NYT Crossword Answers for February 02, 1990 - Friday Puzzle
Quick Navigation - Table of Contents
- Puzzle Overview & Difficulty
- Across Clues (37 clues)
- Down Clues (35 clues)
- Category Breakdown
- Complete Puzzle Statistics
- Pro Solving Tips
Puzzle Overview & Difficulty Analysis
Date: Friday, February 02, 1990
Difficulty Level: Moderate Wednesday Puzzle
Total Clues: 72 (37 Across, 35 Down)
Average Word Length: 5.2 letters
February 02, 1990 Across Hints: NYT Friday Crossword Answers
| No. | Clue | Letters | Difficulty | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | 1. Nitwit | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 2A | 5. A Detroit dud | 5 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 3A | 10. Summit | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 4A | 14. Hawkeye portrayer | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 5A | 15. Grand follower | 5 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 6A | 16. Picturesque sights in the Seine | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 7A | 17. Signed on for another hitch | 10 | Hard | General Knowledge |
| 8A | 19. Endure | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 9A | 20. Git thar fustest with the ___ | 7 | Hard | General Knowledge |
| 10A | 21. Japanese courtesan | 6 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 11A | 23. Love: Lat. | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 12A | 24. Medricks | 5 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 13A | 25. Kind of triangle | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 14A | 28. Roots | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 15A | 31. "I Was the ___," Presley hit | 3 | Medium | Short Answer |
| 16A | 32. Eremite | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 17A | 34. Devotee | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 18A | 35. Brazil, e.g. | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 19A | 36. Threefold: Comb. form | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 20A | 37. Diamonds, to Legs | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 21A | 38. Stray | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 22A | 39. Luge occupant | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 23A | 43. Defeated Amendment | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 24A | 44. Better prepared | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 25A | 46. Redacted | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 26A | 48. Musical endings | 5 | Medium | Music |
| 27A | 49. Rasp | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 28A | 50. Put on weight | 6 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 29A | 52. Beards of grain | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 30A | 56. Send out | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 31A | 57. Belittler's activity | 10 | Hard | General Knowledge |
| 32A | 60. Jimmy, e.g. | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 33A | 61. Official proclamation | 5 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 34A | 62. Resort in Sicily | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 35A | 63. Anglo-Saxon day laborer | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 36A | 64. Freeman biography | 5 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 37A | 65. Exploit | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
Across Clues - Detailed Hints and Explanations
1A: "1. Nitwit" (4 letters)
- Think of something that an ignorant or foolish person
- Similar words include: booby, bosom, tit
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BOOB
2A: "5. A Detroit dud" (5 letters)
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EDSEL
3A: "10. Summit" (4 letters)
- Think of something that the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
- Similar words include: top, elevation, summit
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ACME
4A: "14. Hawkeye portrayer" (4 letters)
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ALDA
5A: "15. Grand follower" (5 letters)
- Think of something that a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
- Similar words include: softly, soft, forte-piano
- Opposite of: forte
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PIANO
6A: "16. Picturesque sights in the Seine" (4 letters)
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ILES
7A: "17. Signed on for another hitch" (10 letters)
- Pattern: __________
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: REENLISTED
8A: "19. Endure" (4 letters)
- Think of something that the temporal end; the concluding time
- Similar words include: final, live, close
- Opposite of: first
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LAST
9A: "20. Git thar fustest with the ___" (7 letters)
- Think of something that (superlative of `many' used with count nouns and often preceded by `the') quantifier meaning the greatest in number
- Similar words include: most
- Opposite of: least, fewest
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MOSTEST
10A: "21. Japanese courtesan" (6 letters)
- Think of something that a japanese woman trained to entertain men with conversation and singing and dancing
- Similar words include: geisha girl
- Pattern: ______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: GEISHA
11A: "23. Love: Lat." (4 letters)
- Think of something that (roman mythology) god of love; counterpart of greek eros
