NY Times Crossword Complete Solution: May 18, 2025
Our expert breakdown helps you solve the May 18 NYT crossword while expanding your vocabulary. Learn answer strategies and discover word connections.
Across Clues and Answers (65)
Clue #1: 1. Verso's counterpart
Word Help: Synonyms: recto
Antonyms: verso
Antonyms: verso
Clue #2: 6. Alternative to an onion bagel
Word Help: Synonyms: bialystoker, bialy
Clue #3: 11. Jai ___
Clue #4: 15. Where the Pilgrims first landed in the New World
Word Help: Synonyms: ness, cape, mantle
Clue #5: 19. Skating gold medalist Oksana
Clue #6: 20. Host
Word Help: Synonyms: master_of_ceremonies, compere, emcee
Clue #7: 21. Quick look
Word Help: Synonyms: peep, glance, glint
Clue #8: 22. Has a tab open, say
Word Help: Synonyms: owe
Clue #9: 23. Hip-hop's "Puba" and "Daddy I.U."?
Clue #10: 25. Station near Madison Square Garden, for short
Word Help: Synonyms: University_of_Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Penn
Clue #11: 26. Fleet
Word Help: Synonyms: quick, degraded, profligate
Antonyms: slow
Antonyms: slow
Clue #12: 27. Hung around
Word Help: Synonyms: mill_about, loiter, footle
Clue #13: 28. Remove from the champagne bucket?
Clue #14: 30. "Just kidding!"
Word Help: Synonyms: not, non
Clue #15: 31. Feeling rash?
Word Help: Synonyms: itchy, fidgety, fretful
Clue #16: 34. Hip-hop artist with the 2019 hit "My Type"
Clue #17: 35. Crisis involving cartels
Clue #18: 39. Goes "Vroom!"
Word Help: Synonyms: thunder, bellow, roaring
Clue #19: 41. Royal title
Word Help: Synonyms: forefather, sire, mother
Clue #20: 42. Casting a total brat in the school play?
Clue #21: 45. Some govt. securities
Clue #22: 49. ___-tempered
Word Help: Synonyms: evening, even, eve
Antonyms: odd, uneven
Antonyms: odd, uneven
Clue #23: 50. "Super cool!"
Word Help: Synonyms: the_skinny, cola, dummy
Clue #24: 51. Get ready to take a shot
Word Help: Synonyms: train, get, purpose
Clue #25: 53. Ship propeller
Word Help: Synonyms: have_intercourse, sleep_with, have_it_away
Antonyms: unscrew
Antonyms: unscrew
Clue #26: 54. French for "from"
Word Help: Synonyms: stilbesterol, stilboestrol, diethylstilboestrol
Clue #27: 55. Release
Word Help: Synonyms: give_out, utter, pass_off
Antonyms: absorb
Antonyms: absorb
Clue #28: 57. Dante's guide in the "Inferno"
Word Help: Synonyms: Vergil, Publius_Vergilius_Maro, Virgil
Clue #29: 60. Singer Del Rey
Clue #30: 61. "The score upon which reality is written," per Henry Miller
Word Help: Synonyms: Chaos, topsy-turvyness, chaos
Clue #31: 62. Apps might be seen on one
Word Help: Synonyms: card, computer_menu, carte
Clue #32: 63. Sediment, e.g.
Word Help: Synonyms: stick, bank_deposit, sediment
Antonyms: dislodge, withdraw
Antonyms: dislodge, withdraw
Clue #33: 65. "The co-star of 'Duck Soup' has to be sore after that!"?
Clue #34: 69. Anonymous guy
Clue #35: 70. Pauperism, so to speak
Word Help: Synonyms: rally, annoy, rebuke
Clue #36: 71. Author of the 2020 memoir "Cubed"
Clue #37: 72. Lots
Word Help: Synonyms: Aten, Aton
Clue #38: 73. "Because I'm the boss!"
Clue #39: 75. Pinged online
Clue #40: 76. Condition for which Luvox may be prescribed, in brief
Clue #41: 79. "Wonder Woman" star
Clue #42: 81. Mountain ___
Word Help: Synonyms: dew
Clue #43: 82. Late singer Payne of One Direction
Clue #44: 84. Modern home of where cuneiform writing originated
Word Help: Synonyms: Iraq, Republic_of_Iraq, Al-Iraq
Clue #45: 85. Way up or way down
Word Help: Synonyms: stair, steps, step
Clue #46: 87. "How long have beavers blocked this river?"?
