Themed answers are common phrases with the first word ending in a letter S. But, an apostrophe has been inserted before that letter S to change the meaning completely:
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
8 Rank for Porthos of “The Three Musketeers” : BARON
Alexandre Dumas’ “Three Musketeers” are Athos, Porthos and Aramis, although the hero of the novel is the trio’s young protégé D’Artagnan. A musketeer was an infantry soldier who was equipped with a musket. Funnily enough, the three “musketeers” really don’t use their muskets, and are better known for prowess with their swords.
20 Meaty sauce : RAGU
The Ragú brand of pasta sauce was introduced in 1937. The name ”Ragù” is the Italian word for a sauce used to dress pasta, however the spelling is a little off in the name of the sauce. In Italian, the word is “Ragù” with a grave accent over the “u”, but if you look at a jar of the sauce on the supermarket shelf it is spelled “Ragú” on the label, with an acute accent. Sometimes I think we just don’t try …
21 Polynesian love : ALOHA
The Hawaiian word “aloha” has many meanings in English: affection, love, peace, compassion and mercy. More recently, “aloha” has come to mean “hello” and “goodbye”, but only since the mid-1800s.
23 Instrument anyone can play : AIR GUITAR
The concept of playing an imaginary electric guitar (an “air guitar”) is so popular that there are several championship competitions held. There has even been a world championship since 1996. Crazy …
27 W-4 collector, for short : HR REP
A W-4 is an IRS tax form that is used by an employer to calculate the appropriate amount of tax withholding from an employee’s wages.
30 Singer Rita : ORA
Rita Ora is a British singer who was born Rita Sahatçiu in Pristina, Yugoslavia to Albanian parents. The family name “Sahatçiu” comes from a Turkish word meaning “watchmaker”. Rita’s parents changed their name to make it easier to pronounce. So, the family name morphed from “watchmaker” to “time”, which is “ora” in Albanian.
35 Like many burns, paradoxically : COLD
A cold burn is the result of direct contact with ice.
37 Part of M.I.T.: Abbr. : INST
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
50 Deborah of “The Innocents,” 1961 : KERR
Deborah Kerr was a Scottish actress who made a real name for herself on the American stage and in Hollywood movies. Despite all her success, and six nominations for a Best Actress Oscar, Kerr never actually won an Academy Award. In 1967, she appeared in the James Bond film “Casino Royale” at the age of 46, making Kerr the oldest Bond Girl of all time.
“The Innocents” is a 1961 horror film starring Deborah Kerr and Michael Redgrave that is based on the 1898 novella “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James. I haven’t seen this one as I don’t do horror, not even when it stars movie icons like Kerr and Redgrave …
51 Bamboozle : SCAM
It’s thought that the lovely word “bamboozle” came into English from the Scottish “bombaze” meaning “perplex”. We’ve been using “bamboozle” since the very early 1700s.
53 Passage straight from the heart : AORTA
The aorta originates in the heart and extends down into the abdomen. It is the largest artery in the body.
58 “Everyone dislikes autumn now!” : FALL’S OUT OF FAVOR
Here in the US, we tend to refer to the season following summer as “fall”. This name is short for “fall of the leaf”, referring to the loss of leaves by deciduous trees. The term “autumn” is a more common name used in Britain and Ireland instead of “fall”. However, back before the mid-1600s the term “fall” was in common use on the other side of the pond.
65 20,000 drops, pharmaceutically : LITER
As far as pharmacists are concerned, a drop is a unit measuring exactly 0.05 milliliters.
66 Big name in laptops : ACER
Acer is a Taiwanese company that I visited a couple of times when I was in the electronics business. I was very impressed back then with the company’s dedication to quality, although I have heard that things haven’t gone so well in recent years …
68 Lisa with the 1994 #1 hit “Stay (I Missed You)” : LOEB
Singer Lisa Loeb was discovered by actor Ethan Hawke, who lived just across the street from her in New York City. Hawke took a demo of her song “Stay (I Missed You)” and gave it to director Ben Stiller, who in turn used it over the ending credits of his 1994 movie “Reality Bites”. The movie was a hit, the song went to number one, and Loeb became the first artist ever to hit that number one spot without having signed up with a record label. Good for her!
69 Where to see party people out on the floor? : C-SPAN
C-SPAN is a privately-funded, nonprofit cable channel that broadcasts continuous coverage of government proceedings.
71 Actor Willem : DAFOE
Willem Dafoe is an American actor, one from Wisconsin. He was born just plain “William” Dafoe, but didn’t like being called “Billy”. So, he changed his name to “Willem”, which was the pronunciation of his name by his Scottish babysitter.
76 “Dracula has lived half a millennium!” : BAT’S FIVE HUNDRED
“Dracula” is a novel written by the Irish author Bram Stoker and first published in 1897. Dracula wasn’t the first vampire of literature, but he certainly was the one who spawned the popularity of vampires in theater, film and television, and indeed more novels. Personally, I can’t stand vampire fiction …
79 Talk like Foghorn Leghorn : DRAWL
Foghorn Leghorn is a lovable rooster who appears in “Looney Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies” cartoons from the forties through the sixties. Foghorn’s marvelous voice was provided by the great Mel Blanc. The rooster’s demeanor was drawn directly from a character called Senator Beauregard Claghorn, a blustery Southern politician who appeared regularly on radio’s “The Fred Allen Show”.
