NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for January 8, 2002

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

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

Tuesday, January 8, 2002

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 4:09 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Tuesday, January 8, 2002. 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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Previous The Crossword answer

Monday, January 7, 2002

across

1. Speaker's platform: DAIS
5. Thailand, once: SIAM
9. Used a broom: SWEPT
14. "Tickle me" doll: ELMO
15. Part of S.R.O.: ONLY
16. Spine-tingling: EERIE
17. 1966 Beach Boys hit: WOULDNTITBENICE
20. Possible reply to "Will you take out the trash?": YESDEAR
21. Chinese restaurant drink: HOTTEA
22. Class head: PROF
24. Seek the affection of: WOO
25. Morse code bits: DASHES
29. U.S./U.K. divider: ATL
31. Back of the neck: NAPE
35. Actor Hawke: ETHAN
36. It'll knock you out: ETHER
38. Neon or freon: GAS
39. Was completely indifferent: COULDNTCARELESS
42. Last word in the Pledge of Allegiance: ALL
43. Fine sheet material: SATIN
44. "The Divine Comedy" poet: DANTE
45. Sixth word in the Pledge of Allegiance: FLAG
47. Gangster's gun: GAT
48. "The Joy Luck Club" writer: AMYTAN
49. Fraternity letter: ETA
51. Long ago: YORE
53. Have in mind: INTEND
56. February 29: LEAPDAY
61. Comment from a recipient of an extravagant gift: YOUSHOULDNTHAVE
63. "Tomorrow" musical: ANNIE
64. "Star Wars" princess: LEIA
65. Steel ingredient: IRON
66. Adhesive: PASTE
67. Tells it like it isn't: LIES
68. Microscope part: LENS

down

1. Moist in the morning: DEWY
2. Hand lotion ingredient: ALOE
3. Radio host Don: IMUS
4. Auctioneer's final word: SOLD
5. Submarine detection systems: SONARS
6. Foreword: INTRO
7. Rope-a-dope boxer: ALI
8. Legendary story: MYTH
9. Take care of: SEETO
10. Continued: WENTON
11. Buffalo's lake: ERIE
12. Type size: PICA
13. Golf bag item: TEE
18. Relies (upon): DEPENDS
19. Derby hat: BOWLER
23. Where Easy Street is?: FATCITY
25. Coffee order: DECAF
26. Lagoon surrounder: ATOLL
27. Longtime Dolphins coach Don: SHULA
28. "2001" computer: HAL
30. Lighter ___ air: THAN
32. Insurance seller: AGENT
33. It might be cooked al dente: PASTA
34. Ruhr Valley city: ESSEN
36. ___ Kett of old comics: ETTA
37. Beef, e.g.: REDMEAT
40. 1998 Winter Olympics site: NAGANO
41. Put down: LAY
46. Understands: GETSIT
48. Sites for fights: ARENAS
50. Giggle: TEHEE
52. Blast from the past: OLDIE
53. New Rochelle college: IONA
54. Women in habits: NUNS
55. Uninteresting: DULL
57. Pop singer Collins: PHIL
58. Truth or ___ (slumber party game): DARE
59. Stratford's river: AVON
60. Desires: YENS
61. Pound sound: YAP
62. Luau souvenir: LEI

Hints and full breakdown for Jan 7

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.