Clue #47: 92. "As ___ …"
Word Help: Synonyms: such
Clue #48: 94. Earthenware pots
Word Help: Synonyms: ola, olla
Clue #49: 95. Was comparable to
Word Help: Synonyms: rival, equal, touch
Clue #50: 96. Apparel feature that a bandeau lacks
Clue #51: 100. Function in the role of
Clue #52: 102. Monk's title
Clue #53: 103. Be crazy about Chicago trains with broken A.C.s?
Clue #54: 105. Much in quantity
Clue #55: 109. Baseball family name
Clue #56: 110. Actor Jared
Word Help: Synonyms: Leto, Latona
Clue #57: 111. Metric in a competitive family business?
Word Help: Synonyms: salesperson, sales_rep, sales_representative
Clue #58: 114. Prince, e.g.
Word Help: Synonyms: inheritor, heritor, successor
Clue #59: 115. In ___ parentis
Word Help: Synonyms: loopy, nuts, haywire
Clue #60: 116. Blow
Word Help: Synonyms: break_through, recrudesce, burst_out
Clue #61: 117. Designer Hilfiger
Clue #62: 118. Lays turf on
Word Help: Synonyms: superoxide_dismutase, SOD, sodomite
Clue #63: 119. Little twerp
Word Help: Synonyms: snoot, snob, snot
Clue #64: 120. Trunk
Word Help: Synonyms: body, trunk, torso
Clue #65: 121. Head of Slytherin House in the Harry Potter books
Across Clues and Answers (65)
Clue #1: 1. Subject of the 2018 biopic "On the Basis of Sex," familiarly
Clue #2: 2. Noble title
Word Help: Synonyms: earl
Clue #3: 3. "Ci vediamo in giro!"
Word Help: Synonyms: ciao, aloha
Clue #4: 4. Getting ready to listen
Clue #5: 5. Historic district of a city
Clue #6: 6. Gnarly problem, so to speak
Word Help: Synonyms: have_a_bun_in_the_oven, gestate, conduct
Antonyms: bull
Antonyms: bull
Clue #7: 7. Architect of Hong Kong's Bank of China Tower
Clue #8: 8. Certain hallucinatory experience
Clue #9: 9. Directed
Word Help: Synonyms: conduct, precede, leave
Antonyms: follow
Antonyms: follow
Clue #10: 10. Last word of James Joyce's "Ulysses"
Word Help: Synonyms: yes
Antonyms: no
Antonyms: no
Clue #11: 11. Dad, in Korean
Clue #12: 12. Ingredients in some potato soups
Word Help: Synonyms: leek, Allium_porrum, scallion
Clue #13: 13. Son of Aphrodite
Word Help: Synonyms: Aeneas
Clue #14: 14. "You don't have to tell me"
Clue #15: 15. Time for a pick-me-up, humorously
Clue #16: 16. Lie ahead
Word Help: Synonyms: expect, await, wait
Clue #17: 17. Joe of "Home Alone"
Clue #18: 18. First name in perfumes
Clue #19: 24. Label anew
Clue #20: 28. Banks from Los Angeles
Clue #21: 29. Maidenhair and others
Word Help: Synonyms: fern
Clue #22: 32. Common dog command
Word Help: Synonyms: issue_forth, occur, total
Antonyms: go, leave
Antonyms: go, leave
Clue #23: 33. Chance
Word Help: Synonyms: go_on, come_about, fall_out
Clue #24: 35. Hit up on Instagram, informally
Clue #25: 36. Overnight party with light shows and "cuddle puddles"
Word Help: Synonyms: rabbit_on, rave, spout
Clue #26: 37. Luau strings
Word Help: Synonyms: ukulele, uke
Clue #27: 38. Rock group with the 1992 hit "Creep"
Clue #28: 40. Harum-___ (reckless)
Clue #29: 43. Untrue
Clue #30: 44. Notaro of comedy
Clue #31: 46. Drag-and-drop disposal icon
Word Help: Synonyms: trumpery, pan, applesauce
Clue #32: 47. Start of a counting rhyme
Clue #33: 48. Hit with a smack
Word Help: Synonyms: swat
Clue #34: 52. Time in a Shakespeare title
Word Help: Synonyms: midsummer, summer_solstice, June_21
Antonyms: winter_solstice
Antonyms: winter_solstice
Clue #35: 55. Former Israeli P.M. Olmert
Clue #36: 56. Platform for Safari and FaceTime
Clue #37: 57. Borderline
Word Help: Synonyms: brink, sceptre, threshold
Clue #38: 58. "Need You Tonight" band, 1987
Clue #39: 59. Leave alone
Clue #40: 61. Arbiters of taste
Word Help: Synonyms: cognoscente, connoisseur
Clue #41: 62. Polite term of address
Clue #42: 64. Stamp on an invoice
Word Help: Synonyms: make_up, bear, devote
Antonyms: unpaid, default
Antonyms: unpaid, default
Clue #43: 65. Implied
Clue #44: 66. Valerie Harper title role
Clue #45: 67. One of three immortal elders in "A Wrinkle in Time"
Clue #46: 68. Dickens's ___ Heep
Word Help: Synonyms: Uriah
Clue #47: 69. Bouts
Word Help: Synonyms: dag, jag
Clue #48: 74. Tree whose name sounds like a pronoun
Word Help: Synonyms: yew
Clue #49: 76. Word with history or hygiene
Word Help: Synonyms: oral, viva_voce, oral_examination
Antonyms: aboral, anal
Antonyms: aboral, anal
Clue #50: 77. Shut up
Word Help: Synonyms: coop, John_Cage, Cage
Clue #51: 78. Threw out of a contest, informally
Clue #52: 80. Philosopher's pursuit
Word Help: Synonyms: Truth, the_true, trueness
Antonyms: inaccuracy, falsity
Antonyms: inaccuracy, falsity
Clue #53: 82. Exam with an argumentative writing section, in brief
Clue #54: 83. "You know, I can't quite remember"