84 Actress Whitman of “Parenthood” : MAE
Actress Mae Whitman played “the daughter” in some successful movies early in her career. She was Meg Ryan’s daughter in “When a Man Loves a Woman”, George Clooney’s daughter in “One Fine Day” and Bill Pullman’s daughter in “Independence Day”. More recently, she played the lead in the 2015 teen comedy film “The Duff”.
“Parenthood” is a TV series that originally aired from 2010 until 2015, and is loosely based on the 1989 film of the same name starring Steve Martin. Ron Howard directed the movie, and served as executive producer for the TV show.
86 Industrious animal in a classic fable : HEN
In the Aesop fable “The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs”, a couple own a hen that lays a golden egg every day. The greedy pair surmise that there is a lump of gold inside the hen, and so they kill her in search of the precious metal. They find nothing, and are left without their daily windfall of a golden egg.
87 “I’m thinking of a grizzly!” : BEAR’S IN MIND
The North American brown bear is usually referred to as the grizzly bear. The name “grizzly” was given to the bear by Lewis and Clark. The term “grizzly” might mean “with gray-tipped hair”, or “fear-inspiring”. Both definitions seem to be apt …
91 Brandy container : SNIFTER
A brandy snifter is a glass with a short stem, a wide bowl and a narrow top. The bowl is cupped in the hand so that the brandy, whiskey or other spirit is warmed, to facilitate evaporation. The wide bowl gives a large surface area, further encouraging evaporation, and the narrow top traps the aroma in the glass. So, one can easily “sniff” the spirit’s aroma in the “snifter”.
94 Queen’s onetime rock style : GLAM
I remember the days of glam rock so well, as it was a hugely popular genre of music in Britain and Ireland during the early seventies. Artistes wore the wildest of clothes, big hair, shiny outfits and really high platform boots. Names associated with glam rock are T. Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music and the infamous Gary Glitter.
Queen is an English rock band that formed back in 1970. With the help of lead singer Freddie Mercury (now deceased), Queen has a long list of great hits, including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions”. “Bohemian Rhapsody” spent a total of nine weeks at number one in the UK. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is also the title of an outstanding 2018 biographical film about the band.
97 Twisted do : LOCS
A loctician is a person specializing in the creation, styling and maintenance of dreadlocks (“locs”).
105 Portmanteau expressions popularized by Tyra Banks : SMIZES
To smize is to smile with the eyes. The term “smize” was popularized by host Tyra Banks on the reality show “America’s Next Top Model”.
109 Many a Mormon : UTAHN
When Mormon pioneers were settling what is today the state of Utah, they referred to the area as Deseret, a word that means “beehive” according to the Book of Mormon. Today Utah is known as the Beehive State and there is a beehive symbol on the Utah state flag. In 1959, “Industry” was even chosen as the state motto, for the term’s association with the beehive.
113 Staple of Coen brothers films : DARK HUMOR
I think it’s great to see two brothers working together and being so successful. Joel and Ethan Coen are two movie producers and directors who both live in New York City. The Coen brothers do love the movie-making business and they even married industry “insiders”. Ethan’s wife is film editor Tricia Cooke, and Joel is married to one of my favorite actresses, the talented Frances McDormand.
115 Buck who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022 : O’NEIL
Buck O’Neil was a first baseman and manager with the Kansas City Monarchs, a team in the Negro American League. He was appointed as a coach with the Chicago Cubs in 1962, making him the first African-American coach in the major leagues.
117 101-Down opera : AIDA
[101D Composer Giuseppe : VERDI]
“Aida” is a celebrated opera by Giuseppe Verdi that is based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. Mariette also designed the costumes and stages for the opening performance. The opera was first staged in 1871 in an opera house in Cairo. In the storyline, Aida is an Ethiopian princess brought into Egypt as a slave. Radamès is an Egyptian commander who falls in love with her, and then complications arise!
118 Currency of the Philippines : PESO
The writing on bank notes in the Philippines used to be in English, so the national currency was recorded as the “peso”. Since 1967 the language on the notes has been Filipino, and now the name of the currency is written as “piso”.
119 Diurnal phenomena : TIDES
Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon on the oceans. At neap tide, the smaller gravitational effect of the sun cancels out some of the moon’s effect. At spring tide, the sun and the moon’s gravitational forces act in concert causing more extreme movement of the oceans.
121 Shape of a fox’s pupil : SLIT
Male foxes are usually called dogs, and sometimes tods or reynards. Females are vixens, and young foxes are cubs, pups or kits.
Down
1 Brightly colored food fish : OPAHS
“Opah” is the more correct name for the fish also known as the sunfish, moonfish or Jerusalem haddock. I’ve seen one in the Monterey Aquarium. It is one huge fish …
4 Title of respect : SRI
“Sri” is a title of respect for a male in India.
