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: 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. Server's warning at a restaurant | 6 |
| 2A | 7. Moved along (to) | 6 |
| 3A | 13. Modern tech aid whose design was inspired by a Go board | 6 |
| 4A | 14. Figuratively speaking | 7 |
| 5A | 15. Begin to boil | 6 |
| 6A | 16. Insects named for when they emerge | 8 |
| 7A | 17. Breaks off | 4 |
| 8A | 18. Water containers | 4 |
| 9A | 19. Dinosaur in Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur" | 4 |
| 10A | 20. Four-time N.B.A. All-Star Young | 4 |
| 11A | 21. Line at an Apple Store | 4 |
| 12A | 22. Permanent, perhaps | 5 |
| 13A | 23. Contents of some pockets | 3 |
| 14A | 24. Yell sharply | 4 |
| 15A | 25. Org. whose events are typically held at clubs | 3 |
| 16A | 26. Country club? | 13 |
| 17A | 30. Defensive effort in the red zone | 13 |
| 18A | 32. Not everyone agrees on this | 13 |
| 19A | 34. Ball girl | 3 |
| 20A | 35. "Big Brother" host Julie | 4 |
| 21A | 36. Org. concerned with traffic | 3 |
| 22A | 37. Ones catching rays, perhaps? | 5 |
| 23A | 40. Two in a row? | 4 |
| 24A | 41. Places to buy buckets, familiarly | 4 |
| 25A | 42. Common plant for a "plant mom" | 4 |
| 26A | 43. Long-bodied fish | 4 |
| 27A | 44. Cookie contents | 4 |
| 28A | 45. Not together, in a way | 8 |
| 29A | 47. "Is that a challenge?!" | 6 |
| 30A | 49. Some features of backyard landscaping | 7 |
| 31A | 50. "I'll be right with you" | 6 |
| 32A | 51. Gave the once-over | 6 |
| 33A | 52. "Don't believe me? Just watch!" | 6 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Server's warning at a restaurant"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITSHOT
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2A: "7. Moved along (to)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that proceed without interruption; in music or talk
- Similar words include: segue
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEGUED
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3A: "13. Modern tech aid whose design was inspired by a Go board"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: QRCODE
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4A: "14. Figuratively speaking"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOTOSAY
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5A: "15. Begin to boil"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEERED
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6A: "16. Insects named for when they emerge"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JUNEBUGS
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7A: "17. Breaks off"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that either extremity of something that has length
- Similar words include: terminate, death, stop
- Opposite of: beginning, begin
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENDS
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8A: "18. Water containers"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
- Similar words include: dyke, dekametre, decametre
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DAMS
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9A: "19. Dinosaur in Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARLO
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10A: "20. Four-time N.B.A. All-Star Young"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TRAE
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11A: "21. Line at an Apple Store"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric
- Similar words include: mackintosh, mac, macintosh
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MACS
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12A: "22. Permanent, perhaps"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INPEN
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13A: "23. Contents of some pockets"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
- Similar words include: aura, tune, strain
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AIR
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14A: "24. Yell sharply"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
- Similar words include: barque, skin
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BARK
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15A: "25. Org. whose events are typically held at clubs"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PGA
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16A: "26. Country club?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNITEDNATIONS
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17A: "30. Defensive effort in the red zone"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOALLINESTAND
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18A: "32. Not everyone agrees on this"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPLITDECISION
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19A: "34. Ball girl"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a young woman making her debut into society
- Similar words include: debutante
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEB
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20A: "35. "Big Brother" host Julie"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that wild goose having white adult plumage
- Similar words include: subgenus Chen
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CHEN
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21A: "36. Org. concerned with traffic"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an agency in the department of transportation that is responsible for the safety of civilian aviation
- Similar words include: Federal Aviation Agency
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FAA
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22A: "37. Ones catching rays, perhaps?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that predatory black-and-white toothed whale with large dorsal fin; common in cold seas
- Similar words include: killer whale, killer, Orcinus orca
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORCAS
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23A: "40. Two in a row?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
- Similar words include: foeman, opposition, enemy
- Opposite of: friend
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FOES
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24A: "41. Places to buy buckets, familiarly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KFCS
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25A: "42. Common plant for a "plant mom""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FERN
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26A: "43. Long-bodied fish"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a broad highway designed for high-speed traffic
- Similar words include: expressway, throughway, motorway
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PIKE
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27A: "44. Cookie contents"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn
- Similar words include: datum, information, data point
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DATA
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28A: "45. Not together, in a way"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALACARTE
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29A: "47. "Is that a challenge?!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DAREME
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30A: "49. Some features of backyard landscaping"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a small roofed building affording shade and rest
- Similar words include: summerhouse, gazebo
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GAZEBOS
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31A: "50. "I'll be right with you""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONESEC
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32A: "51. Gave the once-over"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EYEDUP
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33A: "52. "Don't believe me? Just watch!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CANTOO
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Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Brightness measures, in brief | 3 |
| 2D | 2. Element of a dating profile? | 8 |
| 3D | 3. Potential outcomes | 9 |
| 4D | 4. Mass | 5 |
| 5D | 5. ___ of Solomon, literary collection written in the first or second century | 4 |
| 6D | 6. Sci-fi writer Chiang | 3 |
| 7D | 7. "&" follower, in some business names | 4 |
| 8D | 8. When much rainy weather occurs in Côte d'Ivoire | 3 |
| 9D | 9. Flip | 9 |
| 10D | 10. Seize | 5 |
| 11D | 11. High-ranking scout | 5 |
| 12D | 12. Company whose products suck | 5 |
| 13D | 14. Additional schoolwork? | 4 |
| 14D | 16. Simple cocktail named for two brands | 11 |
| 15D | 18. "Phooey!" | 6 |
| 16D | 20. Torque symbol, in physics | 3 |
| 17D | 21. Bit of nonsense writing that typically gets a laugh | 6 |
