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 (33 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (38 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. Male deer | 4 |
| 2A | 5. National sport of Japan | 4 |
| 3A | 9. Posh N.Y.C. neighborhood | 4 |
| 4A | 13. Post-it ___ | 4 |
| 5A | 14. Privy to | 4 |
| 6A | 15. Mideast ruler | 4 |
| 7A | 16. "Either way is fine with me" | 9 |
| 8A | 18. Prefix with hit or bit | 4 |
| 9A | 19. Citrusy Japanese sauce | 5 |
| 10A | 20. Manipulate into doubting one's memory or experience | 8 |
| 11A | 22. Friendly emoticon | 10 |
| 12A | 24. Relieve, as pain | 6 |
| 13A | 28. Long-running forensics series | 3 |
| 14A | 29. Only state with a nonrectangular flag | 4 |
| 15A | 30. Title for a married woman | 3 |
| 16A | 33. Fairy tale opening word | 4 |
| 17A | 36. Country in Oceania named for a biblical king | 14 |
| 18A | 40. "Star Wars" character ___ Ren | 4 |
| 19A | 41. ___ Wednesday | 3 |
| 20A | 42. Interlocking toy brand | 4 |
| 21A | 43. Four-wheeler, for short | 3 |
| 22A | 45. Kicked out of office | 6 |
| 23A | 47. Pet for Franklin Roosevelt or George W. Bush, informally | 10 |
| 24A | 52. As a precaution | 8 |
| 25A | 53. Competitor at an esports tournament | 5 |
| 26A | 58. All tied up | 4 |
| 27A | 59. Smartphone setting that removes all color from the screen ... or a feature of this puzzle? | 9 |
| 28A | 61. Currency in Chihuahua | 4 |
| 29A | 62. Job for an actor | 4 |
| 30A | 63. Run in neutral | 4 |
| 31A | 64. Ruminate (over) | 4 |
| 32A | 65. "A Bug's Life" bugs | 4 |
| 33A | 66. Out of battery | 4 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Male deer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a male deer, especially an adult male red deer
- Similar words include: denounce, snitch, sleuth
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "5. National sport of Japan"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a japanese form of wrestling; you lose if you are forced out of a small ring or if any part of your body (other than your feet) touches the ground
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUMO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "9. Posh N.Y.C. neighborhood"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a district in southwestern manhattan noted for its shops and restaurants and galleries and artist's lofts
- Similar words include: South of Houston
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOHO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "13. Post-it ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a brief written record
- Similar words include: musical note, mention, take note
- Opposite of: ignore
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "14. Privy to"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "15. Mideast ruler"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an independent ruler or chieftain (especially in africa or arabia)
- Similar words include: emeer, amir, ameer
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMIR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "16. "Either way is fine with me""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDONTCARE
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8A: "18. Prefix with hit or bit"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEGA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "19. Citrusy Japanese sauce"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PONZU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "20. Manipulate into doubting one's memory or experience"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that light yielded by the combustion of illuminating gas
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GASLIGHT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "22. Friendly emoticon"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMILEYFACE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "24. Relieve, as pain"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that give moral or emotional strength to
- Similar words include: solace, comfort, console
- Opposite of: irritate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOOTHE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "28. Long-running forensics series"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CSI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "29. Only state with a nonrectangular flag"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a midwestern state in north central united states in the great lakes region
- Similar words include: OH, Buckeye State, Ohio River
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHIO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "30. Title for a married woman"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a form of address for a married woman
- Similar words include: Mister, Mrs., Mr
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MRS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "33. Fairy tale opening word"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that on one occasion
- Similar words include: formerly, erstwhile, erst
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONCE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "36. Country in Oceania named for a biblical king"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOLOMONISLANDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "40. "Star Wars" character ___ Ren"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KYLO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "41. ___ Wednesday"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the residue that remains when something is burned
- Similar words include: ash tree
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "42. Interlocking toy brand"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (trademark) a child's plastic construction set for making mechanical models
- Similar words include: Lego set
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEGO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "43. Four-wheeler, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATV
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "45. Kicked out of office"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that remove from a position or office
- Similar words include: drum out, kick out, oust
