NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for May 15, 2001

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

Tuesday, May 15, 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 Tuesday, May 15, 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.

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

Across clues & answers

Down clues & answers

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Previous The Crossword answer

Monday, May 14, 2001

across

1. Louisville Sluggers: BATS
5. Computer text can be written in this: ASCII
10. Gen. Bradley: OMAR
14. Suffix with buck: AROO
15. Water pipes: MAINS
16. Pink, as a steak: RARE
17. Fishing hook: GAFF
18. Unlikely dog show winners: MUTTS
19. Cry of shock: EGAD
20. "Shhh!": BUTTONYOURLIP
23. Radio station in a 1970 Paul Newman title: WUSA
24. Frozen water: Ger.: EIS
25. See 28-Across: SNEAD
28. With 25-Across, three-time Masters champ: SAM
31. Timeless Christmas wish: PEACE
35. Booth Tarkington novel: PENROD
37. Barber's obstacle: EAR
39. Soup container: CAN
40. "Shhh!": ORDERINTHECOURT
44. "There! ___ Said It Again" (old song hit): IVE
45. Pot's partner: PAN
46. 2 or 3, to 6: FACTOR
47. Pigeon's perch: LEDGE
50. Mobil product: GAS
52. Happening place: SCENE
53. Naval initials: USS
55. This, in Havana: ESTA
57. "Shhh!": QUIETONTHESET
63. Hair roller result: CURL
64. "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" musical: EVITA
65. Not just a star: IDOL
67. Heloise offering: HINT
68. Expert group: PANEL
69. Meanie: OGRE
70. ___-bitsy: ITSY
71. Icy rain: SLEET
72. Putin's refusal: NYET

down

1. Word with punching or sleeping: BAG
2. Many a Mideasterner: ARAB
3. High-protein food: TOFU
4. Computer games, e.g.: SOFTWARE
5. Bullets and such: AMMOS
6. Places to wear towels: SAUNAS
7. Part of N.Y.C.: CITY
8. "What's gotten ___ you?": INTO
9. Any Time: ISSUE
10. Ultimatum phrase: ORELSE
11. Travelers to Bethlehem: MAGI
12. "I don't give ___!": ARAP
13. Scarlet: RED
21. Henry VIII's house: TUDOR
22. Yank (off): RIP
25. Grow moldy: SPOIL
26. Chutzpah: NERVE
27. Brought to a close: ENDED
29. Classic name in insurance: AETNA
30. ___-jongg: MAH
32. Urgent: ACUTE
33. Leslie of "Gigi": CARON
34. ___ nous: ENTRE
36. Potato chip accompaniment: DIP
38. Striped shirt wearer: REF
41. Complain, complain: NAG
42. Hindu social group: CASTE
43. Special time: OCCASION
48. Word that precedes a sentence?: GUILTY
49. 180° from WNW: ESE
51. Sofa: SETTEE
54. Stair parts: STEPS
56. Commandment verb: SHALT
57. Throw in the towel: QUIT
58. Vases: URNS
59. Many a toy train track: OVAL
60. Shop-opening time: NINE
61. On pins and needles: EDGY
62. Sped: TORE
63. Windy City, for short: CHI
66. Disappoint, with "down": LET

Hints and full breakdown for May 14

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.