| 18D | 22. Delighted cry upon receiving an acceptance | 6 |
| 19D | 24. Ball girls | 6 |
| 20D | 25. Leap day baby, e.g. | 6 |
| 21D | 27. Clicked with a partner? | 9 |
| 22D | 28. Snicker | 6 |
| 23D | 29. Simple check for freshness | 9 |
| 24D | 31. Act like yourself, perhaps? | 8 |
| 25D | 33. Nasty ___ (noted rap moniker) | 3 |
| 26D | 37. Not in the minority? | 5 |
| 27D | 38. It often has four legs | 5 |
| 28D | 39. Fidget spinners or Angry Birds, once | 5 |
| 29D | 40. Give ___ (cause consternation in) | 4 |
| 30D | 41. Character played by Rashida Jones on "The Office" | 5 |
| 31D | 43. Set piece | 4 |
| 32D | 44. Longtime U.F.C. C.E.O. ___ White | 4 |
| 33D | 46. Aladdin's sidekick | 3 |
| 34D | 47. Many a nonfiction Oscar nominee, informally | 3 |
| 35D | 48. Lead-in to "lab" in the name of an S&P 500 company | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Brightness measures, in brief"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a measure of a person's intelligence as indicated by an intelligence test; the ratio of a person's mental age to their chronological age (multiplied by 100)
- Similar words include: IQ, intelligence quotient, I.Q.
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IQS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Element of a dating profile?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TREERING
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. Potential outcomes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an outline or synopsis of a play (or, by extension, of a literary work)
- Similar words include: scenario
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCENARIOS
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4D: "4. Mass"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a vast multitude
- Similar words include: drove, legion, swarm
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HORDE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. ___ of Solomon, literary collection written in the first or second century"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a lyric poem with complex stanza forms
- Similar words include: ode
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ODES
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6D: "6. Sci-fi writer Chiang"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing edwardian style clothes
- Similar words include: Teddy boy
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. "&" follower, in some business names"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a male human offspring
- Similar words include: boy, Son, Logos
- Opposite of: girl, daughter
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SONS
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8D: "8. When much rainy weather occurs in Côte d'Ivoire"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETE
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9D: "9. Flip"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOBANANAS
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10D: "10. Seize"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession
- Similar words include: seize, arrogate, assume
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: USURP
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11D: "11. High-ranking scout"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
- Similar words include: double birdie, bird of Jove
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EAGLE
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12D: "12. Company whose products suck"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DYSON
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13D: "14. Additional schoolwork?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a quantity of money
- Similar words include: join, summarize, marrow
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SUMS
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14D: "16. Simple cocktail named for two brands"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JACKANDCOKE
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15D: "18. "Phooey!""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DARNIT
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16D: "20. Torque symbol, in physics"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the 19th letter of the greek alphabet
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAU
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17D: "21. Bit of nonsense writing that typically gets a laugh"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MADLIB
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18D: "22. Delighted cry upon receiving an acceptance"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IGOTIN
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19D: "24. Ball girls"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a young woman who is the most charming and beautiful of several rivals
- Similar words include: bell, belle
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BELLES
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20D: "25. Leap day baby, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the twelfth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about february 19 to march 20
- Similar words include: Fish, Pisces the Fishes
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PISCES
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21D: "27. Clicked with a partner?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes
- Similar words include: tap, tapdance
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAPDANCED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "28. Snicker"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEEHEE
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23D: "29. Simple check for freshness"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SNIFFTEST
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24D: "31. Act like yourself, perhaps?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOACAMEO
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25D: "33. Nasty ___ (noted rap moniker)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group; occurs abundantly in natural compounds (especially in salt water); burns with a yellow flame and reacts violently in water; occurs in sea water and in the mineral halite (rock salt)
- Similar words include: atomic number 11, Na, sodium
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "37. Not in the minority?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OFAGE
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27D: "38. It often has four legs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the act of passing something along from one person or group to another
- Similar words include: electrical relay, relay race
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RELAY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "39. Fidget spinners or Angry Birds, once"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an interest followed with exaggerated zeal
- Similar words include: madden, cult, hysteria
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRAZE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "40. Give ___ (cause consternation in)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a display of bad temper
- Similar words include: burst, paroxysm, conform to
- Opposite of: disagree
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FITS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "41. Character played by Rashida Jones on "The Office""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the tibeto-burman language spoken in the thailand and burmese borderlands
- Similar words include: Karenic
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: KAREN
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "43. Set piece"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a support placed beneath or against something to keep it from shaking or falling
- Similar words include: airplane propeller, shore up, shore
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PROP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "44. Longtime U.F.C. C.E.O. ___ White"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that celtic goddess who was the mother of the tuatha de danann; identified with the welsh don
- Similar words include: Danu
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DANA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "46. Aladdin's sidekick"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ABU
Remember this word for future puzzles!
34D: "47. Many a nonfiction Oscar nominee, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a licensed medical practitioner
- Similar words include: doctor, Commerce, MD
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOC
Remember this word for future puzzles!
35D: "48. Lead-in to "lab" in the name of an S&P 500 company"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ECO
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
35 Down Clues
68 Total Clues
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