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OUSTED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "47. Pet for Franklin Roosevelt or George W. Bush, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCOTTIEDOG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "52. As a precaution"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOBESAFE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "53. Competitor at an esports tournament"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that disabled in the feet or legs
- Similar words include: gamy, spunky, mettlesome
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GAMER
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "58. All tied up"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
- Similar words include: flush, level, eventide
- Opposite of: uneven, odd
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EVEN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "59. Smartphone setting that removes all color from the screen ... or a feature of this puzzle?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GRAYSCALE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "61. Currency in Chihuahua"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the basic unit of money in uruguay; equal to 100 centesimos
- Similar words include: Chilean peso, Cuban peso, Mexican peso
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PESO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "62. Job for an actor"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group
- Similar words include: office, use, part
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "63. Run in neutral"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling
- Similar words include: unfounded, out of work, dead
- Opposite of: run, busy
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDLE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "64. Ruminate (over)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that agitation resulting from active worry
- Similar words include: fret, lather, grudge
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STEW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32A: "65. "A Bug's Life" bugs"
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: emmet, ant, pismire
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33A: "66. Out of battery"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that people who are no longer living
- Similar words include: idle, short, numb
- Opposite of: alive, live
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Scissors sound | 4 |
| 2D | 2. Heading on a list of tasks | 4 |
| 3D | 3. Lots and lots | 4 |
| 4D | 4. Age group that includes 2000s kids | 4 |
| 5D | 5. [Yes, I know that's a typo] | 3 |
| 6D | 6. Eel, at a Japanese restaurant | 5 |
| 7D | 7. Fable's takeaway | 5 |
| 8D | 8. "Just a moment!" | 6 |
| 9D | 9. Penultimate tournament round | 10 |
| 10D | 10. Last Greek letter | 5 |
| 11D | 11. Pitch that's hard to hit? | 5 |
| 12D | 12. Give a formal speech | 5 |
| 13D | 17. Heinie | 4 |
| 14D | 21. Sprayable disinfectant brand | 5 |
| 15D | 23. Officewide message | 4 |
| 16D | 24. Signal at sea | 3 |
| 17D | 25. "Um, sure" | 4 |
| 18D | 26. Covered in grease | 4 |
| 19D | 27. "You missed your chance" | 10 |
| 20D | 31. Single-stranded molecule | 3 |
| 21D | 32. Palindromic sib | 3 |
| 22D | 34. Tech review site | 4 |
| 23D | 35. Living on the ___ | 4 |
| 24D | 37. Big name in applesauce | 5 |
| 25D | 38. "Go away, fly!" | 4 |
| 26D | 39. Grass bought in rolls | 3 |
| 27D | 44. "The little blue pill" | 6 |
| 28D | 46. Branded fluffy slippers | 4 |
| 29D | 47. Things taken on a walk? | 5 |
| 30D | 48. Violate the Tenth Commandment | 5 |
| 31D | 49. Like many bodybuilders, according to B.M.I. alone | 5 |
| 32D | 50. Zac of "High School Musical" | 5 |
| 33D | 51. Handed out, as playing cards | 5 |
| 34D | 54. Low scorer on a pH test | 4 |
| 35D | 55. Constructed | 4 |
| 36D | 56. Name that can be parsed as "the the" in Spanish | 4 |
| 37D | 57. Portland college attended by Steve Jobs | 4 |
| 38D | 60. "Certainly!" | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Scissors sound"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small piece of anything (especially a piece that has been snipped off)
- Similar words include: prune, snip off, crop
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNIP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Heading on a list of tasks"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TODO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Lots and lots"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the sun (or solar disc) which was the deity of a monotheistic cult under the pharaoh akhenaten
- Similar words include: Aten
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Age group that includes 2000s kids"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GENZ
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. [Yes, I know that's a typo]"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that urge to attack someone
- Similar words include: set
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. Eel, at a Japanese restaurant"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNAGI
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Fable's takeaway"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the significance of a story or event
- Similar words include: lesson
- Opposite of: immoral
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MORAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. "Just a moment!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONESEC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. Penultimate tournament round"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of the two competitions in the next to the last round of an elimination tournament
- Similar words include: semi, semifinal
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEMIFINALS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Last Greek letter"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the ending of a series or sequence; --revelation
- Similar words include: Z
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OMEGA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Pitch that's hard to hit?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HIGHC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Give a formal speech"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that talk pompously
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORATE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "17. Heinie"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