5 R&B’s LaBelle : PATTI
“Patti LaBelle” is the stage name of singer Patricia Holt-Edwards from Philadelphia. She started her career in the sixties as the lead singer of the vocal group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, later changing its name to simply “LaBelle”. When the group disbanded in 1976, Patti launched a remarkably successful solo career.
12 “Stillmatic” rapper : NAS
Rapper Nas used to go by an earlier stage name “Nasty Nas”, and before that by his real name “Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones”. Nas released his first album “Illmatic” in 1994, and inventively titled his fifth studio album “Stillmatic”, released in 2001.
14 Taxing times? : APRILS
April 15th wasn’t always Tax Day in the US. The deadline for returns was March 1st from 1913-18, when it was moved to March 15th. Tax Day has been April 15th since 1955.
16 “Diligence is the mother of good ___”: Benjamin Franklin : LUCK
Benjamin Franklin came from a large family. He was his father’s fifteenth child (Josiah Franklin had seventeen children in all, with two wives). Benjamin was born in Boston in 1706. He had very little schooling, heading out to work for his father when he was ten years old. He became an apprentice printer to his older brother at the age of twelve. Benjamin did quite well with that limited education …
19 “Men in Black” role : AGENT K
“Men in black” (MIB) are said to have appeared in the past whenever there have been reports of UFO sightings. Supposedly, these men are government agents whose job it is to suppress reports of alien landings. The conspiracy theorists got their day in the movies with the release of a pretty good sci-fi comedy in 1997 called “Men in Black”, starring Will Smith (as Agent J) and Tommy Lee Jones (as Agent K).
26 Rainbow-esque : ARCED
Sunlight reflected by airborne water droplets can produce rainbows. The water droplets act as little prisms, dispersing the white light into its constituent colors. Sometimes we see double rainbows. If we look carefully, we can see that the order of the colors in the first and second arcs is reversed.
38 It might be a stretch : LIMO
The word “limousine” derives from the name of the French city of Limoges. The area around Limoges is called the Limousin, and it gave its name to a cloak hood worn by local shepherds. In early motor cars, a driver would sit outside in the weather while the passengers would sit in the covered compartment. The driver would often wear a limousin-style protective hood, giving rise to that type of transportation being called a “limousine”. Well, that’s how the story goes …
39 Family name synonymous with wealth in early America : ASTOR
John Jacob Astor was the patriarch of the famous American Astor dynasty. He was the country’s first multi-millionaire, making his fortune in the trade of fur, real estate and opium. In today’s terms, it has been calculated that by the time of his death he has accumulated a fortune big enough to make him the fourth wealthiest man in American history (in the company of the likes of Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Bill Gates, Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller).
40 Oviform : egg :: pyriform : ___ : PEAR
Here are some terms used for common shapes:
- Dentiform: shaped like a tooth
- Pyriform: shaped like a pear
- Oviform: shaped like an egg
42 TikTok persona typified by floppy hair and grunge clothing : E-BOY
E-girls and e-boys (maybe “e-kids”) may spend a lot of time on social media, especially TikTok, hence the use of the prefix “e-”.
45 ___-B : ORAL
The Oral-B toothbrush was introduced to the world in 1950, designed by a California periodontist. The first “model” was the Oral-B 60, a name given to reflect the 60 tufts in the brush. In 1969, the Oral-B was the first toothbrush to get to the moon as it was the toothbrush of choice for the crew of the Apollo 11 spacecraft.
46 Certain link : URL
An Internet address (like NYXCrossword.com and LAXCrossword.com) is more correctly called a uniform resource locator (URL).
47 Chum : MATE
A chum is a friend. The term “chum” originated in the late 1600s as an alternative spelling for “cham”. In turn, “cham” was a shortened form of “chambermate”, a roommate at university.
60 Require smelling salts, say : SWOON
The active ingredient in smelling salts is usually ammonium carbonate, which releases ammonia gas when mixed with alcohol. When the activated salts are held under the nose, the ammonia irritates the mucous membranes causing an inhalation reflex action.
63 Start of a boast by Julius Caesar : VENI …
The oft-quoted statement “Veni, vidi, vici” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”) is believed by many to have been written by Julius Caesar. The words date back to 47 BCE and refer to the short war between Rome and Pharnaces II of Pontus.
67 Bert of Cowardly Lion fame : LAHR
The Cowardly Lion in L. Frank Baum’s “Land of Oz” books was portrayed by Bert Lahr in the celebrated 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz”. The costume that Lahr wore in the film was made from real lion fur, and weighed a whopping 60 pounds.
68 Rock veins : LODES
A lode is a metal ore deposit that’s found between two layers of rock or in a fissure. The mother lode is the principal deposit in a mine, usually of gold or silver. “Mother lode” is probably a translation of “veta madre”, an expression used in mining in Mexico.
69 Leslie of “Gigi” and “Lili” : CARON
The beautiful and talented French actress and dancer Leslie Caron is best known for her appearances in the classic Hollywood musical films “An American in Paris”, “Lili” and “Gigi”. Although I love the movie “Gigi”, my favorite of her performances is in the comedy war drama “Father Goose” in which she played opposite Cary Grant. Caron has danced with the best, including Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev.
