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Monday, July 14, 2025

NY Times Crossword Answers July 14, 2022 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

NY Times Crossword Complete Solution: July 14, 2022

Published on Thursday, July 14, 2022 • Updated daily

Our expert breakdown helps you solve the July 14 NYT crossword while expanding your vocabulary. Learn answer strategies and discover word connections.

Across Clues and Answers (37)

Clue #1: 1. It isn't much

3-letter answer Answer: TAD
Word Help: Synonyms: shade, tad

Clue #2: 4. Elemental

5-letter answer Answer: BASIC
Word Help: Synonyms: canonical, staple, canonic
Antonyms: incidental

Clue #3: 9. Penguins and Sharks are found in it

4-letter answer Answer: RINK
Word Help: Synonyms: skating_rink, rink

Clue #4: 13. The "U" in U.X.

4-letter answer Answer: USER
Word Help: Synonyms: user, exploiter, drug_user

Clue #5: 15. Actress Alexander of "Living Single"

5-letter answer Answer: ERIKA

Clue #6: 16. Phone tapping target?

4-letter answer Answer: ICON
Word Help: Synonyms: picture, image, icon

Clue #7: 17. Go, go, go

4-letter answer Answer: RACE
Word Help: Synonyms: slipstream, run, rush
Antonyms: linger

Clue #8: 18. Seeking a dry Italian wine?

10-letter answer Answer: AFTERSOAVE

Clue #9: 20. "Pick me! Pick me!"

6-letter answer Answer: OHOHOH

Clue #10: 22. Tankard filler

3-letter answer Answer: ALE
Word Help: Synonyms: ale

Clue #11: 23. "Don't reckon so"

3-letter answer Answer: NAW

Clue #12: 24. Screen makeup

8-letter answer Answer: WIREMESH

Clue #13: 27. Taking care of business

4-letter answer Answer: ONIT

Clue #14: 29. Fervor over Senator Rubio?

12-letter answer Answer: MARCOMADNESS

Clue #15: 33. Put on

3-letter answer Answer: DON
Word Help: Synonyms: get_into, assume, Don_River

Clue #16: 36. Political columnist Peggy

6-letter answer Answer: NOONAN

Clue #17: 37. Like many tracks

4-letter answer Answer: OVAL
Word Help: Synonyms: prolate, elliptic, oval-shaped

Clue #18: 38. Graphic text?

5-letter answer Answer: EMOJI

Clue #19: 40. ___ favor

3-letter answer Answer: POR

Clue #20: 41. Muse of memory

5-letter answer Answer: MNEME

Clue #21: 42. Year in Tuscany

4-letter answer Answer: ANNO

Clue #22: 43. Colorful woven shawl

6-letter answer Answer: SERAPE
Word Help: Synonyms: serape, sarape

Clue #23: 45. Just released

3-letter answer Answer: NEW
Word Help: Synonyms: novel, Modern, young
Antonyms: old, worn

Clue #24: 46. Blazer worn next to a blaze?

12-letter answer Answer: FIRESIDECOAT

Clue #25: 49. Plenty

4-letter answer Answer: ALOT

Clue #26: 50. They might get busted at a rock concert

8-letter answer Answer: EARDRUMS
Word Help: Synonyms: tympanic_membrane, eardrum, myringa

Clue #27: 54. Road trip respite

3-letter answer Answer: INN
Word Help: Synonyms: inn, lodge, hostel

Clue #28: 56. Valuable diamond

3-letter answer Answer: ACE
Word Help: Synonyms: wiz, virtuoso, genius

Clue #29: 58. Rip into

6-letter answer Answer: TEARAT

Clue #30: 59. TV show about a group of whales?

10-letter answer Answer: PODPROGRAM

Clue #31: 63. "Good one!"

