NY Times Crossword Answers May 08, 2025 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

NY Times Crossword Complete Solution: May 08, 2025

Published on Thursday, May 08, 2025 • Updated daily

Our expert breakdown helps you solve the May 08 NYT crossword while expanding your vocabulary. Learn answer strategies and discover word connections.

NY Times Crossword Complete Solution: May 08, 2025

Across Clues and Answers (43)

Clue #1: 1. 2022 Jordan Peele horror/sci-fi film

4-letter answer Answer: NOPE

Clue #2: 5. San ___ Bay (estuary near San Francisco)

5-letter answer Answer: PABLO

Clue #3: 10. Noted silver-tongued Olympic gold medalist

3-letter answer Answer: ALI

Word Help: Synonyms: Cassius_Marcellus_Clay, Ali, Cassius_Clay

Clue #4: 13. Coin toss call

5-letter answer Answer: TAILS

Word Help: Synonyms: rear_end, rump, tush
Antonyms: head

Clue #5: 14. Supply

5-letter answer Answer: EQUIP

Word Help: Synonyms: fit_out, equip, fit

Clue #6: 15. Generals and such

5-letter answer Answer: BRASS

Word Help: Synonyms: boldness, plaque, organisation

Clue #7: 16. Quickly put (together)

4-letter answer Answer: SLAP

Word Help: Synonyms: slap, smack, slapdash

Clue #8: 17. Tres + tres + tres

5-letter answer Answer: NUEVE

Clue #9: 18. Single ___ (tourney type)

4-letter answer Answer: ELIM

Clue #10: 19. Clarifying words

4-letter answer Answer: ASIN

Word Help: Synonyms: Asvina, Asin

Clue #11: 20. Kierkegaard, for one

4-letter answer Answer: DANE

Word Help: Synonyms: Dane

Clue #12: 21. Cattle steerers

5-letter answer Answer: PRODS

Word Help: Synonyms: nudge, spur, egg_on

Clue #13: 22. Worn-down part

3-letter answer Answer: NUB

Word Help: Synonyms: substance, essence, marrow

Clue #14: 24. Fail to understand

6-letter answer Answer: NOTSEE

Clue #15: 26. Section of a curriculum

4-letter answer Answer: UNIT

Word Help: Synonyms: unit_of_measurement, unit, whole

Clue #16: 28. Broadway star Hagen

3-letter answer Answer: UTA

Word Help: Synonyms: genus_Uta, Uta

Clue #17: 30. Musical pitch interval

8-letter answer Answer: HALFTONE

Word Help: Synonyms: halftone_engraving, photoengraving, halftone

Clue #18: 34. Mayo to mayo, say

3-letter answer Answer: ANO

Word Help: Synonyms: Black_September, Fatah_Revolutionary_Council, Abu_Nidal_Organization

Clue #19: 35. Writer honored by Oz Park in Chicago

4-letter answer Answer: BAUM

Word Help: Synonyms: Baum, Frank_Baum, Lyman_Frank_Brown

Clue #20: 37. "My Neighbor ___," 1988 Hayao Miyazaki film

6-letter answer Answer: TOTORO

Clue #21: 38. One not getting enough sleep in Apr., perhaps

3-letter answer Answer: CPA

Word Help: Synonyms: certified_public_accountant, CPA

Clue #22: 39. "Mind your own business!" ... or a hint to the four sides of this puzzle

7-letter answer Answer: BUTTOUT

Clue #23: 41. Prefix with meter

3-letter answer Answer: ODO

Word Help: Synonyms: Otho, Odo, Odo_of_Lagery

Clue #24: 42. As a ___

6-letter answer Answer: RESULT

Word Help: Synonyms: issue, resolution, upshot

Clue #25: 44. Prefix with phobia

4-letter answer Answer: ACRO

Clue #26: 45. "I'm Just ___" (2023 Oscar-nominated song)

3-letter answer Answer: KEN

Word Help: Synonyms: sight, ken, cognizance

Clue #27: 46. Halting speakers?