“Gigi” is a very popular 1958 musical film starring Leslie Caron in the title role. The movie’s screenplay is based on a 1944 novella of the same name by French author Colette. Colette’s “Gigi” was also adapted into a 1951 stage play by Anita Loos, in which Audrey Hepburn played the title role in the original Broadway production.
71 School honcho : DEAN
“Honcho” is a slang term meaning “leader”. The word comes to us from the Japanese military, in which language a “hancho” is a “squad” (han) “leader” (cho).
73 Spaghetti-strapped top, informally : CAMI
A camisole (also “cami”) is a sleeveless undergarment worn by women that extends down to the waist. “Camisole” is a French word that we imported into English that ultimately derives from the Latin “camisia” meaning “shirt, nightgown”.
74 Actor McGregor : EWAN
Ewan McGregor is a very talented Scottish actor, one who got his break in the 1996 film “Trainspotting”. McGregor’s first big Hollywood role was playing the young Obi-Wan-Kenobi in the “Star Wars” prequels. Less known is his televised marathon motorcycle journey from London to New York via central Europe, Ukraine, Siberia, Mongolia and Canada. The 2004 trip was shown as “Long Way Round” on TV. McGregor did a similar trip in 2007 called “Long Way Down”, which took him and the same traveling companion from the north of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa.
76 They might have matching half-heart necklaces, in brief : BFFS
Best friend forever (BFF)
78 Vaccine molecule : RNA
Traditional vaccines typically use weakened or inactivated viruses, or pieces of the virus, to stimulate an immune response. mRNA vaccines use a small piece of genetic material from the virus, called messenger RNA (mRNA), to instruct cells in the body to produce a harmless piece of the virus to trigger the immune response. mRNA vaccines are developed more quickly than traditional vaccines. This was demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, where mRNA vaccines were developed and authorized for emergency use within months of the emergence of the novel coronavirus.
83 One who’s always on the phone? : SIRI
Siri was originally developed as a standalone app by a startup company of the same name. Apple acquired the company in 2010 and integrated the technology into their operating system.
86 “Steppenwolf” author : HESSE
“Steppenwolf” is a 1927 novel by German-Swiss author Hermann Hesse. The title translates from German as “Steppe Wolf”, referring to a wolf found primarily in the steppes of Europe and Asia.
88 Many front-line workers, in brief : EMTS
Emergency medical technician (EMT)
92 Muppet bear : FOZZIE
Fozzie Bear is the stand-up comic character on “The Muppet Show”. He is often the target of heckles from Statler and Waldorf who sit in the balcony.
93 Immune system components : T CELLS
T cells are a group of white blood cells that are essential components of the body’s immune system. T cells are so called because they mature in the thymus, a specialized organ found in the chest.
98 Passport requirement : PHOTO
As a result of a League of Nations conference in 1920, passports are usually written in French and one other language. French was specified back then as it was deemed the language of diplomacy. US passports use French and English, given that English is the nation’s de facto national language. Spanish was added as a language for US passports in the late nineties, in recognition of Spanish-speaking Puerto Rico.
100 Where @ is at? : EMAIL
The “at symbol” (@) originated in the commercial world, as shorthand for “each at, per” and similar phrases. I suppose we see the symbol most commonly these days as part of email addresses.
101 Composer Giuseppe : VERDI
Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian composer, mainly of operas, who was active during the Romantic era. Equally as famous as Verdi’s operas, are arias and choruses from those operas such as “La donna è mobile” from “Rigoletto”, “The Drinking Song” from “La Traviata” and “The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” from “Nabucco”. Verdi was a big fan of William Shakespeare and wrote three operas based on the Bard’s plays: “Macbeth”, “Otello” and “Falstaff”.
104 Subject of a 2001 bankruptcy : ENRON
After all the trials following the exposure of fraud at Enron, several of the key players ended up in jail. Andrew Fastow was the Chief Financial Officer. He plea-bargained and received ten years without parole, and became the key witness in the trials of others. Even Fastow’s wife was involved and she was sentenced to one year for helping her husband hide money. Jeffrey Skilling (ex-CEO) was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months. Kenneth Lay (CEO) died in 2006 after he had been found guilty but before he could be sentenced. The accounting firm Arthur Andersen was found guilty of obstruction of justice for shredding thousands of pertinent documents and deleting emails and files (a decision that the Supreme Court later overturned on a technicality). But still, Arthur Andersen collapsed under the weight of the scandal and 85,000 people lost their jobs (despite only a handful being directly involved with Enron).
106 Local bond, informally : MUNI
A municipal bond (“muni”) is one that is issued by a city or local government, or some similar agency. Munis have an advantage over other investments in that any interest earned on the bond is usually exempt from state and federal income taxes.