4-letter answer Answer: NICE
Word Help: Synonyms: skillful, dainty, prissy
Antonyms: nasty

Clue #32: 64. Concern for Cupid

4-letter answer Answer: AMOR
Word Help: Synonyms: Cupid, Amor

Clue #33: 65. Cafe order

5-letter answer Answer: MOCHA
Word Help: Synonyms: mocha_coffee, mocha

Clue #34: 66. Roger who wrote "A Season in the Sun"

4-letter answer Answer: KAHN
Word Help: Synonyms: Louis_Isadore_Kahn, Kahn

Clue #35: 67. Showroom display

4-letter answer Answer: DEMO
Word Help: Synonyms: demonstrate, present, show

Clue #36: 68. Tough spot to get out

5-letter answer Answer: STAIN
Word Help: Synonyms: stigma, blot, spot

Clue #37: 69. Fire fighter, familiarly … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme

3-letter answer Answer: H2O
Word Help: Synonyms: H2O, water

Across Clues and Answers (37)

Clue #1: 1. Best-selling author of legal thrillers

5-letter answer Answer: TUROW

Clue #2: 2. Kirin alternative

5-letter answer Answer: ASAHI

Clue #3: 3. Furnishings

5-letter answer Answer: DECOR
Word Help: Synonyms: interior_decoration, decor

Clue #4: 4. Come to the rescue

7-letter answer Answer: BEAHERO

Clue #5: 5. Bit of yapping

3-letter answer Answer: ARF

Clue #6: 6. ___ pretty

3-letter answer Answer: SIT
Word Help: Synonyms: sit, sit_around, sit_down
Antonyms: stand, arise

Clue #7: 7. Retail giant founded in 1943 by a 17-year-old

4-letter answer Answer: IKEA

Clue #8: 8. It often comes in 60-, 72- and 84-month lengths

7-letter answer Answer: CARLOAN

Clue #9: 9. Carnival locale, briefly

3-letter answer Answer: RIO
Word Help: Synonyms: Rio, Rio_de_Janeiro

Clue #10: 10. [speechless!]

9-letter answer Answer: ICANTEVEN

Clue #11: 11. Stellar phenomenon

4-letter answer Answer: NOVA
Word Help: Synonyms: nova

Clue #12: 12. Had down

4-letter answer Answer: KNEW
Word Help: Synonyms: live, cognize, get_it_on
Antonyms: ignore

Clue #13: 14. Take up again, in a way

5-letter answer Answer: REHEM

Clue #14: 19. What a paper airplane may represent

4-letter answer Answer: SEND
Word Help: Synonyms: mail, institutionalise, beam

Clue #15: 21. Saudi neighbor

5-letter answer Answer: OMANI
Word Help: Synonyms: Omani

Clue #16: 25. Checked (out)

6-letter answer Answer: SCOPED

Clue #17: 26. Roast target, e.g.

7-letter answer Answer: HONOREE
Word Help: Synonyms: honoree

Clue #18: 28. Aware of

4-letter answer Answer: INON

Clue #19: 30. One of a percussive pair

6-letter answer Answer: MARACA
Word Help: Synonyms: maraca

Clue #20: 31. "Me too!"

4-letter answer Answer: SAME
Word Help: Synonyms: Lapplander, Sami, Lapp
Antonyms: other, unlike

Clue #21: 32. Whole bunch

4-letter answer Answer: SLEW
Word Help: Synonyms: trend, raft, heap

Clue #22: 33. Like many signers

4-letter answer Answer: DEAF
Word Help: Synonyms: indifferent, deaf, deafen
Antonyms: hearing

Clue #23: 34. Prefix with bus or science

4-letter answer Answer: OMNI

Clue #24: 35. Like the results of loaded dice

9-letter answer Answer: NONRANDOM
Word Help: Synonyms: nonrandom
Antonyms: random

Clue #25: 39. Billy with a record 100+ lifetime performances at Madison Square Garden

4-letter answer Answer: JOEL
Word Help: Synonyms: Joel, Book_of_Joel

Clue #26: 41. Gettysburg general

5-letter answer Answer: MEADE
Word Help: Synonyms: Meade, George_Gordon_Meade, James_Edward_Meade

Clue #27: 43. Light shows?

