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 (35 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (35 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Moderate
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. "Delightful!" | 10 |
| 2A | 11. Cock-a-hoop | 4 |
| 3A | 15. "What if we just ... didn't?" | 10 |
| 4A | 16. Dancer's restraint? | 4 |
| 5A | 17. Kitchen project with minimal cleanup | 10 |
| 6A | 18. City on India's "golden triangle" tourism circuit | 4 |
| 7A | 19. Castaway's place, perhaps | 10 |
| 8A | 20. Alternative to Word | 4 |
| 9A | 21. GPS calculation: Abbr. | 3 |
| 10A | 22. Gavrila Derzhavin's "God," e.g. | 3 |
| 11A | 24. Word repeated in a fit of disbelief | 3 |
| 12A | 25. "That way ..." | 4 |
| 13A | 28. He's credited as the director of photography for the 1967 film "Magical Mystery Tour" | 10 |
| 14A | 32. Female lobster | 3 |
| 15A | 33. On the topic of | 4 |
| 16A | 34. Hindu rule of living | 5 |
| 17A | 35. U-Haul competitor | 5 |
| 18A | 37. GPS calculation: Abbr. | 3 |
| 19A | 39. Some choppers | 5 |
| 20A | 40. Give credit for | 5 |
| 21A | 41. Wee, informally | 4 |
| 22A | 43. "Your point being ...?" | 3 |
| 23A | 44. Defense council? | 10 |
| 24A | 47. ___ climbing a tree (Sichuan noodle dish) | 4 |
| 25A | 48. Musical group that went on hiatus in 2022 so its members could serve in the military | 3 |
| 26A | 49. British ___ (colonial rule of India) | 3 |
| 27A | 50. Lead-in to -ology, for the study of the atmosphere | 3 |
| 28A | 52. Doesn't sit by | 4 |
| 29A | 54. A bit stale, say | 10 |
| 30A | 60. British buddy | 4 |
| 31A | 61. Hit the hay, to a toddler | 10 |
| 32A | 62. Its tail blows in the wind | 4 |
| 33A | 63. "It's just me here" | 10 |
| 34A | 64. Worry, worry, worry | 4 |
| 35A | 65. When many rebellions emerge for the first time | 10 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. "Delightful!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHATATREAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "11. Cock-a-hoop"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of numerous plants of the genus gladiolus native chiefly to tropical and south africa having sword-shaped leaves and one-sided spikes of brightly colored funnel-shaped flowers; widely cultivated
- Similar words include: gladiolus, sword lily, beaming
- Opposite of: sad
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GLAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "15. "What if we just ... didn't?""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOWABOUTNO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "16. Dancer's restraint?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse
- Similar words include: draw rein, harness, rein in
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REIN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "17. Kitchen project with minimal cleanup"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONEPOTMEAL
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6A: "18. City on India's "golden triangle" tourism circuit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a city in northern india; former capital of the mogul empire; site of the taj mahal
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGRA
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7A: "19. Castaway's place, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DESERTISLE
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8A: "20. Alternative to Word"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a licensed medical practitioner
- Similar words include: Dr., MD, doctor
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOCS
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9A: "21. GPS calculation: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RTE
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10A: "22. Gavrila Derzhavin's "God," e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a lyric poem with complex stanza forms
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ODE
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11A: "24. Word repeated in a fit of disbelief"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that and nothing more
- Similar words include: merely, only, simply
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BUT
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12A: "25. "That way ...""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an aromatic gum resin obtained from various arabian or east african trees; formerly valued for worship and for embalming and fumigation
- Similar words include: therefore, gum olibanum, hence
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THUS
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13A: "28. He's credited as the director of photography for the 1967 film "Magical Mystery Tour""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RINGOSTARR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "32. Female lobster"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that adult female chicken
- Similar words include: biddy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "33. On the topic of"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASTO
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16A: "34. Hindu rule of living"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a rule or aphorism in sanskrit literature or a group of aphoristic doctrinal summaries prepared for memorization
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUTRA
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17A: "35. U-Haul competitor"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RYDER
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18A: "37. GPS calculation: Abbr."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a terrorist organization organized in 1959 by student activists who were dissatisfied with the moderate nationalism of the traditional basque party; want to create an independent homeland in spain's western pyrenees
- Similar words include: Basque Homeland and Freedom, Basque Fatherland and Liberty, Euskadi ta Askatasuna
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "39. Some choppers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AXMEN
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20A: "40. Give credit for"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OWETO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "41. Wee, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITSY
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22A: "43. "Your point being ...?""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AND
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23A: "44. Defense council?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WARCABINET
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24A: "47. ___ climbing a tree (Sichuan noodle dish)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
- Similar words include: pismire, emmet, ant
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "48. Musical group that went on hiatus in 2022 so its members could serve in the military"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "49. British ___ (colonial rule of India)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that british dominion over india (1757-1947)
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAJ
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27A: "50. Lead-in to -ology, for the study of the atmosphere"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AER
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28A: "52. Doesn't sit by"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a new testament book describing the development of the early church from christ's ascension to paul's sojourn at rome
- Similar words include: act as, bit, human activity
- Opposite of: refrain
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACTS
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29A: "54. A bit stale, say"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GETTINGOLD
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30A: "60. British buddy"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a boy or man
- Similar words include: crack, blighter, cuss
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHAP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "61. Hit the hay, to a toddler"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOBEDDYBYE
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32A: "62. Its tail blows in the wind"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a bank check that has been fraudulently altered to increase its face value
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KITE
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33A: "63. "It's just me here""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMALLALONE
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34A: "64. Worry, worry, worry"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that agitation resulting from active worry
- Similar words include: swither, grudge, lather
