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 (36 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. Criticizes, in modern lingo | 7 |
| 2A | 8. Unruffled | 6 |
| 3A | 14. "Not to worry ..." | 8 |
| 4A | 16. Chichi | 6 |
| 5A | 17. One away from one's duties? | 8 |
| 6A | 18. French exit | 6 |
| 7A | 19. Hollywood is on it: Abbr. | 3 |
| 8A | 20. Secures, in a way | 5 |
| 9A | 22. Flubs | 5 |
| 10A | 23. Create a crispy crust for, say | 7 |
| 11A | 25. Coolers, for short | 3 |
| 12A | 26. "Jeez!" | 5 |
| 13A | 29. Touchy topic | 8 |
| 14A | 31. One of two in Raphael's "Sistine Madonna" | 6 |
| 15A | 33. Cartoonist who popularized the Democratic donkey | 4 |
| 16A | 34. "Bad hair day" hair | 3 |
| 17A | 36. Address no longer than 18 minutes | 7 |
| 18A | 38. Prepares for company, maybe | 7 |
| 19A | 40. Networking assets | 3 |
| 20A | 41. Second City district, with "the" | 4 |
| 21A | 43. Plumbing and welding, e.g. | 6 |
| 22A | 44. Really nasty fall? | 8 |
| 23A | 47. Date unlikely to be on a calendar | 5 |
| 24A | 48. Mammoth's home, for short | 3 |
| 25A | 49. Where to go for a run | 7 |
| 26A | 51. Peabody-winning journalist Steve | 5 |
| 27A | 53. Many a Chilango | 5 |
| 28A | 54. Formula 1 fig. | 3 |
| 29A | 57. "I'm this-a way!" | 6 |
| 30A | 59. Great depression? | 8 |
| 31A | 61. "Would you look at the time?!" | 6 |
| 32A | 62. Scrumdiddlyumptious | 8 |
| 33A | 63. Like some interests and stocks | 6 |
| 34A | 64. Feeds the kitty, say | 7 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Criticizes, in modern lingo"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HATESON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "8. Unruffled"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATEASE
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3A: "14. "Not to worry ...""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THERENOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "16. Chichi"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that imposingly fashionable and elegant
- Similar words include: swank
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SWANKY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "17. One away from one's duties?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAXEXILE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "18. French exit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position
- Similar words include: sally
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SORTIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "19. Hollywood is on it: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that standard time in the 8th time zone west of greenwich, reckoned at the 120th meridian west; used in far western states of the united states
- Similar words include: Pacific Time, Pacific Standard Time
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PST
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8A: "20. Secures, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of the muslim people of north africa; of mixed arab and berber descent; converted to islam in the 8th century; conqueror of spain in the 8th century
- Similar words include: moor, moorland, wharf
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOORS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "22. Flubs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a socially awkward or tactless act
- Similar words include: slipperiness, skid, chemise
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLIPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "23. Create a crispy crust for, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PANSEAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "25. Coolers, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a radioactive element of the actinide series; found in uranium ores
- Similar words include: alternating current, atomic number 89, actinium
- Opposite of: direct current
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "26. "Jeez!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AWMAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "29. Touchy topic"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SORESPOT
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14A: "31. One of two in Raphael's "Sistine Madonna""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sweet innocent baby
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHERUB
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "33. Cartoonist who popularized the Democratic donkey"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states political cartoonist (1840-1902)
- Similar words include: Thomas Nast
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "34. "Bad hair day" hair"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that cleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened to a handle; for cleaning floors
- Similar words include: wipe up, mow, swob
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "36. Address no longer than 18 minutes"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEDTALK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "38. Prepares for company, maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that put (things or places) in order
- Similar words include: tidy up, neaten, groom
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEATENS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "40. Networking assets"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an agency in the department of justice that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to the united states
- Similar words include: Indiana, atomic number 49, IN
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "41. Second City district, with "the""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fastener consisting of a metal ring for lining a small hole to permit the attachment of cords or lines
- Similar words include: grummet, loop topology, intertwine
- Opposite of: open circuit, uncoil
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOOP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "43. Plumbing and welding, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the commercial exchange (buying and selling on domestic or international markets) of goods and services
- Similar words include: trade in, sell, craft
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRADES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "44. Really nasty fall?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICESTORM
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "47. Date unlikely to be on a calendar"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a date; usually with a member of the opposite sex
- Similar words include: assignation, rendezvous
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRYST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "48. Mammoth's home, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NHL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "49. Where to go for a run"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SKIAREA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "51. Peabody-winning journalist Steve"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KROFT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "53. Many a Chilango"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a spanish title or form of address for a man; similar to the english `mr' or `sir'
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SENOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "54. Formula 1 fig."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the ratio of the distance traveled (in kilometers) to the time spent traveling (in hours)
- Similar words include: kilometres per hour, kilometers per hour, km/h
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KPH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "57. "I'm this-a way!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YOOHOO
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30A: "59. Great depression?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a depression in the ground communicating with a subterranean passage (especially in limestone) and formed by solution or by collapse of a cavern roof
- Similar words include: sink, swallow hole
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SINKHOLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "61. "Would you look at the time?!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMLATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "62. Scrumdiddlyumptious"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TODIEFOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "63. Like some interests and stocks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that provide with power and authority
- Similar words include: vest, invest, robe
- Opposite of: divest
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VESTED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34A: "64. Feeds the kitty, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CATSITS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. It's usually followed by an "s" | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Indicators of awareness | 4 |
| 3D | 3. Ding thing? | 4 |
| 4D | 4. Bygone "before" | 3 |
| 5D | 5. Books that go into intimate detail? | 10 |
| 6D | 6. It might bring you to tears | 5 |