111 Tax ID : SSN
The main purpose of a Social Security Number (SSN) is to track individuals for the purposes of taxation, although given its ubiquitous use, it is looking more and more like an identity number to me. The social security number system was introduced in 1936. Prior to 1986, an SSN was required only for persons with substantial income, so many children under 14 had no number assigned. For some years the IRS had a concern that a lot of people were claiming children on their tax returns who did not actually exist. So starting in 1986, the IRS made it a requirement to get an SSN for any dependents over the age of 5. Sure enough, seven million dependents “disappeared” in 1987. Today, a SSN is required for a child of any age in order to receive a tax exemption.
112 Pooh’s rhyming friend : ROO
Like most of the characters in A. A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh”, the kangaroo named “Roo” was inspired by a stuffed toy belonging to Milne’s son Christopher Robin.
114 Krazy ___ of cartoons : KAT
“Krazy Kat” is a successful comic strip that ran from 1913-1944 and was drawn by George Herriman.
Read on, or …
… return to top of page
Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 With frequency : OFT
4 Little disagreement : SPAT
8 Rank for Porthos of “The Three Musketeers” : BARON
13 Speak in Spanish : HABLA
18 Court entrance? : PLEA
20 Meaty sauce : RAGU
21 Polynesian love : ALOHA
22 High grade : A-PLUS
23 Instrument anyone can play : AIR GUITAR
25 “Oh, now I understand the significance of the troupe’s performance in ‘Hamlet’!” : PLAY’S A TRICK!
27 W-4 collector, for short : HR REP
28 Window treatment : TINT
30 Singer Rita : ORA
31 Touches up, as a tattoo : RE-INKS
32 “I can’t get past this witness box!” : STAND’S IN THE WAY
35 Like many burns, paradoxically : COLD
36 Word that can be represented by a number : TOO
37 Part of M.I.T.: Abbr. : INST
38 Accidental “subject” of certain snapshots : LENS CAP
41 “Watch out for that bully!” : JERK’S AROUND
47 Lead-in to air or Atlantic : MID-
48 Application : USE
49 “Father of,” in Arabic : ABU
50 Deborah of “The Innocents,” 1961 : KERR
51 Bamboozle : SCAM
53 Passage straight from the heart : AORTA
55 Gave medicine : DOSED
58 “Everyone dislikes autumn now!” : FALL’S OUT OF FAVOR
62 Where artwork is often hung : EYE LEVEL
64 Self-___ : AWARE
65 20,000 drops, pharmaceutically : LITER
66 Big name in laptops : ACER
67 Euphemistic term for love : L WORD
68 Lisa with the 1994 #1 hit “Stay (I Missed You)” : LOEB
69 Where to see party people out on the floor? : C-SPAN
71 Actor Willem : DAFOE
72 Really succeed : GO PLACES
76 “Dracula has lived half a millennium!” : BAT’S FIVE HUNDRED
79 Talk like Foghorn Leghorn : DRAWL
80 Lets out : FREES
81 Name that becomes an adjective when “-y” is added : EARL
82 Scottish refusals : NAES
84 Actress Whitman of “Parenthood” : MAE
85 Word that can be represented by a number : FOR
86 Industrious animal in a classic fable : HEN
87 “I’m thinking of a grizzly!” : BEAR’S IN MIND
91 Brandy container : SNIFTER
94 Queen’s onetime rock style : GLAM
96 Fish of the future : ROE
97 Twisted do : LOCS
98 “Careful, the shrub may have fingerprints on it!” : PLANT’S EVIDENCE
105 Portmanteau expressions popularized by Tyra Banks : SMIZES
107 Trendy : HOT
108 Not just a couple : SOME
109 Many a Mormon : UTAHN
110 “I finished this crossword!” : PUZZLE’S OVER
113 Staple of Coen brothers films : DARK HUMOR
115 Buck who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022 : O’NEIL
116 Closed captioner’s machine : STENO
117 101-Down opera : AIDA
118 Currency of the Philippines : PESO
119 Diurnal phenomena : TIDES
120 Acknowledge wordlessly : NOD TO
121 Shape of a fox’s pupil : SLIT
122 Haven : DEN
Down
1 Brightly colored food fish : OPAHS
2 Make goo-goo eyes : FLIRT
3 Earth : TERRA
4 Title of respect : SRI
5 R&B’s LaBelle : PATTI
6 Over : AGAIN
7 Amped (up), slangily : TURNT
8 Korean word for cooked rice : BAP
9 Permits : ALLOWS
10 Find hilarious : ROAR AT
11 “Well, that’s awesome!” : OH, YAY!
