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 (31 clues)
- Across Clues - Detailed Hints
- Down Clues Table (33 clues)
- Down Clues - Detailed Hints
- Expert Solving Strategies
- Today's Puzzle Statistics
Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Tricky
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. Measure of rank in Maori culture, informally | 7 |
| 2A | 8. Bubbles | 5 |
| 3A | 13. Sauce in Italian-American cuisine | 8 |
| 4A | 14. Knocked out | 5 |
| 5A | 15. It's in right now | 9 |
| 6A | 16. Was worthy of | 5 |
| 7A | 17. Having a single purpose | 5 |
| 8A | 18. Light that goes up when things are going down? | 5 |
| 9A | 20. Snatch | 3 |
| 10A | 21. Crank cases? | 7 |
| 11A | 23. Something pulled in many car chase scenes, for short | 6 |
| 12A | 25. Home to the Arco di Constantino | 4 |
| 13A | 26. Present a chance to get ahead | 9 |
| 14A | 29. Spaniards roll them | 3 |
| 15A | 30. Was really moving, in slang | 9 |
| 16A | 31. "Uh ... I guess" | 9 |
| 17A | 32. Sources of 24/7 support | 9 |
| 18A | 33. Many an attachment | 3 |
| 19A | 36. Ones catching waves | 9 |
| 20A | 37. Longtime name in Cuban politics | 4 |
| 21A | 38. Those playing the king of Egypt in "Aïda" | 6 |
| 22A | 39. Monthly magazine that sponsors a large annual music festival in New Orleans | 7 |
| 23A | 41. Easily removed locks | 3 |
| 24A | 42. Limited assignment | 5 |
| 25A | 45. Smallest member of the eurozone (122 square miles) | 5 |
| 26A | 46. Appropriately change course | 5 |
| 27A | 48. Spirals out of control? | 9 |
| 28A | 50. Panhellenic Games venue | 5 |
| 29A | 51. Can't cool off | 8 |
| 30A | 52. Gifted | 5 |
| 31A | 53. Culinary concurrence | 7 |
Across Clues - Strategic Hints
1A: "1. Measure of rank in Maori culture, informally"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FACETAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2A: "8. Bubbles"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a mass of small bubbles formed in or on a liquid
- Similar words include: effervesce, sparkle, suds
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FROTH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3A: "13. Sauce in Italian-American cuisine"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that sauce for pasta; contains tomatoes and garlic and herbs
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MARINARA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4A: "14. Knocked out"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INAWE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5A: "15. It's in right now"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LATESTFAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6A: "16. Was worthy of"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that assign a rank or rating to
- Similar words include: rate, snitch, tell on
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RATED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7A: "17. Having a single purpose"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADHOC
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8A: "18. Light that goes up when things are going down?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a shape that spreads outward
- Similar words include: flame up, irrupt, flare up
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FLARE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9A: "20. Snatch"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a flexible container with a single opening
- Similar words include: grip, cup of tea, handbag
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BAG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10A: "21. Crank cases?"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UFOLOGY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11A: "23. Something pulled in many car chase scenes, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EBRAKE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12A: "25. Home to the Arco di Constantino"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of a people with dark skin and hair who speak romany and who traditionally live by seasonal work and fortunetelling; they are believed to have originated in northern india but now are living on all continents (but mostly in europe, north africa, and north america)
- Similar words include: Romany, Rome, fixed storage
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROMA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13A: "26. Present a chance to get ahead"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OPENDOORS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14A: "29. Spaniards roll them"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a colorless and odorless inert gas; one of the six inert gases; comprises approximately 1% of the earth's atmosphere
- Similar words include: AR, ar, argon
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15A: "30. Was really moving, in slang"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAULEDASS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16A: "31. "Uh ... I guess""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WELLSORTA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17A: "32. Sources of 24/7 support"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HELPLINES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18A: "33. Many an attachment"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PDF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19A: "36. Ones catching waves"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RADIOSETS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20A: "37. Longtime name in Cuban politics"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAUL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21A: "38. Those playing the king of Egypt in "Aïda""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an adult male singer with the lowest voice
- Similar words include: bass, bass voice, basso
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BASSOS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22A: "39. Monthly magazine that sponsors a large annual music festival in New Orleans"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
- Similar words include: centre, marrow, heart and soul
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESSENCE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23A: "41. Easily removed locks"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that hairpiece covering the head and made of real or synthetic hair
- Similar words include: wigging
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WIG
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24A: "42. Limited assignment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an unbroken period of time during which you do something
- Similar words include: skimp, least sandpiper, Erolia minutilla
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STINT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25A: "45. Smallest member of the eurozone (122 square miles)"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a republic on the island of malta in the mediterranean; achieved independence from the united kingdom in 1964
- Similar words include: Republic of Malta
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MALTA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26A: "46. Appropriately change course"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
- Similar words include: adjust, conform, accommodate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADAPT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27A: "48. Spirals out of control?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a localized and violently destructive windstorm occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground
- Similar words include: tornado, crack, twister
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TORNADOES
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28A: "50. Panhellenic Games venue"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a valley in southeastern greece where the nemean games were held
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEMEA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29A: "51. Can't cool off"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAYSMAD
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30A: "52. Gifted"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
- Similar words include: genius, ace, skilful
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADEPT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31A: "53. Culinary concurrence"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YESCHEF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