7-letter answer Answer: SITCOMS
Word Help: Synonyms: situation_comedy, sitcom

Clue #28: 44. Best Actress Oscar winner between Bullock and Streep

7-letter answer Answer: PORTMAN

Clue #29: 47. Take off

4-letter answer Answer: SOAR
Word Help: Synonyms: soar, zoom, surge

Clue #30: 48. Sedative, for short

5-letter answer Answer: TRANK

Clue #31: 51. Husband of Bathsheba

5-letter answer Answer: URIAH
Word Help: Synonyms: Uriah

Clue #32: 52. Double the speed of sound

5-letter answer Answer: MACH2

Clue #33: 53. Court recorder

5-letter answer Answer: STENO

Clue #34: 54. Big Apple product

4-letter answer Answer: IPAD

Clue #35: 55. Home to Alaska's oldest newspaper

4-letter answer Answer: NOME
Word Help: Synonyms: Nome

Clue #36: 57. Feat for a performer, in brief

4-letter answer Answer: EGOT

Clue #37: 60. No amateur

3-letter answer Answer: PRO
Word Help: Synonyms: pro, professional
Antonyms: amateur, con

Clue #38: 61. Victrola maker

3-letter answer Answer: RCA

Clue #39: 62. Tuna variety

3-letter answer Answer: AHI

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, July Crossword Answers
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Monday, September 21, 2026

Trivia Week 3 Manual for NYT Mini September 21, 2026

Today's Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini Crossword September 21, 2026 Answers

Here's today's NYT Mini — 20 clues in total, and we've got hints plus answers for every one of them.

Popular Puzzles: July 03 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | January 04 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | NYT Crossword Down November 19 2025 All |

About Today's Puzzle

NYT Mini Crossword solutions for September 21, 2026
NYT Mini Crossword Grid - Monday, September 21, 2026
Puzzle Statistics
Detail Information
Date September 21, 2026
Grid Size 5 x 5 squares
Total Clues 20 clues
Across Clues 10 clues
Down Clues 10 clues
Average Solve Time Under 1 minute

Today's Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout

Today's layout is the usual 5x5: five columns, five rows.

5x5 Crossword Grid Pattern
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5
Row 1          
Row 2          
Row 3          
Row 4          
Row 5          

How to Solve This One Fast

  1. Skim every clue once before you write anything — your brain keeps chewing on the ones you don't solve right away.
  2. Knock out the short answers (3 letters or under) first.
  3. Lean on the crossing letters once a couple of words are in.
  4. A question mark in a clue usually means there's a pun coming.
  5. THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT — these little words show up constantly, keep them in your back pocket.

Quick Facts

  • Total squares: 25 (5 × 5)
  • Typical solve time: well under a minute for most regulars
  • Good time to play: on a coffee break
  • Difficulty: built to be approachable

Across Clues - 10 Total

These run left to right across the grid.

Across Clues List
Number Clue
1 Across 44. Draped Indian garment
2 Across 67. What a paper airplane icon may indicate
3 Across 29. Took a chair
4 Across 15. Berry at a smoothie shop
5 Across 64. Modern note-taking aid
6 Across 39. Decade of W.W. II ... or a homophonic hint to 17-, 23-, 50- and 57-Across
7 Across 9. Leafs (through)
8 Across 57. "A fight requires more than one person"
9 Across 30. Eager
10 Across 63. "I'm available to help"

Hints and Answers for Across Clues

Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:

1 Across: "44. Draped Indian garment"

Hints:

  • This one runs 4 letters long.
  • Short form / acronym territory here.
  • Starts with 'S', ends with 'I'.

Answer:

Click to reveal SARI

2 Across: "67. What a paper airplane icon may indicate"

Hints:

  • This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
  • Starts with 'S', ends with 'D'.
  • Pattern-wise it looks like: S__D

Answer:

Click to reveal SEND

3 Across: "29. Took a chair"

Hints:

  • 'sit' points in the same direction.
  • Short form / acronym territory here.
  • First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'T'.

Answer:

Click to reveal SAT

4 Across: "15. Berry at a smoothie shop"

Hints:

  • Starts with 'A', ends with 'I'.
  • Count on 4 letters here.
  • Blank it out and you get: A__I

Answer:

Click to reveal ACAI

5 Across: "64. Modern note-taking aid"

Hints:

  • This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
  • This one runs 4 letters long.
  • Kicks off with 'I' and wraps up with 'D'.