| 7D | 7. "Good riddance" | 6 |
| 8D | 8. Jerk | 3 |
| 9D | 9. All slam dunks | 4 |
| 10D | 10. Accessory turned down on a cap | 6 |
| 11D | 11. Humor without a traditional punch line | 10 |
| 12D | 12. Create ripple effects, in a way | 10 |
| 13D | 13. Scallops can have hundreds of tiny blue ones | 4 |
| 14D | 15. "It's a date!" | 6 |
| 15D | 21. It's a wrap! | 5 |
| 16D | 23. Hairstylist's concern | 4 |
| 17D | 24. Go back to the beginning | 5 |
| 18D | 26. Whence the line "Beware the ides of March" in "Julius Caesar" | 4 |
| 19D | 27. Comment from one who's going along | 10 |
| 20D | 28. Where to see fresh coats of white? | 10 |
| 21D | 30. First gear? | 10 |
| 22D | 32. Rorschach patterns | 5 |
| 23D | 35. "I'm this-a way!" | 4 |
| 24D | 37. Goofballs | 5 |
| 25D | 39. ___ Theatre, Atlanta art house named for a fictional estate | 4 |
| 26D | 42. White-collar figure | 6 |
| 27D | 45. Pointy-topped red-and-green headwear | 6 |
| 28D | 46. Tuber that's the source of tapioca | 6 |
| 29D | 50. ___ Rousey, first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo | 5 |
| 30D | 51. National capital that's home to Mykhailivska Square | 4 |
| 31D | 52. Schlep | 4 |
| 32D | 54. ___ Annan, former U.N. secretary general | 4 |
| 33D | 55. Something that's hatched | 4 |
| 34D | 56. Half of some matching sets | 4 |
| 35D | 58. Work that traces the evolution of lang. over 1,000 years | 3 |
| 36D | 60. "And ___ long gone when ___ next to me" (Taylor Swift lyric) | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. It's usually followed by an "s""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a protocol (utilizing tcp) to transfer hypertext requests and information between servers and browsers
- Similar words include: hypertext transfer protocol
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HTTP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Indicators of awareness"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AHAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Ding thing?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the words of something written
- Similar words include: text edition, textual matter, textbook
- Opposite of: trade edition
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEXT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Bygone "before""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Books that go into intimate detail?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEXMANUALS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. It might bring you to tears"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the bulb of an onion plant
- Similar words include: Allium cepa, onion plant
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONION
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. "Good riddance""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOLOSS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Jerk"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
- Similar words include: fucking, piece of tail, Eastern Samoa
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. All slam dunks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
- Similar words include: deuce, two, 2
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TWOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Accessory turned down on a cap"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of two flaps attached to a cap to keep the ears warm
- Similar words include: earflap
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EARLAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Humor without a traditional punch line"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANTICOMEDY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Create ripple effects, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SKIPSTONES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Scallops can have hundreds of tiny blue ones"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that opinion or judgment
- Similar words include: center, middle, optic
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EYES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "15. "It's a date!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WEREON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "21. It's a wrap!"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of various thermoplastic resins used to make things
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SARAN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "23. Hairstylist's concern"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that something determined in relation to something that includes it
- Similar words include: parting, percentage, take off
- Opposite of: wholly
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PART
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "24. Go back to the beginning"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that device for resetting instruments or controls
- Similar words include: readjust
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RESET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "26. Whence the line "Beware the ides of March" in "Julius Caesar""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACTI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "27. Comment from one who's going along"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHENINROME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "28. Where to see fresh coats of white?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEDSCHOOLS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "30. First gear?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STARTERKIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "32. Rorschach patterns"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a blemish made by dirt
- Similar words include: stain, smirch, slur
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLOTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "35. "I'm this-a way!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PSST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "37. Goofballs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone regarded as eccentric or crazy and standing out from a group
- Similar words include: queer bird, odd fellow, odd man out
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KOOKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "39. ___ Theatre, Atlanta art house named for a fictional estate"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a village in eastern ireland (northwest of dublin); seat of irish kings until 6th century
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TARA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "42. White-collar figure"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a clergyman in christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the holy orders
- Similar words include: non-Christian priest
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PRIEST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "45. Pointy-topped red-and-green headwear"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELFHAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "46. Tuber that's the source of tapioca"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a starch made by leaching and drying the root of the cassava plant; the source of tapioca; a staple food in the tropics
- Similar words include: gari, tapioca plant, bitter cassava
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MANIOC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "50. ___ Rousey, first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RONDA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "51. National capital that's home to Mykhailivska Square"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KYIV
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "52. Schlep"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a capacious bag or basket
- Similar words include: tote bag, tug, holdall
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "54. ___ Annan, former U.N. secretary general"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KOFI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "55. Something that's hatched"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
- Similar words include: game, diagram, plot of land
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLOT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "56. Half of some matching sets"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "58. Work that traces the evolution of lang. over 1,000 years"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an unabridged dictionary constructed on historical principles
- Similar words include: O.E.D., Oxford English Dictionary
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "60. "And ___ long gone when ___ next to me" (Taylor Swift lyric)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a very light colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses; the most difficult gas to liquefy; occurs in economically extractable amounts in certain natural gases (as those found in texas and kansas)
- Similar words include: helium, he, atomic number 2
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HES
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
36 Down Clues
70 Total Clues
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