Clue #55: 84. "Oh geez, the answer was staring me in the face!"
Clue #56: 86. Goes through screen after screen
Word Help: Synonyms: roll, scroll, coil
Clue #57: 88. "Sadly …"
Word Help: Synonyms: regrettably, alas, unluckily
Antonyms: luckily, fortunately
Antonyms: luckily, fortunately
Clue #58: 89. Special attention, for short
Word Help: Synonyms: tender_loving_care, TLC
Clue #59: 90. Made nice
Clue #60: 91. Wading birds
Word Help: Synonyms: avocet
Clue #61: 93. Publicly bash
Clue #62: 96. Doldrums
Word Help: Synonyms: claptrap, blahs, bombast
Clue #63: 97. Lumberjacks' competition
Clue #64: 98. Walk around, maybe
Word Help: Synonyms: nullify, avert, invalidate
Antonyms: validate, confront
Antonyms: validate, confront
Clue #65: 99. Where one might pick up litter
Clue #66: 101. Oozes
Word Help: Synonyms: seep, ooze
Clue #67: 104. Burgle
Word Help: Synonyms: dirty_money, pelf, moolah
Clue #68: 106. About
Clue #69: 107. West Point inst.
Clue #70: 108. Fanfare
Word Help: Synonyms: pomp, gaudery, eclat
Clue #71: 111. Like a diamond in a ring
Word Help: Synonyms: band, localise, fit
Antonyms: rise
Antonyms: rise
Clue #72: 112. Queer identity, in brief
Clue #73: 113. 12/31
Expert Solving Strategies
- Look for fill-in-the-blank clues first (they're often easiest)
- Watch for question marks indicating wordplay
- Check vowel patterns in partially solved words
Related Search Terms
NYT Crossword Help, Daily Puzzle Solutions, Crossword Answer Finder, May Crossword Answers
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
NYT Mini Puzzle Trivia Week 2 April 14, 2026 - Solved
Trivia Week 2 April 14, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Mini Crossword has 20 clues total. We have all the answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Popular Puzzles: March 18 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | August 07 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | July 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | April 14, 2026 |
| Grid Size | 5 x 5 squares |
| Total Clues | 20 clues |
| Across Clues | 10 clues |
| Down Clues | 10 clues |
| Average Solve Time | Under 1 minute |
Today's Trivia Week {week_num} NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout
This puzzle uses a 5 by 5 grid. That means 5 boxes across and 5 boxes down.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | |||||
| Row 2 | |||||
| Row 3 | |||||
| Row 4 | |||||
| Row 5 |
How to Solve This Puzzle Fast
- Read all the clues first - your brain will start working on them
- Fill in the short words first (3 letters or less)
- Use the crossing letters to help with harder words
- If a clue has a question mark (?), it's probably a joke or play on words
- Common short words: THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT
Quick Facts About This Puzzle
- Total squares in grid: 25 (5 times 5)
- Average time to solve: Less than 1 minute
- Best time to play: During a coffee break
- Difficulty level: Made for everyone to enjoy
Across Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from left to right in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 39. Chess defeats |
| 2 Across | 40. Basic unit of work |
| 3 Across | 65. ___ tide |
| 4 Across | 36. Network junction points |
| 5 Across | 19. Take giant steps |
| 6 Across | 15. Defense grp. since 1949 |
| 7 Across | 1. Safe place to stand on a diamond |
| 8 Across | 62. Quintet seen in order in 16-, 26-, 44- and 57-Across |
| 9 Across | 24. To the ___ degree |
| 10 Across | 38. Force of habit, for some, in brief |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- May 03 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 18 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 05 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "39. Chess defeats"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: M___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
MATES2 Across: "40. Basic unit of work"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: J___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
JOULE3 Across: "65. ___ tide"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: N__P
Answer:
Click to reveal
NEAP4 Across: "36. Network junction points"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: N___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
NODES5 Across: "19. Take giant steps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
STRIDE6 Across: "15. Defense grp. since 1949"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: N__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