8-letter answer Answer: SENTRIES

Word Help: Synonyms: sentinel, lookout_man, spotter

Clue #28: 48. "Inside Politics" airer

3-letter answer Answer: CNN

Clue #29: 49. Field

4-letter answer Answer: AREA

Word Help: Synonyms: surface_area, sphere, arena

Clue #30: 50. Like many flowers and prizes

6-letter answer Answer: ANNUAL

Word Help: Synonyms: yearly, yearbook, one-year
Antonyms: biennial

Clue #31: 52. Down in the dumps

3-letter answer Answer: SAD

Word Help: Synonyms: sorry, deplorable, distressing
Antonyms: glad

Clue #32: 54. Tasty pastry spread

5-letter answer Answer: ICING

Word Help: Synonyms: ice, icing_the_puck, icing

Clue #33: 57. Main ingredient in the Japanese liqueur umeshu

4-letter answer Answer: PLUM

Word Help: Synonyms: plumb, clean, plum

Clue #34: 59. Hats, informally

4-letter answer Answer: LIDS

Word Help: Synonyms: eyelid, hat, chapeau

Clue #35: 62. Nice chunk of dough

4-letter answer Answer: THOU

Word Help: Synonyms: one_thousand, thousand, grand

Clue #36: 63. Garden tool

5-letter answer Answer: SPADE

Word Help: Synonyms: jigaboo, coon, nigger

Clue #37: 64. Kind of arch that resembles the shape of a Hershey's Kiss

4-letter answer Answer: OGEE

Word Help: Synonyms: ogee, cyma_reversa

Clue #38: 65. Qualifying races

5-letter answer Answer: HEATS

Word Help: Synonyms: heating_system, passion, stir_up
Antonyms: anestrus, coldness

Clue #39: 66. This might come in a saucer

5-letter answer Answer: ALIEN

Word Help: Synonyms: unknown, alien, alienate
Antonyms: acquaintance, citizen

Clue #40: 67. Side to take into consideration

5-letter answer Answer: FACET

Word Help: Synonyms: facet, aspect

Clue #41: 68. Actress Goth of 2022's "X"

3-letter answer Answer: MIA

Clue #42: 69. Supervises

5-letter answer Answer: TENDS

Word Help: Synonyms: run, tend, incline

Clue #43: 70. Mustang feature, once

4-letter answer Answer: TTOP

Across Clues and Answers (43)

Clue #1: 1. Org. with probes

4-letter answer Answer: NASA

Word Help: Synonyms: NASA, National_Aeronautics_and_Space_Administration

Clue #2: 2. Muddies, as water

5-letter answer Answer: ROILS

Word Help: Synonyms: churn, moil, rile

Clue #3: 3. Ascetic breakfast selection

10-letter answer Answer: PLAINTOAST

Clue #4: 4. Channel for watching college games

5-letter answer Answer: ESPNU

Clue #5: 5. Turn topsy-turvy

5-letter answer Answer: UPEND

Word Help: Synonyms: upend

Clue #6: 6. One doing some deep-sea exploration

8-letter answer Answer: AQUANAUT

Word Help: Synonyms: oceanaut, aquanaut, skin-diver

Clue #7: 7. "Muy ___!"

5-letter answer Answer: BUENO

Clue #8: 8. Resides a long time ago?

6-letter answer Answer: LIVETH

Clue #9: 9. Be down in the dumps

4-letter answer Answer: MOPE

Word Help: Synonyms: mope, moon_around, moon_about

Clue #10: 10. Singer Guthrie

4-letter answer Answer: ARLO

Clue #11: 11. Crisscross pattern

5-letter answer Answer: PLAID

Word Help: Synonyms: tartan, plaid

Clue #12: 12. Credos

4-letter answer Answer: ISMS

Word Help: Synonyms: doctrine, philosophical_system, ism

Clue #13: 15. Lacking, with "of"

6-letter answer Answer: BEREFT

Word Help: Synonyms: grieving, lovelorn, mourning

Clue #14: 21. Bike and Bike+, e.g.