12 “Stillmatic” rapper : NAS
13 Talk smack about : HATE ON
14 Taxing times? : APRILS
15 Something you shouldn’t pass on : BLIND CURVE
16 “Diligence is the mother of good ___”: Benjamin Franklin : LUCK
17 Consults : ASKS
19 “Men in Black” role : AGENT K
24 Braided buns, e.g. : UPDOS
26 Rainbow-esque : ARCED
29 Water down, say : THIN
33 Water down, say : SOAK
34 Purpose : END
38 It might be a stretch : LIMO
39 Family name synonymous with wealth in early America : ASTOR
40 Oviform : egg :: pyriform : ___ : PEAR
41 Relative of lime and mint : JADE
42 TikTok persona typified by floppy hair and grunge clothing : E-BOY
43 Stratagem : RUSE
44 Cite, with “to” : REFER …
45 ___-B : ORAL
46 Certain link : URL
47 Chum : MATE
51 Went way, way up : SOARED
52 Lemon ___ : CURD
53 Away from home : AFIELD
54 Hiker’s snack, perhaps : OAT BAR
56 March on, so to speak : ELAPSE
57 Gentle roasts : DECAFS
59 By the book : LAWFUL
60 Require smelling salts, say : SWOON
61 Dud : FLOP
63 Start of a boast by Julius Caesar : VENI …
67 Bert of Cowardly Lion fame : LAHR
68 Rock veins : LODES
69 Leslie of “Gigi” and “Lili” : CARON
70 Disinfected : STERILIZED
71 School honcho : DEAN
72 Boots, tent, mosquito spray, etc. : GEAR
73 Spaghetti-strapped top, informally : CAMI
74 Actor McGregor : EWAN
75 Toy that may have a rope : SLED
76 They might have matching half-heart necklaces, in brief : BFFS
77 Swerve : VEER
78 Vaccine molecule : RNA
83 One who’s always on the phone? : SIRI
86 “Steppenwolf” author : HESSE
87 Something that might be put on plastic bags : BAN
88 Many front-line workers, in brief : EMTS
89 “Thanks, Captain Obvious” : NO DUH
90 Come together : MEET UP
92 Muppet bear : FOZZIE
93 Immune system components : T CELLS
94 Ready to play catch, say : GLOVED
95 Unexpressed : LATENT
98 Passport requirement : PHOTO
99 Pops : SODAS
100 Where @ is at? : EMAIL
101 Composer Giuseppe : VERDI
102 Picked : NAMED
103 Picked : CHOSE
104 Subject of a 2001 bankruptcy : ENRON
105 Give as a handicap, as points : SPOT
106 Local bond, informally : MUNI
111 Tax ID : SSN
112 Pooh’s rhyming friend : ROO
114 Krazy ___ of cartoons : KAT
Leave a comment (below), or …
… return to top of page
FAQs
How to get ny Times crossword for free? ›
The New York Times Crossword Puzzle can be played at nytimes.com/games, on the The New York Times Crossword app (iOS and Android), and on The New York Times News app (iOS and Android).
How to get New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle clue? ›You can subscribe to The New York Times Games via the web or through your phone (iOS and Android) or tablet with the Games app. Keep in mind that smartphone and tablet apps are not supported on all devices. New York Times Games is included with Home Delivery and All Access subscriptions.
What is the easiest day of the week for crossword puzzle clue? ›Mondays have the most straightforward clues and Saturday clues are the hardest, or involve the most wordplay. Contrary to popular belief, the Sunday puzzles are midweek difficulty, not the hardest. They're just bigger. A typical Monday clue will be very straightforward and drive you almost directly to the answer.
How do I access the Old NY Times crossword? ›- Select the hamburger menu icon on the top left-hand side of the New York Times Games homepage (nytimes.com/games):
- Select Crossword Archives from the drop-down menu:
Go to the address bar and delete the url that starts with “&gwh=” and then reload it. Alternatively, it's super easy to set up a bookmark in your browser that clears NYT cookies. Click it whenever you run out of articles, and voila — 20 more free ones.
How to play nytimes games for free? ›Play Tiles in the Games app or online at nytimes.com/puzzles/tiles. You can play Tiles with or without a subscription, for a fixed amount of plays each day. The tile set used to generate the game rotates each day.
How to get better at New York Times crossword puzzle clue? ›- Start With the Monday Puzzles. tl;dr: Mondays are the easiest and they get harder as the week goes on. ...
- Practice Makes, If Not Perfect, a Much Better Solver. ...
- Find Your 'Gimmes' ...
- Photo. ...
- Photo. ...
- Photo. ...
- Take a Break if You Get Stuck. ...
- Solve With a Friend.
Free to download, the app offers new puzzles daily for every skill level. There are never any ads to disrupt the fun in the New York Times Games app, so you can play without distraction. Looking for a classic word game?
Where are the Sunday Times puzzles? ›The Sunday Times weekly cryptic and concise puzzles are also available free as part of your subscription and can be found in the Brain Power section of the Sunday Times website. Where can I find other Times crosswords, such as the Saturday jumbos and the Listener?
What is the most used word in crossword puzzles? ›“ERA” is the most common word in crossword puzzles, as well as “ARE,” “AREA,” and “ORE,” according to Gaffney.
What is the easiest day for the New York Times crossword? ›
In case you didn't know, the daily New York Times Crossword has a difficulty curve as the week goes on. Monday is the easiest puzzle, and then Tuesday is a little harder, climbing up to Saturday, which is the hardest day of the week.
Are crossword puzzles good for your brain? ›In fact, 37% of those doing crossword puzzles did show at least a two-point improvement. This means that crossword puzzles can improve thinking and memory almost as much as an FDA-approved memory-enhancing medication.
How much is a New York Times crossword subscription? ›Enjoy all of The Times.
Your payment method will automatically be charged in advance the introductory offer rate of $6 every 4 weeks for 1 year, and after 1 year the standard rate of $25 every 4 weeks.