Answer:

Click to reveal IPAD

6 Across: "39. Decade of W.W. II ... or a homophonic hint to 17-, 23-, 50- and 57-Across"

Hints:

  • You could also think of it as "1940s."
  • You're looking for 7 letters.
  • Blank it out and you get: F_____S

Answer:

Click to reveal FORTIES

7 Across: "9. Leafs (through)"

Hints:

  • Blank it out and you get: P___S
  • You're looking for 5 letters.
  • Starts with 'P', ends with 'S'.

Answer:

Click to reveal PAGES

8 Across: "57. "A fight requires more than one person""

Hints:

  • Count on 15 letters here.
  • Starts with 'T', ends with 'O'.

Answer:

Click to reveal TAKESTWOTOTANGO

9 Across: "30. Eager"

Hints:

  • This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
  • First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'D'.
  • If that helps, the shape is: A__D

Answer:

Click to reveal AVID

10 Across: "63. "I'm available to help""

Hints:

  • You're looking for 5 letters.
  • Starts with 'U', ends with 'E'.

Answer:

Click to reveal USEME

Down Clues - 10 Total

These run top to bottom in the grid.

Down Clues List
Number Clue
1 Down 10. Any Olympian
2 Down 33. Hardwood whose bark is sometimes used as paper
3 Down 25. It may have a hard or soft shell
4 Down 61. "Golly!"
5 Down 2. ___ Paulo, Brazil
6 Down 27. Paves the way?
7 Down 23. Barter
8 Down 47. Place to put a coin
9 Down 13. Worshiper in a turban
10 Down 45. Dashboard or bumper

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:

1 Down: "10. Any Olympian"

Hints:

  • It's a 7-letter word.
  • Close enough in meaning: jock.
  • Blank it out and you get: A_____E

Answer:

Click to reveal ATHLETE

2 Down: "33. Hardwood whose bark is sometimes used as paper"

Hints:

  • You're looking for 5 letters.
  • Pattern-wise it looks like: B___H
  • Close enough in meaning: birchen.

Answer:

Click to reveal BIRCH

3 Down: "25. It may have a hard or soft shell"

Hints:

  • Kicks off with 'T' and wraps up with 'O'.
  • Close enough in meaning: greaser.
  • If that helps, the shape is: T__O

Answer:

Click to reveal TACO

4 Down: "61. "Golly!""

Hints:

  • Starts with 'G', ends with 'E'.
  • 'g-force' points in the same direction.
  • It's a 3-letter word.

Answer:

Click to reveal GEE

5 Down: "2. ___ Paulo, Brazil"

Hints:

  • You're looking for 3 letters.
  • First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'O'.
  • This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.

Answer:

Click to reveal SAO

6 Down: "27. Paves the way?"

Hints:

  • You could also think of it as "seaman."
  • Starts with 'T', ends with 'S'.
  • This one runs 4 letters long.

Answer:

Click to reveal TARS

7 Down: "23. Barter"

Hints:

  • Kicks off with 'T' and wraps up with 'E'.
  • Pattern-wise it looks like: T___E
  • You could also think of it as "deal."

Answer:

Click to reveal TRADE

8 Down: "47. Place to put a coin"

Hints:

  • Blank it out and you get: S__T
  • First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'T'.
  • This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.

Answer:

Click to reveal SLOT

9 Down: "13. Worshiper in a turban"

Hints:

  • This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
  • Count on 4 letters here.
  • Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'H'.

Answer:

Click to reveal SIKH

10 Down: "45. Dashboard or bumper"

Hints:

  • It's a 7-letter word.
  • Starts with 'C', ends with 'T'.

Answer:

Click to reveal CARPART

How to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster

Some habits that speed things up over time:

Step-by-Step Strategy

  1. Scan before you solve: One quick read-through of all the clues before you commit to anything usually pays off.
  2. Short words first: The 2-3 letter answers are almost always the low-hanging fruit.
  3. Let crossings guide you: Harder answers get much easier once a couple of crossing letters are locked in.
  4. Puns hide behind question marks: If a clue ends in "?", expect wordplay, not a straight answer.
  5. A few words repeat a lot: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE show up more than you'd expect — keep them in mind.