8-letter answer Answer: PELOTONS

Clue #15: 23. Like a witch's cauldron

8-letter answer Answer: BUBBLING

Word Help: Synonyms: belch, frothy, foaming

Clue #16: 25. God honored by gladiatorial fights

6-letter answer Answer: SATURN

Word Help: Synonyms: Saturn

Clue #17: 26. Mother-of-pearl

5-letter answer Answer: NACRE

Word Help: Synonyms: nacre, mother-of-pearl

Clue #18: 27. How to sign a check

5-letter answer Answer: INPEN

Clue #19: 29. Draw tight

6-letter answer Answer: TAUTEN

Word Help: Synonyms: firm, tauten

Clue #20: 31. Criticized

10-letter answer Answer: TOOKADIGAT

Clue #21: 32. Primate, for humans

5-letter answer Answer: ORDER

Word Help: Synonyms: regulate, parliamentary_law, Holy_Order
Antonyms: disorderliness, disorder

Clue #22: 33. Who "can get in the way of what I'm feelin'," in an Alicia Keys hit

5-letter answer Answer: NOONE

Clue #23: 36. Letters on an N.Y.C. fare card

3-letter answer Answer: MTA

Clue #24: 40. Obstructed, as an opening

8-letter answer Answer: OCCLUDED

Word Help: Synonyms: sorbed, obstruct, jam
Antonyms: free

Clue #25: 43. God who begat the Titans

6-letter answer Answer: URANUS

Word Help: Synonyms: Ouranos, Uranus

Clue #26: 47. Lissome

6-letter answer Answer: SUPPLE

Word Help: Synonyms: svelte, supple, lissom

Clue #27: 51. Author ___-René Lesage

5-letter answer Answer: ALAIN

Clue #28: 53. Overhead

5-letter answer Answer: ALOFT

Word Help: Synonyms: aloft

Clue #29: 54. Thing on a docket

4-letter answer Answer: ITEM

Word Help: Synonyms: detail, point, token

Clue #30: 55. Something a waiter may pull out

5-letter answer Answer: CHAIR

Word Help: Synonyms: chairperson, chair, moderate

Clue #31: 56. I, to Socrates

4-letter answer Answer: IOTA

Word Help: Synonyms: scintilla, whit, smidge

Clue #32: 58. Sharp set?

4-letter answer Answer: MENS

Word Help: Synonyms: hands, workforce, manpower

Clue #33: 60. Interior design

5-letter answer Answer: DECOR

Word Help: Synonyms: interior_decoration, decor

Clue #34: 61. Permeate

4-letter answer Answer: SEEP

Word Help: Synonyms: seep, ooze

Clue #35: 63. Fill fully

4-letter answer Answer: SATE

Word Help: Synonyms: sate, fill, replete

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

XWordHint Crossword Answers November 28, 2025 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

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 (35 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. Pension alternatives, for short	4
2A	5. Hustle	4
3A	9. "Odds are ..."	5
4A	14. Drive around the office?	9
5A	16. Actress Watts of "Mulholland Drive"	5
6A	17. Bahamians and Bahrainis	9
7A	18. Speedboat's speed	5
8A	19. Fake account	3
9A	20. Dead ends?	4
10A	21. James in the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame	4
11A	22. Piano études, essentially	7
12A	24. Not above	7
13A	27. Trusty	12
14A	29. Alternative to a fingerprint, maybe	8
15A	30. Golfer McIlroy, the first European male to achieve a career Grand Slam	4
16A	31. Actress ___ Marsay of Disney+'s "Andor"	4
17A	32. The Jazz, on sports tickers	3
18A	33. Coming ___	4
19A	34. Small band	4
20A	35. Jazz pianist with a memorable recording of "Tea for Two"	8
21A	37. Plant eater?	12
22A	39. What the British call people who make crosswords	7
23A	40. Prepared statement?	7
24A	44. One-named rock idol who was born Paul David Hewson	4
25A	45. Locking horns	4
26A	46. Guess alternative	3
27A	47. Vegges out	5
28A	49. Restaurant sommelier's offering	9
29A	51. Foundational skateboard trick	5
30A	52. Doesn't exactly ham it up	9
31A	53. Sings (out)	5
32A	54. Stereotypical eye-roller	4
33A	55. Informal get-together	4

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Pension alternatives, for short"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a militant organization of irish nationalists who used terrorism and guerilla warfare in an effort to drive british forces from northern ireland and achieve a united independent ireland
• Similar words include: individual retirement account, ire, wrath
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: IRAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "5. Hustle"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a fraudulent business scheme
• Similar words include: nobble, goldbrick, swindle
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SCAM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "9. "Odds are ...""

