NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for September 18, 1997

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

Thursday, September 18, 1997

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 4:35 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Thursday, September 18, 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.

76 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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Wednesday, September 17, 1997

across

1. Grist for processors: DATA
5. Quizzes: ASKS
9. Hurt: ACHED
14. "L'___ c'est moi": Louis XIV: ETAT
15. Train transportation: RAIL
16. Word in a Yale song: BOOLA
17. Religious monster?: FAITHGILA
19. Sound louder than kerplop: SPLAT
20. Swimming pool problem: ALGAE
21. Athos, Porthos and Aramis, e.g.: NOMS
23. 1944 Pulitzer journalist: PYLE
24. It's rolled out at parties: TEACART
26. Wooden shoe: SABOT
28. 1940's Big-Band leader: KRUPA
30. Solidarnosc leader: WALESA
33. Chattering birds: DAWS
36. Not stiff: LIMP
38. Frothy: BARMY
39. Serpent's mark?: EVE
40. Popular men's magazine: DETAILS
42. Parisian way: RUE
43. "Mefistofele" composer: BOITO
45. Biology subj.: ANAT
46. Gets choked up: GAGS
47. Charles's "Gaslight" co-star, 1944: INGRID
49. "___ to bed": ANDSO
51. Solicit cash from: HITUP
53. Formation of bone: OSTOSIS
57. Spoils: SWAG
59. Cream of the crop: BEST
61. Junta's act: EDICT
62. Tigger's adopted mom: KANGA
64. Macho dance?: STUDPOLKA
66. Signed: INKED
67. Sound: TONE
68. December air: NOEL
69. Compote fruit: PEARS
70. Q-Tip: SWAB
71. In ___ (existing): ESSE

down

1. Make lean?: DEFAT
2. "I could ___ unfold...": "Hamlet": ATALE
3. Northern evergreen forests: TAIGA
4. Jumps on: ATTACKS
5. S.A. republic: ARG
6. Patron of bread?: SAINTPITA
7. Narc's catch, maybe: KILO
8. Putdowns: SLAMS
9. Tummy muscles: ABS
10. "Apocalypse Now" director: COPPOLA
11. Jerusalem?: HOLYTERRA
12. One way to get to Jerusalem: ELAL
13. Anniversary, e.g.: DATE
18. Take, as oral arguments: HEAR
22. Cut: SAW
25. Wear the crown: RULE
27. Barbara, to friends: BABS
29. Popular appliance maker: AMANA
31. Overproud: SMUG
32. Words said in passing?: AYES
33. Skater Thomas: DEBI
34. Shakespeare, the Bard of ___: AVON
35. Measure a pop singer?: WEIGHANKA
37. Musical fish?: PIANOTUNA
40. "Go ahead!": DOIT
41. Some old Fords: LTDS
44. Set off: TRIGGER
46. "Nice going!": GOODONE
48. Name: DUB
50. Kind of aerobics: STEP
52. Pains in the neck: PESTS
54. Farm towers: SILOS
55. F.D.R.'s Interior Secretary: ICKES
56. Several-days-old: STALE
57. Pass over: SKIP
58. Diminish: WANE
60. Pack away: STOW
63. TV breaks: ADS
65. Miss out?: DEB

Hints and full breakdown for Sep 17

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.