You can access the puzzles through NYTimes.com or by opening puzzles that you have saved on your computer. You can access the puzzles directly through NYTimes.com by going directly to the The New York Times Crossword page. There, you can choose either Today's Puzzle, or Recent Puzzles.
How much is the New York Times crossword puzzle? ›The New York Times: Digital and Home Delivery Subscriptions. Get unlimited News access for $1 a week. You can cancel anytime.
How to get past times paywall? ›- 1 Try Incognito mode to bypass a soft paywall.
- 2 Install Postlight Reader for Chrome or Edge.
- 3 Try Reader Mode on your device.
- 4 Try 12ft.io in any browser.
- 5 View the archived version of the site or article.
- 6 Paste the headline into Google.
- Click on the New York Times Digital code redemption link on the SF Library page.
- Click Redeem to get 72 hours of continuous access.
- Register with your personal email address, or click on “log in here” if you have already created an account.
Payment varies based on the day of the week and number of puzzles you've had published with The New York Times.
How can a student get a free NYT subscription? ›- Click on "Register" to create a NYTimes.com account using your school email address. ( ...
- At the bottom of the Welcome page, click "Continue."
- You will then see "Check your email." Look for the message, Confirm Your Email Address, which should arrive within 15 minutes.
Students and staff can access New York Times articles from 1851 through today in the following library subscription databases, found in the Databases By Title list on the Library Homepage. Advantages of using library databases to access the New York Times include: unlimited number of simultaneous users.
Are NYT accounts free? ›
Access the New York Times online for FREE! Whether you're a student or faculty/staff, discover original, quality journalism that helps you understand the world — and make the most of every part of life.
What is the most famous NYT crossword? ›Perhaps the most famous is the November 5, 1996, puzzle by Jeremiah Farrell, published on the day of the U.S. presidential election, which has been featured in the movie Wordplay and the book The Crossword Obsession by Coral Amende, as well as discussed by Peter Jennings on ABC News, featured on CNN, and elsewhere.
How many people solve the New York Times crossword puzzle clue? ›The New York Times Crossword is a daily ritual for puzzle solvers. Along with the Crossword, the portfolio of digital puzzles reaches more than two million solvers each month.
What does a dash mean in a crossword clue? ›You've probably noticed that some of the clues are nothing but dashes, and the entries for those clues are not numbered. Those are not production errors. The dashes represent the end of the entry after we've added the SUN back to the entry on the other side of it. Let's take a look at 20A.
Can I play New York Times Wordle for free? ›Free to download, the app offers puzzles for every level so you can steadily improve your skills.
Is the Times puzzle app free? ›How do I access The Times Puzzles? - Free trial offer is for new customers only. - At the end of the free trial offer, you will be charged to your iTunes account automatically unless auto-renew is disabled at least 24 hours before that time. - You can cancel anytime.
How do I install The New York Times game Wordle? ›Open Google Chrome. Navigate to Wordle's homepage https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html. Click the three vertical dots in the upper right to access the overflow menu. Tap on Add to Home screen > Add.
What is the hardest puzzles in the world? ›- Overall Choice. The Clearly Impossible Puzzle 100 Pieces - Clear Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle - False Edge Pieces - Clear Hard Puzzle - 100 Piece. ...
- 1,000 to 1,999. Bgraamiens Puzzle-The Lines -1000 Pieces Black and White Simple Fashion Challenge Blue Board Jigsaw Puzzles. ...
- 500 to 999.
The Rubik's Cube, originally called the "Magic Cube" is a a 3-D mechanical twisty puzzle invented and licensed by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Erno Rubik in 1974.
What time does the Sunday crossword come out? ›Puzzles are published weekly on Sundays at 9pm ET. Are puzzles the same in the print magazine and online? Yes. New puzzles that appear in the magazine appear online.
What is the most common letter in crosswords? ›
In crossword puzzles, S was the most frequent consonant and the third most frequent 1etter (after E and A). By contrast, most crypt ologists agre,e that in general writing T is the most frequent consonant, and the second most frequent letter.
What was the first word in the first ever crossword? ›Wynne's puzzle has one word already filled in—“fun,” the name of the newspaper section in which the puzzle was published. The clues are slightly different—instead of “across” and “down,” the clues say the numbers of the starting and ending boxes of that word.
What is the average time for a crossword puzzle? ›Top solvers can complete a Sunday Times crossword, on average, in 8-12 minutes.
What is the fastest crossword puzzle time? ›15 year old Deepika Ravichandran, a junior at the University High School of Science and Engineering, is the fastest puzzler on the planet, logging in at 13 minutes and seven seconds to complete the official Guinness puzzle on May 9. Her time beats the current record of 13 minutes and 14 seconds.
What does FR mean in crossword clue? ›Identifying an Abbreviation in a Clue
Most of the time, abbreviations have a period at the end of two to three letters. Some common crossword abbreviations include: Fr. – French.
The daily puzzles are arranged in graded difficulty from Monday (easiest) through Saturday (hardest). The Sunday puzzle, which is larger—typically 21x21, vs 15x15 for the daily—is said to have a difficulty equivalent to about Thursday.
