Crossword Clue Tutor

Hints before spoilers

Selected NYT crossword clues, explained

Browse spoiler-light hints and original explanations for selected high-confusion New York Times crossword clues by puzzle date.

Demand-selected clues, not a complete answer key.

Selection starts with current search demand, freshness, and rising query or entity signals. We publish only the small subset people are actively looking for.

Clue text identifies the puzzle entry; every hint, definition, and explanation here is independently written or materially reviewed.

October 4, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

10/4 celebration … as suggested by this grid, which is made up entirely of 10- and 4-letter answersThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 10

October 3, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Changes in form, but not in essenceThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 10

October 2, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

European capital with layers of Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman historyThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5

October 1, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Features of gathering clouds?The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5

September 21, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Mentally poopedThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 15

September 20, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Things that drivers sometimes leave behind?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 4

September 19, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Request for assistance from a higher-up?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 9

September 18, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Country club?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 13

September 17, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

BudsThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4

September 12, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Toothbrush handle?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 5

September 11, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Nods at a lot?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 4

September 10, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Pitching staff?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 8

September 9, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

Worker who's behind the Times?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 6

September 8, 2026

1 selected, reviewed clues

CVS rival ... or a phonetic hint to the answers on this puzzle’s perimeterThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 9

September 6, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Spanish nibblesThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 5 Do greatThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 7 “Silly me!”The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 7 Letter in the Hebrew spelling of “Adonai”The New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 5 Closest area to a movie theater projector, maybeThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 7 NoteworthyThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 7

September 5, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Made chitchatThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 9 Underground rockThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 “Slow down a second!”The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 9 What you might hear when you get someone’s goat?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 5 Nay sayersThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 15 Actor Nick of “The Prince of Tides”The New York Times Crossword · Name or title 5

September 4, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Result of a tense build-up?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 10 Hit a point of no return?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 4 Kick offThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 10 Body part affected by heterochromiaThe New York Times Crossword · Direct definition 4 Mars rover named in honor of a 19th-century activistThe New York Times Crossword · Name or title 9 CaptivatesThe New York Times Crossword · Direct definition 7

September 3, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Things that have iconsThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 She's possessiveThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 3 Sales spielThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 She can speak more than 20 languagesThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 FollowedThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 6 AuthorizeThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 6

September 2, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

"Melts in your mouth" candies … or a hint to this puzzle's themeThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 6 Mattress or memo followerThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 3 Maine city near the mouth of the Kennebec RiverThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Mama Morton of "Chicago," for oneThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 6 Marco Polo made his way across itThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Meet and glance off a bumper, as a pool ball mightThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 8

September 1, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Fill the role ofThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 InformedThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 River in which baby Moses was foundThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Locale of Coca-Cola's headquarters: Abbr.The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 3 Amy Poehler's onetime partner on "Weekend Update"The New York Times Crossword · Name or title 10 Fidget spinners and Labubu dolls, for twoThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4

August 31, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Part of a danceThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Sch. with the Daily Bruin newspaperThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Slightly intoxicatedThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 FancyThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Worms and such on hooksThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Be of the same mindThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5

August 30, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

"Aladdin" villainThe New York Times Crossword · Name or title 5 Sarcastic "Sure"The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Heat setting, in brief?The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 3 Dutch Caribbean isleThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 Explosive soundThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 6 "It's yours!"The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4

August 29, 2026

7 selected, reviewed clues

They get rings for hoopsThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 9 Skin-care brand known for its pore stripsThe New York Times Crossword · Name or title 5 Dubious sighting in the night skyThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 9 Started to boilThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 6 Large restaurant vessel shaped like another vesselThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 9 Conference handoutThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 Inverse of an exponential functionThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 9

August 28, 2026

7 selected, reviewed clues

"Oh, what the hell"The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 7 Mythical figure in "Doctor Faustus"The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 Worrier's wordsThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 8 Like a parkour practitionerThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 Politician's response, maybeThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 9 Step in the shower?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 5 Spirit seen on el Día de los MuertosThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 6

August 27, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Open with one's teeth?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 5 Network that launched in 1994 with the film "Scent of a Woman"The New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 5 Bed threadsThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 3 Pre-Inca civilization known for its underground aqueducts and geoglyphsThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 November birthstoneThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 5 CNBC subj.The New York Times Crossword · Abbreviation 3

August 26, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Act all teenagerly, sayThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 River by the Royal Shakespeare TheatreThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Something to belly up toThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 3 "My guess is ..."The New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5 Rip apartThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 CautiousThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4

August 25, 2026

8 selected, reviewed clues

One-named Senegalese American singer with the #1 hits "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter"The New York Times Crossword · Name or title 4 Summer meteor shower named for a mythological heroThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 8 *6thThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 6 Allen who was the 2001 N.B.A. M.V.P.The New York Times Crossword · Name or title 7 Tiny biting insectThe New York Times Crossword · Direct definition 7 "Wowza!"The New York Times Crossword · Informal usage 6 Mexican beer brandThe New York Times Crossword · Name or title 6 Baker's glassware brandThe New York Times Crossword · Name or title 5

August 24, 2026

5 selected, reviewed clues

Caitlin Clark's leagueThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 4 Natural wonder in VenezuelaThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 10 Stop in the afterlifeThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 9 Criminals' sphereThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 10 ApexThe New York Times Crossword · Direct definition 4

August 23, 2026

3 selected, reviewed clues

"Awesome!"The New York Times Crossword · Informal usage 3 Peace symbolThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 4 Mini-gulpThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 3

August 22, 2026

4 selected, reviewed clues

Dish such as Germany's hasenpfefferThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 10 Beset by impossible circumstancesThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 10 "Let's talk about it afterward"The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 10 Volume control device?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 7

August 21, 2026

4 selected, reviewed clues

Leader in a robe called a kasayaThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 4 Some malty offeringsThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 9 Italian hero?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 11 Is cannedThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 9

August 20, 2026

6 selected, reviewed clues

Practice JapaneseThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 5 Visionary … or what you'll need to return to when solving this puzzle's Down cluesThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 15 Distinctive expression … or a hint to this puzzle's Across cluesThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 12 Shift the gears of, in a way … or a hint to this puzzle's Across cluesThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 12 Forum discussion, popular onceThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 6 Arthur Ashe Courage Award, e.g.The New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 4

August 19, 2026

7 selected, reviewed clues

Private sleeping accommodations?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 4 Wipe from one’s memory, so to speakThe New York Times Crossword · Informal usage 5 Hybrid tennis attireThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 5 Hides one’s central point, in a way ... with a doubly homophonic hint to 20-, 30-, 38- and 48-AcrossThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 13 Top three sights in Fiji?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 4 Verbal hesitationsThe New York Times Crossword · Direct definition 3 The word “salary” derives from the Latin for thisThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 4

August 18, 2026

8 selected, reviewed clues

ForfendsThe New York Times Crossword · Direct definition 6 The “N” of N.A.A.C.P.: Abbr.The New York Times Crossword · Abbreviation 4 “Oh, buzz off”The New York Times Crossword · Informal usage 6 High-end private jet, familiarlyThe New York Times Crossword · Informal usage 4 Coverers of current eventsThe New York Times Crossword · Direct definition 9 Meaning of “vidi,” in Caesar’s boastThe New York Times Crossword · Fact clue 4 Nuts whose shells look like they have little beretsThe New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 6 Story of one’s life?The New York Times Crossword · Wordplay 4

July 23, 2012

1 selected, reviewed clues

Floor measurementsThe New York Times Crossword · Crossword clue 5