- Similar words include: Cupid
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AMOR
12A: "24. Medricks" (5 letters)
- Think of something that small slender gull having narrow wings and a forked tail
- Similar words include: tern
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TERNS
13A: "25. Kind of triangle" (7 letters)
- Think of something that a group of islands in the atlantic off the carolina coast; british colony; a popular resort
- Similar words include: Bermudas
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BERMUDA
14A: "28. Roots" (7 letters)
- Think of something that the place where something begins, where it springs into being
- Similar words include: rootage, pedigree, line
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ORIGINS
15A: "31. "I Was the ___," Presley hit" (3 letters)
- Think of something that the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
- Similar words include: ane, ace, I
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ONE
16A: "32. Eremite" (7 letters)
- Think of something that one who lives in solitude
- Similar words include: solitary, hermit, reclusive
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RECLUSE
17A: "34. Devotee" (3 letters)
- Think of something that a device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or surfaces
- Similar words include: devotee, winnow, lover
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: FAN
18A: "35. Brazil, e.g." (3 letters)
- Think of something that usually large hard-shelled seed
- Similar words include: egg, orchis, nut case
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NUT
19A: "36. Threefold: Comb. form" (3 letters)
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TER
20A: "37. Diamonds, to Legs" (3 letters)
- Think of something that water frozen in the solid state
- Similar words include: water ice, glass, frost
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ICE
21A: "38. Stray" (3 letters)
- Think of something that to make a mistake or be incorrect
- Similar words include: drift, slip, stray
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ERR
22A: "39. Luge occupant" (7 letters)
- Think of something that someone who rides a sled
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SLEDDER
23A: "43. Defeated Amendment" (3 letters)
- Think of something that a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
- Similar words include: epoch, geological era, earned run average
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ERA
24A: "44. Better prepared" (7 letters)
- Think of something that completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
- Similar words include: quick, ready
- Opposite of: unready
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: READIER
25A: "46. Redacted" (7 letters)
- Think of something that make improvements or corrections to
- Similar words include: edited, emend
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EMENDED
26A: "48. Musical endings" (5 letters)
- Think of something that the closing section of a musical composition
- Similar words include: coda, finale
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: CODAS
27A: "49. Rasp" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a set of related records (either written or electronic) kept together
- Similar words include: register, lodge, single file
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: FILE
28A: "50. Put on weight" (6 letters)
- Think of something that make fat or plump
- Similar words include: fat, plump, fatten out
- Pattern: ______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: FATTEN
29A: "52. Beards of grain" (7 letters)
- Think of something that bristlelike process near the tip of the antenna of certain flies
- Similar words include: arista
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ARISTAE
30A: "56. Send out" (4 letters)
- Think of something that expel (gases or odors)
- Similar words include: utter, breathe, give off
- Opposite of: absorb
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EMIT
31A: "57. Belittler's activity" (10 letters)
- Think of something that take away a part from; diminish
- Similar words include: take away, detract
- Pattern: __________
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DETRACTING
32A: "60. Jimmy, e.g." (4 letters)
- Think of something that an implement used in the practice of a vocation
- Similar words include: dick, putz, pecker
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TOOL
33A: "61. Official proclamation" (5 letters)
- Think of something that a formal or authoritative proclamation
- Similar words include: rescript, order, decree
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EDICT
34A: "62. Resort in Sicily" (4 letters)
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ENNA
35A: "63. Anglo-Saxon day laborer" (4 letters)
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ESNE
36A: "64. Freeman biography" (5 letters)
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RELEE
37A: "65. Exploit" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it
- Similar words include: deed of conveyance, act, title
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DEED
February 02, 1990 Friday NYT - All Down Answers