Do puzzles prevent dementia? ›The take-home message: While there isn't firm evidence yet, brain training with things like computer games or crossword puzzles may help to prevent and slow the progression of cognitive decline. Managing blood pressure and staying physically active are also encouraging ways to prevent and manage dementia.
Do puzzles help with dementia? ›Puzzles are an excellent way for seniors with dementia to strengthen cognition, reduce agitation, and promote a feeling of accomplishment. They can also be a fun way for family or caregivers to engage with their loved one.
Do puzzles exercise your brain? ›Working on a puzzle reinforces connections between brain cells, improves mental speed and is an effective way to improve short-term memory. Puzzles increase the production of dopamine, a chemical that regulates mood, memory, and concentration. Dopamine is released with every success as we solve the puzzle.
What is last Greek letter? ›Note: In the Greek alphabet, α is the first letter and ω is the last letter. This is different from the Latin alphabet where a and z are the first and last letter, respectively.
Is Daily crossword free? ›
Welcome to our free daily crossword puzzles. Follow the clues and attempt to fill in all the puzzle's squares.
How much does a basic nyt subscription cost? ›Choose the subscription that's right for you. Cancel or pause anytime. Billed as $6 every 4 weeks for the first year.
Is the nyt crossword easy? ›Solving a New York Times crossword is not easy, but it should be satisfying. Even if you only get a few answers the first few times, keep on solving. It just gets easier – and better – from there. But don't limit yourself.
What is the best free alternative to NYT crossword? ›- Black Ink Crossword Puzzles. ...
- Across Lite. Free Personal • Proprietary. ...
- BeCrossword. Paid • Proprietary. ...
- Crosswords. Freemium • Proprietary. ...
- Fill-In Crosswords. Freemium • Proprietary. ...
- Crossword Puzzle Free. Freemium • Proprietary. ...
- Daily Quick Crossword Puzzles. Free • Proprietary. ...
- Penny Dell Crosswords. Free • Proprietary.
So what exactly is a REBUS? “A 'rebus' in a crossword is anything that gets entered in a square that's not a single letter of the alphabet. Typically, rebuses are parts of themes,” Mr.
Is there a nyt crossword every day? ›Puzzle Availability
Each daily crossword puzzle is available for New York Times Games subscribers the evening before it appears in the print edition. On weekdays, the puzzle is available at 10 p.m. EST. On weekends, the puzzle is available at 6 p.m. EST.
The average pay for a Crossword Puzzle Maker is $75,102 a year and $36 an hour in the United States. The average salary range for a Crossword Puzzle Maker is between $52,947 and $91,099.
Are books in crossword expensive? ›Books on Amazon or any such online store which are of way lesser MRP from the ones sold in the bookstore, aren't original. For example, I got a Haruki Murakami book, Norwegian Woods, for about 230 bucks. Where as same book in a high-end bookstore like Crossword will cost you 1000 or more.
How much does the New York Times crossword app cost? ›Enjoy all of The Times.
Your payment method will automatically be charged in advance the introductory offer rate of $6 every 4 weeks for 1 year, and after 1 year the standard rate of $25 every 4 weeks. Your subscription will continue until you cancel.
About The New York Times Crossword
New York Times Crosswords app is available for free to download on iOS and Android devices.
Can I get The Times crossword online? ›
Your digital subscription includes free access to interactive and print versions of the daily cryptic and concise puzzles which are publshed in The Times, Monday to Friday.
Is there an app for New York Times Wordle? ›New York Times Games is excited to announce that solvers can now play Wordle on The New York Times Crossword app for iOS and Android devices. Players will also be able to save their stats and streaks with a free New York Times account, allowing them to pick up where they left off on any device.
Is NYT crossword free with subscription? ›Home delivery subscribers receive free access to Premium Crosswords. Play now , or go to the home delivery website to register your subscription for free access.
What is the best newspaper for crosswords? ›The New York Times is the holy grail for crossword puzzlers.
Is The New York Times app free? ›The app is free to download. The world, reported. Read, watch and listen to original reporting by 1,700 journalists in over 160 countries. From breaking news and live updates to investigations and cultural commentary, The New York Times app helps you understand the events shaping the world.
What is the best free crossword solver app? ›- The Crossword & Anagram Solver. Price: Free / $1.99-$2.99.
- Crossword Solver. Price: Free / $0.99.
- Crossword Clue Solver. Price: Free.
- Crossword Heaven. Price: Free.
- Crossword Solver. Price: Free.
- Dictionary.com. Price: Free.
- Google Search. Price: Free.
- Wordplays. Price: Free.
BestCrosswords.com is the largest supplier of free crossword puzzles on the web, publishing 15 grids daily from an archive of more 100,000. You can play in your web browser, smartphone, tablet or print in high resolution. No registration required.
Are crosswords good for your brain? ›In fact, 37% of those doing crossword puzzles did show at least a two-point improvement. This means that crossword puzzles can improve thinking and memory almost as much as an FDA-approved memory-enhancing medication.