- Similar words include: rump, fanny, nates
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TUSH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "21. Sprayable disinfectant brand"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a clear oily brown solution of cresols in soap; used as an antiseptic and disinfectant
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LYSOL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "23. Officewide message"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a written proposal or reminder
- Similar words include: memorandum, memoranda
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MEMO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "24. Signal at sea"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an internationally recognized distress signal in radio code
- Similar words include: sol, so, soh
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "25. "Um, sure""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHOK
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "26. Covered in grease"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that containing an unusual amount of grease or oil
- Similar words include: sebaceous, smarmy, oleaginous
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OILY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "27. "You missed your chance""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOOLATENOW
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "31. Single-stranded molecule"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (biochemistry) a long linear polymer of nucleotides found in the nucleus but mainly in the cytoplasm of a cell where it is associated with microsomes; it transmits genetic information from dna to the cytoplasm and controls certain chemical processes in the cell
- Similar words include: ribonucleic acid
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RNA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "32. Palindromic sib"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a female person who has the same parents as another person
- Similar words include: Si, atomic number 14, SI
- Opposite of: brother
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SIS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "34. Tech review site"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CNET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "35. Living on the ___"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the boundary of a surface
- Similar words include: march, bound, butt on
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDGE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "37. Big name in applesauce"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that united states feminist and suffragist (1793-1880)
- Similar words include: Mott, Lucretia Coffin Mott
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOTTS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "38. "Go away, fly!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that drive away by crying `shoo!'
- Similar words include: shoo off, shoo away
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SHOO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "39. Grass bought in rolls"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots
- Similar words include: sodomite, sodomist, sward
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "44. "The little blue pill""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that virility drug (trade name viagra) used to treat erectile dysfunction in men
- Similar words include: sildenafil, sildenafil citrate
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VIAGRA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "46. Branded fluffy slippers"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UGGS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "47. Things taken on a walk?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
- Similar words include: footfall, ill-use, ill-treat
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STEPS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "48. Violate the Tenth Commandment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person)
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COVET
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "49. Like many bodybuilders, according to B.M.I. alone"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that excessively fat
- Similar words include: rotund, corpulent, weighty
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OBESE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "50. Zac of "High School Musical""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EFRON
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "51. Handed out, as playing cards"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
- Similar words include: handle, deal out, portion out
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEALT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "54. Low scorer on a pH test"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of various water-soluble compounds having a sour taste and capable of turning litmus red and reacting with a base to form a salt
- Similar words include: back breaker, caustic, Zen
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACID
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "55. Constructed"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that give certain properties to something
- Similar words include: construct, relieve oneself, wee-wee
- Opposite of: break, unmake
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MADE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
36D: "56. Name that can be parsed as "the the" in Spanish"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELLA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
37D: "57. Portland college attended by Steve Jobs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera arundo and phragmites
- Similar words include: vibrating reed, beating-reed instrument, Walter Reed
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
38D: "60. "Certainly!""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an affirmative
- Opposite of: no
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YES
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
33 Across Clues
38 Down Clues
71 Total Clues
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