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: IDBET

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "14. Drive around the office?"

9 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: WORKETHIC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "16. Actress Watts of "Mulholland Drive""

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the mother-in-law of ruth whose story is told in the book of ruth in the old testament
• Similar words include: Noemi
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: NAOMI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "17. Bahamians and Bahrainis"

9 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that an inhabitant of an island
• Similar words include: islander, island-dweller
• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ISLANDERS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "18. Speedboat's speed"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a tight cluster of people or things
• Similar words include: nautical mile, slub, greyback
• Opposite of: unknot, unravel

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: KNOTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "19. Fake account"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
• Similar words include: dwell, consist, lie down
• Opposite of: arise, stand

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LIE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "20. Dead ends?"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: DEES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "21. James in the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a painful muscle spasm especially in the neck or back (`rick' and `wrick' are british)
• Similar words include: haystack, wrench, hayrick
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: RICK

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "22. Piano études, essentially"

7 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a unit of instruction
• Similar words include: deterrent example, object lesson, moral
• Pattern: _______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LESSONS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "24. Not above"

7 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that in or to a place that is lower
• Similar words include: at a lower place, below, to a lower place
• Opposite of: above

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: BENEATH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "27. Trusty"

12 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: TRIEDANDTRUE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "29. Alternative to a fingerprint, maybe"

8 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: PASSCODE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "30. Golfer McIlroy, the first European male to achieve a career Grand Slam"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: RORY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "31. Actress ___ Marsay of Disney+'s "Andor""

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FAYE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "32. The Jazz, on sports tickers"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a reptile genus of iguanidae
• Similar words include: genus Uta
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: UTA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "33. Coming ___"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that in the near future
• Similar words include: before long, shortly, presently
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SOON

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "34. Small band"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
• Similar words include: terzetto, trey, triad
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: TRIO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "35. Jazz pianist with a memorable recording of "Tea for Two""

8 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ARTTATUM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "37. Plant eater?"

12 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: VENUSFLYTRAP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "39. What the British call people who make crosswords"

7 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that one who sets written material into type
• Similar words include: compositor, typesetter, setter
• Pattern: _______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SETTERS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "40. Prepared statement?"

7 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: IMREADY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "44. One-named rock idol who was born Paul David Hewson"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: BONO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "45. Locking horns"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ATIT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "46. Guess alternative"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that united states filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in america (born in 1957)
• Similar words include: Lee Yuen Kam, Robert E. Lee, lee side
• Opposite of: windward

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LEE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "47. Vegges out"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a shaped mass of baked bread that is usually sliced before eating
• Similar words include: frig around, lounge around, lounge about
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LOAFS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "49. Restaurant sommelier's offering"

9 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HOUSEWINE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "51. Foundational skateboard trick"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: OLLIE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "52. Doesn't exactly ham it up"

9 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that act (a role) with great restraint
• Similar words include: underact, underplay
• Opposite of: overact

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: UNDERACTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "53. Sings (out)"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
• Similar words include: whack, belt ammunition, belt out
• Opposite of: unbelt

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: BELTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "54. Stereotypical eye-roller"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a juvenile between the onset of puberty and maturity
• Similar words include: teenaged, teenager, teenage
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: TEEN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "55. Informal get-together"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SESH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No.	Clue	Letters
1D	1. Words of affirmation	5
2D	2. Sam's wife in "The Lord of the Rings"	5
3D	3. Setting of the 1888 painting "Café Terrace at Night"	5
4D	4. Genre for Toots and the Maytals	3
5D	5. Bishop for whom a neighborhood in Paris is named	7
6D	6. Junk food that, ironically, has an exercise in its name	11
7D	7. Runs	4
8D	8. Rap figures, for short	3
9D	9. Similarly	6
10D	10. Flash mob group, perhaps	11
11D	11. Decide where to stay	9
12D	12. One wearing the Star of Life emblem, for short	3
13D	13. "Quite so"	3
14D	15. Back in the race?	7
15D	21. French name meaning "born again"	4
16D	23. "Mind your own beeswax!"	11
17D	24. It's not constructive	11
18D	25. Game division	4
19D	26. "I saw that!"	3
20D	28. Eccentric	5
21D	29. Colorful capsule that splatters	9
22D	31. Like samples	4
23D	33. Appetizer	7
24D	34. Anchors might be seen on them	3
25D	35. ___-Latino	4
26D	36. Funny Fred	7
27D	38. Picks up	6
28D	41. Literary protagonist who "generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it)"	5
29D	42. Some hailstone "souvenirs"	5
30D	43. "Oof, sounds terrible!"	5
31D	45. Top-tier	4
32D	47. Softball question	3
33D	48. José ___ (Mexican food brand)	3
34D	49. Humble dwelling	3
35D	50. Served as	3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Words of affirmation"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: IWILL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. Sam's wife in "The Lord of the Rings""

