 27D | 44. Way | 5 |
| 28D | 45. Prefix with marathon | 5 |
| 29D | 46. Bygone recorders | 5 |
| 30D | 47. Grabber | 5 |
| 31D | 49. Race of supernatural spirits | 3 |
| 32D | 51. Fall back | 3 |
| 33D | 53. You might look up to this | 3 |
| 34D | 54. Unpleasant digs | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Left"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOSPARE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. "Um ... what?!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EXCUSEME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. With even stronger reasoning, in law"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AFORTIORI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Super man?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MARIO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Quite a few characters in 2025's "Elio," for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Unleashes"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LETSFLY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Results of one's labors, so to speak"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant
- Similar words include: yield
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FRUIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Shrewd"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that marked by skill in deception
- Similar words include: guileful, slick, dodgy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. You might give this to someone you want to avoid"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WIDEBERTH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Outward appearance"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an iconic mental representation
- Similar words include: visualise, paradigm, ikon
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMAGE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Instrument that's held at about a 45-degree angle from the player's body"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a stringed instrument of india; has a long neck and movable frets; has 6 or 7 metal strings for playing and usually 13 resonating strings
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SITAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Inner tube?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a slender tube inserted inside a tubular body part (as a blood vessel) to provide support during and after surgical anastomosis
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STENT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "14. "Bonjour, ___ amis!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a state in new england
- Similar words include: ME, Pine Tree State, Maine
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "16. Figures listed on Zocdoc, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a radioactive transuranic element synthesized by bombarding einsteinium with alpha particles (md is the current symbol for mendelevium but mv was formerly the symbol)
- Similar words include: Dr., Md, physician
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "20. Gustav Klimt masterpiece"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THEKISS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "25. Choose"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an exclusive group of people
- Similar words include: elite, chosen
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELECT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "26. Charlatans"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an untrained person who pretends to be a physician and who dispenses medical advice
- Similar words include: quack
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: QUACKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "28. Exercises with a "butterfly" variation, in which the soles of one's feet are pressed together"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SITUPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "29. Overtook?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that save up as for future use
- Similar words include: collect, hoard, stash
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOARDED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "31. Cosmetic additive that comes from the Southwest"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JOJOBAOIL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "32. Flowering period"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the organic process of bearing flowers
- Similar words include: heyday, rosiness, bloom of youth
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLOOM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "33. Actor who plays the title role on TV's "Andor""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DIEGOLUNA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "36. Classic Easter treat"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CREMEEGG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "38. Report"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WRITEUP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "39. Items frozen in cryopreservation"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (botany) a minute rudimentary plant contained within a seed or an archegonium
- Similar words include: embryo, fertilized egg, conceptus
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMBRYOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "43. Flute, for one"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
- Similar words include: drinking glass, meth, deoxyephedrine
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GLASS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "44. Way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an established line of travel or access
- Similar words include: itinerary, road, path
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROUTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "45. Prefix with marathon"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (used of opinions and actions) far beyond the norm
- Similar words include: radical, extremist
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ULTRA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "46. Bygone recorders"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIVOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "47. Grabber"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TALON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "49. Race of supernatural spirits"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a device consisting of a container of fuel and two explosive charges; the first charge bursts open the fuel container at a predetermined height and spreads the fuel in a cloud that mixes with atmospheric oxygen; the second charge detonates the cloud which creates an enormous blast wave and incinerates whatever is below
- Similar words include: fuel-air explosive
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FAE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "51. Fall back"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number)
- Similar words include: ebbing, ebb out, wane
- Opposite of: tide
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EBB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "53. You might look up to this"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
- Similar words include: flip, toss, pitch
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SKY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "54. Unpleasant digs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an infection of the sebaceous gland of the eyelid
- Similar words include: stye, pigsty, eye infection
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STY
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
36 Across Clues
34 Down Clues
70 Total Clues
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