NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for May 2, 2001

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

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

Wednesday, May 2, 2001

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 4:13 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Wednesday, May 2, 2001. 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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Previous The Crossword answer

Tuesday, May 1, 2001

across

1. Helpful hints: TIPS
5. Head off: AVERT
10. Greater likeliness to win: EDGE
14. High draft rating: ONEA
15. Home of La Scala: MILAN
16. "Hercules" TV spinoff: XENA
17. Homework excuse #1: ILEFTITONTHEBUS
20. River embankment: LEVEE
21. Additionally: AND
22. Pretentious, as a display: ARTSY
23. Breastbone: STERNUM
25. News item for a scrapbook: OBIT
27. Wide-brimmed hat: SKIMMER
29. 401(k) alternative: IRA
32. Financial predicament: HOLE
36. Dos preceder: UNO
37. Nike rival: ADIDAS
39. Homework excuse #2: ABURGLARSTOLEIT
42. Bob Marley's music: REGGAE
43. S.A.T. administrator: ETS
44. Composer Schifrin: LALO
45. Easter egg application: DYE
46. Winter Olympics races: SLALOMS
49. Radio-active driver: CBER
50. Newscast segment: WEATHER
55. Sunny farewell: ALOHA
58. Civil War side: Abbr.: CSA
60. Tabriz resident: IRANI
61. Homework excuse #3: MYDOGCHEWEDITUP
64. Prissy: PRIM
65. Corporate department: LEGAL
66. Big copper exporter: PERU
67. Flow slowly: SEEP
68. Dental records: XRAYS
69. Get ready, for short: PREP

down

1. Works hard: TOILS
2. Arm of the sea: INLET
3. Annoy: PEEVE
4. "60 Minutes" reporter: SAFER
5. Bordeaux beau: AMI
6. Popular antioxidant: VITAMINA
7. Carolina college: ELON
8. Like an "eeny meeny, miney, mo" selection: RANDOM
9. AOL Time Warner network: TNT
10. Bring to bear: EXERT
11. Red ink: DEBT
12. Bearded beasts: GNUS
13. Like falling off a log: EASY
18. Till compartment: TENS
19. Bob, e.g.: HAIRDO
24. Tiny Tim's instrument: UKULELE
26. "I have no idea!": BEATSME
28. Certain mushroom: MOREL
29. Flash of inspiration: IDEA
30. Commuter line: RAIL
31. Concerning: ASTO
32. Stony: HARD
33. Toe the line: OBEY
34. Winter Olympics vehicle: LUGE
35. Joule fraction: ERG
38. Feeling off: ILL
40. Chatterbox: GASBAG
41. Groucho, in "Monkey Business": STOWAWAY
47. William Tell, e.g.: ARCHER
48. Remarked: SAID
49. Eat like a horse: CHOMP
51. "Tubby the Tuba" lyricist Paul: TRIPP
52. Misanthrope: HATER
53. Become accustomed (to): ENURE
54. Tear to shreds: RIPUP
55. Word on a fuse: AMPS
56. Orpheus's instrument: LYRE
57. Garfield's foil: ODIE
59. Nintendo competitor: SEGA
62. XX times VIII: CLX
63. Overhead trains: ELS

Hints and full breakdown for May 1

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.