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ROSIE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. Setting of the 1888 painting "Café Terrace at Night""

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that money given by a buyer to a seller to bind a contract
• Similar words include: earnest money
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ARLES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Genre for Toots and the Maytals"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SKA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Bishop for whom a neighborhood in Paris is named"

7 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: STDENIS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. Junk food that, ironically, has an exercise in its name"

11 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: CHEESECURLS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. Runs"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that affected manners intended to impress others
• Similar words include: melodic phrase, pose, broadcast
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: AIRS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. Rap figures, for short"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that one million periods per second
• Similar words include: Mc, MHz, megahertz
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: MCS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Similarly"

6 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: INKIND

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Flash mob group, perhaps"

11 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: DANCETROUPE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. Decide where to stay"

9 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: BOOKAROOM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. One wearing the Star of Life emblem, for short"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: EMT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. "Quite so""

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
• Similar words include: Ti, ti, Cordyline terminalis
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: TIS

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14D: "15. Back in the race?"

7 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that be behind; approve of
• Similar words include: certify, support, indorse
• Pattern: _______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ENDORSE

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15D: "21. French name meaning "born again""

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: RENE

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16D: "23. "Mind your own beeswax!""

11 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: STAYOUTOFIT

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17D: "24. It's not constructive"

11 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: BADATTITUDE

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18D: "25. Game division"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a circular segment of a curve
• Similar words include: change state, tour, ferment
• Opposite of: unbend

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: TURN

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19D: "26. "I saw that!""

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HEY

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20D: "28. Eccentric"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
• Similar words include: nuts, balmy, crackers
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: DOTTY

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21D: "29. Colorful capsule that splatters"

9 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a capsule filled with water-soluble dye used as a projectile in playing the game of paintball
• Pattern: _________

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: PAINTBALL

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22D: "31. Like samples"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that people who are free
• Similar words include: absolve, spare, resign
• Opposite of: bound, obstruct

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: FREE

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23D: "33. Appetizer"

7 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that an electric motor for starting an engine
• Similar words include: starting motor, newbie, starter motor
• Pattern: _______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: STARTER

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24D: "34. Anchors might be seen on them"

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that broadcasting visual images of stationary or moving objects; ; - ernie kovacs
• Similar words include: television, telecasting, television set
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: TVS

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25D: "35. ___-Latino"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a rounded thickly curled hairdo
• Similar words include: Afro hairdo
• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: AFRO

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26D: "36. Funny Fred"

7 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ARMISEN

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27D: "38. Picks up"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a general conscious awareness
• Similar words include: smell out, good sense, grass
• Pattern: ______

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: SENSES

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28D: "41. Literary protagonist who "generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it)""

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: ALICE

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29D: "42. Some hailstone "souvenirs""

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that an appreciable consequence (especially a lessening)
• Similar words include: slit, indent, dent
• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: DENTS

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30D: "43. "Oof, sounds terrible!""

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: _____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: YEESH

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31D: "45. Top-tier"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ____

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: AONE

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32D: "47. Softball question"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that an easy return of a tennis ball in a high arc
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: LOB

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33D: "48. José ___ (Mexican food brand)"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: OLE

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34D: "49. Humble dwelling"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that temporary military shelter
• Similar words include: army hut, shanty, hovel
• Pattern: ___

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: HUT

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35D: "50. Served as"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

• Think of something that a state in northwestern united states on the pacific
• Similar words include: make up, live, comprise
• Opposite of: differ

Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)

Answer: WAS

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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

35 Down Clues

68 Total Clues

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Last updated: November 28, 2025 at 03:56 AM