| No. | Clue | Letters | Difficulty | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Brewery yeast | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 2D | 2. Airplane's ___ strut | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 3D | 3. Monodies | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 4D | 4. Miniature domestic fowl | 6 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 5D | 5. Occurrence | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 6D | 6. Magicians, often | 11 | Expert | General Knowledge |
| 7D | 7. Posed | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 8D | 8. Direction or suffix | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 9D | 9. Tabard guests | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 10D | 10. Under the weather | 6 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 11D | 11. "Top secret" designation | 10 | Hard | General Knowledge |
| 12D | 12. Interlock | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 13D | 13. "¿Cómo ___ usted?" | 4 | Hard | General Knowledge |
| 14D | 18. Nocturnal mammal | 5 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 15D | 22. Ashtabula's lake | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 16D | 24. W. C. Fields comedy? | 11 | Expert | General Knowledge |
| 17D | 25. Blunder | 5 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 18D | 26. Habituate or accrue | 5 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 19D | 27. Act of eating one's words | 10 | Hard | General Knowledge |
| 20D | 29. Mother-of-pearl | 5 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 21D | 30. Slammin' Sammy | 5 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 22D | 33. Guided | 3 | Easy | Short Answer |
| 23D | 39. Support | 4 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 24D | 40. Hero's lover | 7 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 25D | 41. SW Asian state | 7 | Medium | Geography |
| 26D | 42. Memento | 5 | Easy | General Knowledge |
| 27D | 45. Partially burned pipe tobacco | 6 | Hard | General Knowledge |
| 28D | 47. Embedded | 6 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 29D | 50. Lavish party | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 30D | 51. Hebrew prophet | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 31D | 53. Prong of a pitchfork | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 32D | 54. "Thousand days" queen | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 33D | 55. Hoople's exclamation | 4 | Medium | General Knowledge |
| 34D | 58. Noted painter of birds | 3 | Medium | Short Answer |
| 35D | 59. "I Hadn't Anyone ___ You," 1938 song | 3 | Medium | Music |
Down Clues - Comprehensive Solutions and Tips
1D: "1. Brewery yeast" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a commercial leavening agent containing yeast cells; used to raise the dough in making bread and for fermenting beer or whiskey
- Similar words include: yeast
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BARM
2D: "2. Airplane's ___ strut" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter
- Similar words include: margarine, oleomargarine, margarin
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OLEO
3D: "3. Monodies" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a lyric poem with complex stanza forms
- Similar words include: ode
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ODES
4D: "4. Miniature domestic fowl" (6 letters)
- Think of something that any of various small breeds of fowl
- Similar words include: flyspeck, midget, diminutive
- Pattern: ______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BANTAM
5D: "5. Occurrence" (7 letters)
- Think of something that a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events
- Similar words include: instalment, installment, sequence
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EPISODE
6D: "6. Magicians, often" (11 letters)
- Pattern: ___________
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DISTRACTERS
7D: "7. Posed" (3 letters)
- Think of something that the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the sabbath by jews and some christians
- Similar words include: Saturday, sit around, pose
- Opposite of: arise, stand
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SAT
8D: "8. Direction or suffix" (3 letters)
- Think of something that the compass point midway between northeast and east
- Similar words include: east northeast
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ENE
9D: "9. Tabard guests" (7 letters)
- Think of something that a tenant in someone's house
- Similar words include: boarder, lodger, roomer
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LODGERS
10D: "10. Under the weather" (6 letters)
- Think of something that be ill or unwell
- Similar words include: unwell, under the weather, poorly
- Pattern: ______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AILING
11D: "11. "Top secret" designation" (10 letters)
- Think of something that a short ad in a newspaper or magazine (usually in small print) and appearing along with other ads of the same type
- Similar words include: classified advertisement, assort, classify
- Opposite of: unclassified, declassify
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: CLASSIFIED
12D: "12. Interlock" (4 letters)
- Think of something that the number of openings per linear inch of a screen; measures size of particles
- Similar words include: meshwork, operate, interlock
- Opposite of: disengage
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MESH
13D: "13. "¿Cómo ___ usted?"" (4 letters)
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ESTA
14D: "18. Nocturnal mammal" (5 letters)