NATO7 Across: "1. Safe place to stand on a diamond"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
BASE8 Across: "62. Quintet seen in order in 16-, 26-, 44- and 57-Across"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'U'
- Word pattern: A___U
Answer:
Click to reveal
AEIOU9 Across: "24. To the ___ degree"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'H'
- Another word like this: n-th
Answer:
Click to reveal
NTH10 Across: "38. Force of habit, for some, in brief"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'D'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
OCDDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 9. Like most TV shows, nowadays |
| 2 Down | 52. Few and far between |
| 3 Down | 24. Expert in stealth |
| 4 Down | 4. Surplus |
| 5 Down | 12. ___ Ross, George Clooney's role on "ER" |
| 6 Down | 56. Jailhouse weapon |
| 7 Down | 17. [Alas!] |
| 8 Down | 7. Bowmaker's wood |
| 9 Down | 30. Apply to, as an ointment |
| 10 Down | 25. Scouting party |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- October 05 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 07 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 03 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "9. Like most TV shows, nowadays"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: I__D
Answer:
Click to reveal
INHD2 Down: "52. Few and far between"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: R__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
RARE3 Down: "24. Expert in stealth"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: N___A
Answer:
Click to reveal
NINJA4 Down: "4. Surplus"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: E___A
Answer:
Click to reveal
EXTRA5 Down: "12. ___ Ross, George Clooney's role on "ER""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: D__G
Answer:
Click to reveal
DOUG6 Down: "56. Jailhouse weapon"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'V'
- Word pattern: S__V
Answer:
Click to reveal
SHIV7 Down: "17. [Alas!]"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: S__H
Answer:
Click to reveal
SIGH8 Down: "7. Bowmaker's wood"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'W'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
YEW9 Down: "30. Apply to, as an ointment"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: U___N
Answer:
Click to reveal
USEON10 Down: "25. Scouting party"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: T___P
Answer:
Click to reveal
TROOPHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Here are the best tips from expert solvers:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Quick Scan: Read all clues once. Your brain starts working on them right away.
- Easy First: Fill in the shortest words (2-3 letters). These are usually simple words like "IT" or "ON".
- Use Crossings: When letters cross, they help you figure out harder words.
- Watch for Wordplay: Clues with question marks (?) are jokes or puns.
- Common Words: Remember these appear often: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE.
Letter Tips That Really Help
- The letter E is the most common in English
- Words ending in S are often plurals
- If you see "___" in a clue, the answer fits those blanks exactly
- Abbreviations in clues mean the answer is also abbreviated
Time Goals to Aim For
| Your Time | Skill Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 seconds | Expert | You know the puzzle patterns very well! |
| 30-60 seconds | Advanced | Great job! You solve quickly. |
| 1-2 minutes | Good | You're doing well. Keep practicing! |
| Over 2 minutes | Learning | You'll get faster with practice. |
Puzzle Numbers and Facts
| Total Clues: | 20 clues to solve |
| Grid Size: | 5 boxes across, 5 boxes down |
| Total Squares: | 25 squares to fill |
| Average Time: | Most people solve in 58 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 2
When can I play the Trivia Week 2 Mini?
The Trivia Week 2 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 2?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 2 Mini in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Don't worry if you take longer - speed comes with practice!
Do I need to pay to play Trivia Week 2?
No! The Trivia Week 2 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 2 solver?
Good Trivia Week 2 solvers know common short words, can spot wordplay quickly, and use crossing letters well. Practice helps a lot!
Are the puzzles harder during Trivia Week 2?
Trivia Week 2 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
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