Down Clues - Complete List
| No. | Clue | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 1. Understands | 7 |
| 2D | 2. Site of some piercings | 6 |
| 3D | 3. "There's never been a better time" tech sloganeer | 5 |
| 4D | 4. Fangorn resident | 3 |
| 5D | 5. Sweet doings at a county fair | 10 |
| 6D | 6. ___ Sea, locale of a 20th-century environmental disaster | 4 |
| 7D | 7. Cry that might be made with a bow | 4 |
| 8D | 8. Responders to cruise ship emergencies | 9 |
| 9D | 9. It works in translation | 3 |
| 10D | 10. Crunchy snacks | 7 |
| 11D | 11. Fine-tunes | 6 |
| 12D | 12. Divider of lots | 5 |
| 13D | 13. Really into | 6 |
| 14D | 15. 21st-century first lady | 5 |
| 15D | 19. Attire for many a flamenco dancer | 8 |
| 16D | 22. Upright bar | 8 |
| 17D | 24. Bonheur who painted "Ploughing in the Nivernais" | 4 |
| 18D | 27. Woman's name that sounds like two letters of the alphabet | 5 |
| 19D | 28. Colorful swimmers in the Amazon | 10 |
| 20D | 30. Energy device that reflects sunlight | 9 |
| 21D | 31. Rings up? | 4 |
| 22D | 32. Can hold one's own, in modern lingo | 7 |
| 23D | 33. Bread purchase in the U.K. | 7 |
| 24D | 34. Like a building's central air conditioning | 6 |
| 25D | 35. Dogbane? | 5 |
| 26D | 36. Like drug dens, sometimes | 6 |
| 27D | 37. FAQ heading | 6 |
| 28D | 38. East African honorific | 5 |
| 29D | 40. Reduce to a pulp | 5 |
| 30D | 43. Minute | 4 |
| 31D | 44. Pay attention to | 4 |
| 32D | 47. Zip | 3 |
| 33D | 49. Home to the U.S.'s first pizzeria, according to the Pizza Hall of Fame, for short | 3 |
Down Clues - Strategic Hints
1D: "1. Understands"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth
- Similar words include: bottom, penetrate, fthm
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FATHOMS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
2D: "2. Site of some piercings"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that small space in a tissue or body part such as the area between veins on a leaf or an insect's wing
- Similar words include: ring of color
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AREOLA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
3D: "3. "There's never been a better time" tech sloganeer"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that cold-water fish caught in lake superior and northward
- Similar words include: lake herring, Coregonus artedi
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CISCO
Remember this word for future puzzles!
4D: "4. Fangorn resident"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
5D: "5. Sweet doings at a county fair"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAFFYPULLS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
6D: "6. ___ Sea, locale of a 20th-century environmental disaster"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARAL
Remember this word for future puzzles!
7D: "7. Cry that might be made with a bow"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TADA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
8D: "8. Responders to cruise ship emergencies"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a boat equipped to fight fires on ships or along a waterfront
- Similar words include: fireboat
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIREBOATS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
9D: "9. It works in translation"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (biochemistry) a long linear polymer of nucleotides found in the nucleus but mainly in the cytoplasm of a cell where it is associated with microsomes; it transmits genetic information from dna to the cytoplasm and controls certain chemical processes in the cell
- Similar words include: ribonucleic acid
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RNA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
10D: "10. Crunchy snacks"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OATBARS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
11D: "11. Fine-tunes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a squeeze with the fingers
- Similar words include: fine-tune, pull off, pluck
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TWEAKS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
12D: "12. Divider of lots"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fence formed by a row of closely planted shrubs or bushes
- Similar words include: duck, fudge, sidestep
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HEDGE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
13D: "13. Really into"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MADFOR
Remember this word for future puzzles!
14D: "15. 21st-century first lady"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAURA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
15D: "19. Attire for many a flamenco dancer"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REDDRESS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
16D: "22. Upright bar"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that one of a pair of posts (usually joined by a crossbar) that are set up as a goal at each end of a playing field
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOALPOST
Remember this word for future puzzles!
17D: "24. Bonheur who painted "Ploughing in the Nivernais""
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs including roses
- Similar words include: genus Rosa
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROSA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
18D: "27. Woman's name that sounds like two letters of the alphabet"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELSIE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
19D: "28. Colorful swimmers in the Amazon"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: __________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEONTETRAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
20D: "30. Energy device that reflects sunlight"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HELIOSTAT
Remember this word for future puzzles!
21D: "31. Rings up?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fourth day of the week; the third working day
- Similar words include: Midweek, get married, hook up with
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WEDS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
22D: "32. Can hold one's own, in modern lingo"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HASGAME
Remember this word for future puzzles!
23D: "33. Bread purchase in the U.K."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PANLOAF
Remember this word for future puzzles!
24D: "34. Like a building's central air conditioning"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DUCTED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
25D: "35. Dogbane?"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any wingless bloodsucking parasitic insect noted for ability to leap
- Similar words include: flea
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FLEAS
Remember this word for future puzzles!
26D: "36. Like drug dens, sometimes"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
- Similar words include: foray into, bust, raid
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAIDED
Remember this word for future puzzles!
27D: "37. FAQ heading"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: README
Remember this word for future puzzles!
28D: "38. East African honorific"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BWANA
Remember this word for future puzzles!
29D: "40. Reduce to a pulp"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a vigorous blow
- Similar words include: boom, belt, bang
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SMASH
Remember this word for future puzzles!
30D: "43. Minute"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ITSY
Remember this word for future puzzles!
31D: "44. Pay attention to"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a brief written record
- Similar words include: eminence, distinction, annotation
- Opposite of: ignore
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOTE
Remember this word for future puzzles!
32D: "47. Zip"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that liveliness and energy
- Similar words include: peppiness, ginger
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PEP
Remember this word for future puzzles!
33D: "49. Home to the U.S.'s first pizzeria, according to the Pizza Hall of Fame, for short"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NYC
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
31 Across Clues
33 Down Clues
64 Total Clues
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