- Think of something that large-eyed arboreal prosimian having foxy faces and long furry tails
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LEMUR
15D: "22. Ashtabula's lake" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a member of an iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of lake erie in northern ohio and northwest pennsylvania and western new york
- Similar words include: Lake Erie
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ERIE
16D: "24. W. C. Fields comedy?" (11 letters)
- Pattern: ___________
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TOURDEFARCE
17D: "25. Blunder" (5 letters)
- Think of something that an embarrassing mistake
- Similar words include: foul-up, flub, pratfall
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BONER
18D: "26. Habituate or accrue" (5 letters)
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ENURE
19D: "27. Act of eating one's words" (10 letters)
- Think of something that a disavowal or taking back of a previous assertion
- Similar words include: abjuration, recantation
- Pattern: __________
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RETRACTION
20D: "29. Mother-of-pearl" (5 letters)
- Think of something that the iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell
- Similar words include: mother-of-pearl
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NACRE
21D: "30. Slammin' Sammy" (5 letters)
- Think of something that united states golfer known for the graceful arc of his swing (1912-2002)
- Similar words include: Samuel Jackson Snead, Sam Snead
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SNEAD
22D: "33. Guided" (3 letters)
- Think of something that diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
- Similar words include: light-emitting diode, moderate, head
- Opposite of: follow
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LED
23D: "39. Support" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
- Similar words include: English, side of meat, face
- Opposite of: top
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SIDE
24D: "40. Hero's lover" (7 letters)
- Think of something that (greek mythology) a youth beloved of hero who drowned in a storm in the hellespont on one of his nightly visits to see her
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LEANDER
25D: "41. SW Asian state" (7 letters)
- Think of something that the domain controlled by an emir
- Pattern: _______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EMIRATE
26D: "42. Memento" (5 letters)
- Think of something that an antiquity that has survived from the distant past
- Similar words include: keepsake, token, souvenir
- Pattern: _____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: RELIC
27D: "45. Partially burned pipe tobacco" (6 letters)
- Think of something that the residue of partially burnt tobacco left caked in the bowl of a pipe after smoking
- Pattern: ______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DOTTLE
28D: "47. Embedded" (6 letters)
- Think of something that inhabit a nest, usually after building
- Similar words include: draw close, cuddle, nest
- Pattern: ______
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NESTED
29D: "50. Lavish party" (4 letters)
- Think of something that an elaborate party (often outdoors)
- Similar words include: fiesta, festival, celebrate
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: FETE
30D: "51. Hebrew prophet" (4 letters)
- Think of something that a hebrew shepherd and minor prophet
- Similar words include: Book of Amos
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AMOS
31D: "53. Prong of a pitchfork" (4 letters)
- Think of something that prong on a fork or pitchfork or antler
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TINE
32D: "54. "Thousand days" queen" (4 letters)
- Think of something that queen of england and scotland and ireland; daughter if james ii and the last of the stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last english ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ANNE
33D: "55. Hoople's exclamation" (4 letters)
- Pattern: ____
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EGAD
34D: "58. Noted painter of birds" (3 letters)
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EDE
35D: "59. "I Hadn't Anyone ___ You," 1938 song" (3 letters)
- Pattern: ___
-
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TIL
Category Breakdown
| Category | Number of Clues | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge | 58 | 80.6% |
| Short Answer | 11 | 15.3% |
| Music | 2 | 2.8% |
| Geography | 1 | 1.4% |
Complete Puzzle Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Across Clues | 37 |
| Down Clues | 35 |
| Total Clues | 72 |
| Average Answer Length | 5.2 letters |
| Shortest Answer | 3 letters |
| Longest Answer | 11 letters |
Pro Solving Tips for Friday Puzzles
- Start with the shortest clues - they often have fewer possible answers
- Look for fill-in-the-blank clues, which are typically easier
- Check crossing letters to confirm your answers
- Friday puzzles typically have a difficulty level of Moderate
- Pay attention to clue categories - General Knowledge appears most frequently today
- Use the word length as a guide - today's average is 5.2 letters
Disclaimer: Crossword clues are property of The New York Times. This educational content is designed to help puzzle enthusiasts improve their solving skills.
Last Updated: August 24, 2025 at 07:31 AM