Letter Tips That Really Help

  • E is the most common letter in English, so it's worth guessing early.
  • Words ending in S are usually plurals.
  • Blanks ("___") in a clue mean the answer fits exactly into those spaces.
  • An abbreviation in the clue is a signal the answer's abbreviated too.

Time Goals to Aim For

Your Time Skill Level What It Means
Under 30 seconds Expert You've clearly got the puzzle's patterns down.
30-60 seconds Advanced Solid pace — you're solving quickly.
1-2 minutes Good Right where most regular solvers land.
Over 2 minutes Learning Totally fine — speed comes with reps.

Puzzle Numbers and Facts

Today's Puzzle by the Numbers
Total Clues: 20
Grid Size: 5 boxes across, 5 boxes down
Total Squares: 25
Average Time: 58 seconds
Difficulty: A bit tricky

More Puzzle Help

If today's Mini hit the spot, here are a few more you might enjoy:

Common Questions About Trivia Week 3

When does the Trivia Week 3 Mini go live?

It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.

How long should Trivia Week 3 take me?

Most people land somewhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Slower than that is completely normal too — it gets faster with practice.

Is Trivia Week 3 free to play?

It's free to play, unlike the main NYT Crossword which sits behind a paywall.

What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 3?

It mostly comes down to recognizing common short answers and catching puns fast. The rest is just reps.

Does Trivia Week 3 get harder as the week goes on?

It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.

About This Page: We put together hints and answers for the NYT Mini to help you learn the ropes and get faster over time. This site isn't affiliated with The New York Times.

Last Updated: September 21, 2026 at 09:09 AM

Search terms: NYT Mini Trivia Week, Trivia Week {week_num}, Mini crossword Trivia Week, Trivia Week answers, NYT Trivia Week, September 21 2026 mini crossword

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Saturday, September 12, 2026

XWordHint Crossword Answers September 12, 2026 | 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

September 12, 2026 NYT Crossword Solutions

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. Light décor 10
2A 11. Last place? 4
3A 15. Pop-up with an envelope icon 10
4A 16. Round figure 4
5A 17. Winner's circle? 10
6A 18. Take two 4
7A 19. Hyperfixated 6
8A 20. "Thick ___ Brick" (1972 Jethro Tull album) 3
9A 21. Earth's pull, informally 4
10A 22. On the ___ (free) 5
11A 23. Thumbs-down votes in the Duma 5
12A 25. Why wait? 3
13A 26. Personal circumstances, so to speak 5
14A 28. Justice who's the subject of the 2026 biography "Revenge for the Sixties" 5
15A 30. Rolls out the green carpet? 4
16A 34. First full word sung in "The Alphabet Song" 3
17A 35. Proverbial small amount 6
18A 36. "Now we're talking!" 15
19A 39. Capers 6
20A 40. Common ___ 3
21A 41. Rowing machines, in gym lingo 4
22A 42. "Schitt's Creek" matriarch 5
23A 43. Really hurts 5
24A 45. Rout, in computer game lingo 3
25A 46. Word with letter or grant 5
26A 48. Toothbrush handle? 5
27A 53. Smokes 4
28A 55. N.B.A. coach Jordan ___ 3
29A 56. Punnily named production company behind TV's "Insecure" and "A Black Lady Sketch Show" 6
30A 57. Stat 4
31A 58. Common sleep aid 10
32A 60. Acquire by default? 4
33A 61. Math class assignment 10
34A 62. Labor, e.g.: Abbr. 4
35A 63. Appliances that are always blowing out? 10

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Light décor"

10 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a protective ornamental shade used to screen a light bulb from direct view
  • Similar words include: lampshade, lamp shade
  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAMPSHADES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "11. Last place?"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)
  • Similar words include: grave
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOMB

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "15. Pop-up with an envelope icon"

10 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EMAILALERT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "16. Round figure"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it
  • Similar words include: ovoid, ovate, prolate
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OVAL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "17. Winner's circle?"

