NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for February 4, 1997

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Yes. Each date we have covered is in the crossword archive .

Tuesday, February 4, 1997

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 4:39 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Tuesday, February 4, 1997. The daily crossword is the classic: a 15×15 grid on weekdays and a larger Sunday puzzle, with difficulty rising from a gentle Monday to a fiendish Saturday. Hints come first and the solution stays hidden until you ask for it.

78 clues · jump to Across or Down. Tap a tile for one letter, or Answer for the whole word.

Across clues & answers

Down clues & answers

Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.

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Monday, February 3, 1997

across

1. Ravioli base: PASTA
6. Numbered hwys.: RTES
10. Nicholas was one: TSAR
14. Sour: ACERB
15. The Emerald Isle: EIRE
16. "What's ___ you?": ITTO
17. 18-wheelers: SEMIS
18. Communication means for computer-phobes: SNAILMAIL
20. Grotesque imitation: TRAVESTY
22. Eat like a rabbit: NIBBLE
23. Trees with cones: PINES
24. Tries again: RETESTS
25. Cornell's home: ITHACA
27. Passover event: SEDER
28. Spanish gold: ORO
29. Moral principle: ETHIC
31. Convened again: REMET
35. Eggheady sort: NERD
37. "Cheers!" in Cherbourg: SALUT
39. Dumb ___ (scatterbrain): DORA
40. Length of yarn: SKEIN
42. Spud: TATER
44. Q-U link: RST
45. Agrees (with): SIDES
47. Bang and buzz, e.g.: NOISES
49. Graphed: CHARTED
52. "Lorna ___" (1869 romance): DOONE
53. Reddish brown: AUBURN
54. Comes to light: SURFACES
57. Communication means at the office: GRAPEVINE
59. Eat away: ERODE
60. Once, once: ERST
61. Blue-pencil: EDIT
62. "The Thinker" creator: RODIN
63. Henna and others: DYES
64. Old newspaper section: ROTO
65. Sugary: SWEET

down

1. Auld lang syne, with "the": PAST
2. Perfect server: ACER
3. Communication means at sea: SEMAPHORE
4. "Jeopardy!" staple: TRIVIA
5. "___ makes the heart...": ABSENCE
6. Takes five: RESTS
7. Minuscule: TINY
8. Period of history: ERA
9. Trawled: SEINED
10. Having trees: TIMBERED
11. Knifes: STABS
12. Like Pisa's tower: ATILT
13. Parts: ROLES
19. Pepsi bottle size: LITER
21. Train reservations: SEATS
24. Split the cards again: RECUT
25. Charged particles: IONS
26. "Star ___": TREK
27. "___ Marner": SILAS
30. More than disliked: HATED
32. Communication means for emergencies: MORSECODE
33. Language spoken in Dingwall: ERSE
34. Does lacework: TATS
36. Upsets: DISRUPTS
38. Jose Carreras, for one: TENOR
41. British fertilizer: NITRE
43. Ones at the top of their business?: ROOFERS
46. Stapleton Airport site: DENVER
48. Lined up: INAROW
49. Pent up: CAGED
50. "Faster!": HURRY
51. Belittle: ABASE
52. Because of: DUETO
54. Tizzy: SNIT
55. Actress McClurg: EDIE
56. Faxed: SENT
58. Bachelor's last words: IDO

Hints and full breakdown for Feb 3

More daily puzzle hints

How the week is built

Monday and Tuesday: straightforward definitions and familiar answers. These are the best days to learn.
Wednesday: a step up, often with a playful theme.
Thursday: the trick day, with rebus squares (several letters in one square) and answers that turn corners or skip squares.
Friday and Saturday: themeless and tough, with sly clues and long open sections.
Sunday: a bigger 21×21 grid with a theme, about as hard as a Wednesday or Thursday.

Crossword-solving habits worth building

Learn the common fill. Short vowel-heavy words such as ERA, OREO, ALOE and ETNA appear constantly because they help constructors connect sections.
Read clue signals. "?" means wordplay, "Abbr." means an abbreviation, "e.g." means an example of a category, and a foreign word in the clue hints at a foreign answer.
Find the theme. The longest answers usually share a gimmick; the title (on Sundays) or a "revealer" clue explains it.
Erase without fear. When crossings don't work, the wrong letter is usually in the answer you were most confident about.
Use targeted help. Reveal one letter here, or try our crossword solver with a pattern like ?R?S?.

The Crossword FAQ

When is the next crossword released?

Weekday puzzles go live at 10 p.m. Eastern Time the night before; weekend puzzles are released earlier in the evening.

What is a rebus square?

A square that holds more than one letter. Sometimes it holds a whole word or a symbol. They are most common on Thursdays.

Which day is the hardest?

Saturday is generally the hardest, followed by Friday. Sunday is larger but closer to midweek difficulty.

Can I see past crossword answers?

Yes. Each date we have covered is in the crossword archive.