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STEW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35A: "65. When many rebellions emerge for the first time"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EARLYTEENS
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Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. "___ have thought?!" | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Sharpen | 4 |
| 3D | 3. Moves a lot | 4 |
| 4D | 4. Wanes, with "off" | 6 |
| 5D | 5. Command from space command | 5 |
| 6D | 6. Walks with a wobble | 7 |
| 7D | 7. Persian poet who wrote the "Masnavi" | 4 |
| 8D | 8. "Qui ___-vous?" (French for "Who are you?") | 4 |
| 9D | 9. Kind of clock | 6 |
| 10D | 10. City between Madrid and Ciudad Real | 6 |
| 11D | 11. Person congratulated in a yard sign, maybe | 4 |
| 12D | 12. Toy adorned with a tiny rubber cape | 10 |
| 13D | 13. That blows! | 10 |
| 14D | 14. Things analyzed in some forensic tests | 10 |
| 15D | 23. Many a political piece | 5 |
| 16D | 25. Homages to a prior era | 10 |
| 17D | 26. "Look where you're going!" | 10 |
| 18D | 27. Deliberately downplay | 10 |
| 19D | 29. Suffix with urban | 3 |
| 20D | 30. Out | 5 |
| 21D | 31. Prom night rental | 3 |
| 22D | 33. Like a fired-up sports crowd | 5 |
| 23D | 36. Multipurpose shortening? | 3 |
| 24D | 38. Put away | 3 |
| 25D | 42. In a quietly dignified way | 7 |
| 26D | 45. Plastic item in a lunchbox | 6 |
| 27D | 46. ___ Oluo, author of 2018's "So You Want to Talk About Race" | 6 |
| 28D | 47. Diamond pattern | 6 |
| 29D | 51. Finish up by | 5 |
| 30D | 53. Eject | 4 |
| 31D | 55. Way up a mountain, perhaps | 4 |
| 32D | 56. "Do ___ ..." | 4 |
| 33D | 57. Light wind? | 4 |
| 34D | 58. Super Bowl X M.V.P. ___ Swann | 4 |
| 35D | 59. Diamond edges? | 4 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. "___ have thought?!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHOD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Sharpen"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a whetstone made of fine gritstone; used for sharpening razors
- Similar words include: perfect
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HONE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Moves a lot"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
- Similar words include: fear, awe, reverence
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AWES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Wanes, with "off""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a convex shape that narrows toward a point
- Similar words include: point, wick, sharpen
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAPERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Command from space command"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of terminating a project or procedure before it is completed
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ABORT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Walks with a wobble"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that move without being stable, as if threatening to fall
- Similar words include: teeter, dodder, waddle
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOTTERS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Persian poet who wrote the "Masnavi""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RUMI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. "Qui ___-vous?" (French for "Who are you?")"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Kind of clock"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that something having the property of being analogous to something else
- Similar words include: linear, parallel, analogue
- Opposite of: digital
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANALOG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. City between Madrid and Ciudad Real"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an industrial city in northwestern ohio on lake erie
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOLEDO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Person congratulated in a yard sign, maybe"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one-hundredth of a right angle
- Similar words include: graduate, alumnus, alumna
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Toy adorned with a tiny rubber cape"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEGOBATMAN
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13D: "13. That blows!"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AIRCURRENT
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14D: "14. Things analyzed in some forensic tests"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DNASTRANDS
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15D: "23. Many a political piece"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an analytic or interpretive literary composition
- Similar words include: attempt, seek, assay
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESSAY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "25. Homages to a prior era"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an organism that has the characteristics of a more primitive type of that organism
- Similar words include: throwback, reversion, atavism
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THROWBACKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "26. "Look where you're going!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEYWATCHIT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "27. Deliberately downplay"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that represent as less significant or important
- Similar words include: minimize, minimise, downplay
- Opposite of: overstate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNDERSTATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "29. Suffix with urban"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "30. Out"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTIN
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21D: "31. Prom night rental"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that semiformal evening dress for men
- Similar words include: black tie, tuxedo, dinner jacket
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TUX
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "33. Like a fired-up sports crowd"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AROAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "36. Multipurpose shortening?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "38. Put away"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
- Similar words include: eat, use up, deplete
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "42. In a quietly dignified way"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that in a grave and sober manner
- Similar words include: soberly, gravely
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAIDLY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "45. Plastic item in a lunchbox"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BAGGIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "46. ___ Oluo, author of 2018's "So You Want to Talk About Race""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IJEOMA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "47. Diamond pattern"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a covered gravy holder of silver or other metal containing a detachable central vessel for hot water to keep the gravy warm
- Similar words include: argyll
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARGYLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "51. Finish up by"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENDAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "53. Eject"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth
- Similar words include: spit, chuck, purge
- Opposite of: keep down
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPEW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "55. Way up a mountain, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TBAR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "56. "Do ___ ...""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)
- Similar words include: distinguish, severalise, state
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TELL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "57. Light wind?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a slender double-reed instrument; a woodwind with a conical bore and a double-reed mouthpiece
- Similar words include: hautbois, hautboy
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OBOE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "58. Super Bowl X M.V.P. ___ Swann"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LYNN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "59. Diamond edges?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEES
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
35 Across Clues
35 Down Clues
70 Total Clues
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