10 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VICTORYLAP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "18. Take two"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that do over, as of (part of) a house
  • Similar words include: remake, remodel, refashion
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REDO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "19. Hyperfixated"

6 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENRAPT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "20. "Thick ___ Brick" (1972 Jethro Tull album)"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "21. Earth's pull, informally"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONEG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "22. On the ___ (free)"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that grant freedom to; free from confinement
  • Similar words include: unaffixed, at large, relax
  • Opposite of: confine, stiffen
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOOSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "23. Thumbs-down votes in the Duma"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NYETS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "25. Why wait?"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
  • Similar words include: confidential information, wind, bakshish
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "26. Personal circumstances, so to speak"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a particular situation
  • Similar words include: shoe, horseshoe, brake shoe
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SHOES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "28. Justice who's the subject of the 2026 biography "Revenge for the Sixties""

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALITO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "30. Rolls out the green carpet?"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots
  • Similar words include: sod, turf, sodomite
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SODS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "34. First full word sung in "The Alphabet Song""

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AND

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "35. Proverbial small amount"

6 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a very small quantity of something
  • Similar words include: lowlife, rotter, crumb
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CRUMBS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "36. "Now we're talking!""

15 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THATSMORELIKEIT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "39. Capers"

6 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
  • Similar words include: trick, put-on, caper
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANTICS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "40. Common ___"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
  • Similar words include: epoch, earned run average, geological era
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "41. Rowing machines, in gym lingo"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a cgs unit of work or energy; the work done by a force of one dyne acting over a distance of one centimeter
  • Similar words include: erg
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERGS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "42. "Schitt's Creek" matriarch"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOIRA

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23A: "43. Really hurts"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that injure or wound seriously and leave permanent disfiguration or mutilation
  • Similar words include: maim
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAIMS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "45. Rout, in computer game lingo"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PWN

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25A: "46. Word with letter or grant"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)
  • Similar words include: deflect, forget, embarrass
  • Opposite of: unstuff, unblock
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLOCK

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "48. Toothbrush handle?"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORALB

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27A: "53. Smokes"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIGS

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28A: "55. N.B.A. coach Jordan ___"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OTT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "56. Punnily named production company behind TV's "Insecure" and "A Black Lady Sketch Show""

6 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOORAE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "57. Stat"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that as soon as possible
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASAP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "58. Common sleep aid"

10 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WHITENOISE

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32A: "60. Acquire by default?"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REPO

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33A: "61. Math class assignment"

10 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PROBLEMSET

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34A: "62. Labor, e.g.: Abbr."

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEPT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35A: "63. Appliances that are always blowing out?"

10 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HANDDRYERS

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Down Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1D 1. Carpenter's tool 5
2D 2. ___ acid 5
3D 3. Kind of photography lens for a close-up 5
4D 4. Wraps in the Mideast 5
5D 5. Certain geometry calculations 6
6D 6. Playwright Moss ___ 4
7D 7. Gymnast Raisman 3
8D 8. What a joke may get eventually 15
9D 9. Takes marks off in a classroom? 6
10D 10. Mid-March V.I.P., informally 5
11D 11. "Surf" food in Japan, or "turf" animal in Spain 4
12D 12. Kitchen counter 9
13D 13. Became a household name, say 9
14D 14. Examples of media on Medium 9
15D 23. Many a listing in an etiquette book 4
16D 24. Wrap in South Asia 4
17D 27. Actors unsuited for subtle roles 4
18D 29. Country singer Combs 4
19D 30. Rewards program tracker 9
20D 31. "It's finally clear" 9
21D 32. Phone connector? 9
22D 33. Arouse 4
23D 35. Simoleon 4
24D 37. Labor pain? 4
25D 38. Journalist Larson who wrote "The Splendid and the Vile" 4
26D 43. Godzilla adversary 6
27D 44. Longhorn's rival 6
28D 47. Acidic 5
29D 49. Capacious 5
30D 50. Surface 5
31D 51. Pointer for a public speaker 5
32D 52. Sources of the juice that "bleeds" in a faux meat patty 5
33D 54. Tough thing to be in 4
34D 56. Stayed together 4
35D 59. Placeholder abbr. 3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Carpenter's tool"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
  • Similar words include: stratum, plane, tied
  • Opposite of: raise
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LEVEL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. ___ acid"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the radical -nh2
  • Similar words include: amino group, aminic
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMINO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. Kind of photography lens for a close-up"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a single computer instruction that results in a series of instructions in machine language
  • Similar words include: macro instruction
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MACRO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Wraps in the Mideast"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that usually small round bread that can open into a pocket for filling
  • Similar words include: pita, pocket bread
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PITAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Certain geometry calculations"

6 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an elevated geological formation
  • Similar words include: squelch, squish, splosh
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLOPES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. Playwright Moss ___"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that united states playwright who collaborated with george s. kaufman (1904-1961)
  • Similar words include: stag, Lorenz Hart, Moss Hart
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HART

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. Gymnast Raisman"

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. What a joke may get eventually"

15 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DELAYEDREACTION

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Takes marks off in a classroom?"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that remove from memory or existence
  • Similar words include: delete, rub out, wipe out
  • Opposite of: record
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERASES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Mid-March V.I.P., informally"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STPAT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. "Surf" food in Japan, or "turf" animal in Spain"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TORO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. Kitchen counter"

9 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OVENTIMER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. Became a household name, say"

9 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MADEITBIG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "14. Examples of media on Medium"

9 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BLOGPOSTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "23. Many a listing in an etiquette book"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NONO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "24. Wrap in South Asia"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a dress worn primarily by hindu women; consists of several yards of light material that is draped around the body
  • Similar words include: saree
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SARI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "27. Actors unsuited for subtle roles"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that meat cut from the thigh of a hog (usually smoked)
  • Similar words include: ham actor, ham, overplay
  • Opposite of: underact
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAMS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18D: "29. Country singer Combs"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (new testament) the apostle closely associated with st. paul and traditionally assumed to be the author of the third gospel
  • Similar words include: Saint Luke, Gospel of Luke, Gospel According to Luke
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LUKE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19D: "30. Rewards program tracker"

9 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAMPCARD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20D: "31. "It's finally clear""

9 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHNOWISEE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21D: "32. Phone connector?"

9 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DATINGAPP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22D: "33. Arouse"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a prominent or sensational but short-lived news event
  • Similar words include: shake, put forward, ado
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STIR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23D: "35. Simoleon"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that burrowing marine mollusk living on sand or mud; the shell closes with viselike firmness
  • Similar words include: dollar bill, buck, dollar
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLAM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24D: "37. Labor pain?"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike
  • Similar words include: rat, strikebreaker, fink
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCAB

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25D: "38. Journalist Larson who wrote "The Splendid and the Vile""

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERIK

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26D: "43. Godzilla adversary"

6 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOTHRA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27D: "44. Longhorn's rival"

6 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a native or resident of oklahoma
  • Similar words include: Oklahoman, preferably, rather
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOONER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28D: "47. Acidic"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOWPH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29D: "49. Capacious"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an associate who shares a room with you
  • Similar words include: roomie, spacious, roommate
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROOMY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30D: "50. Surface"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that come into existence; take on form or shape
  • Similar words include: lift, originate, rise up
  • Opposite of: sit down, go to bed
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARISE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31D: "51. Pointer for a public speaker"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation; an optical device that produces an intense monochromatic beam of coherent light
  • Similar words include: optical maser
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LASER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32D: "52. Sources of the juice that "bleeds" in a faux meat patty"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that biennial eurasian plant usually having a swollen edible root; widely cultivated as a food crop
  • Similar words include: Beta vulgaris, common beet, beetroot
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BEETS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33D: "54. Tough thing to be in"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a point located with respect to surface features of some region
  • Similar words include: stain, smirch, make out
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPOT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34D: "56. Stayed together"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,
  • Similar words include: book, bind, concur
  • Opposite of: disagree, let go of
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HELD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35D: "59. Placeholder abbr."

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TBD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Expert Solving Strategies

Start Smart

Begin with fill-in-the-blank clues and short 3-4 letter words. These are your foundation.

Decode the Clues

Question marks indicate wordplay or puns. "Maybe" suggests multiple interpretations.

Use Cross-References

Let intersecting letters guide you. One correct answer unlocks several others.

Build Vocabulary

Common crossword words repeat. Learning them speeds up future solving.

Today's Puzzle Stats

35 Across Clues
35 Down Clues
70 Total Clues

More NYT Crossword Help

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Last updated: September 12, 2026 at 08:01 AM

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