NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for February 2, 2002

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

Saturday, February 2, 2002

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 4:08 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Saturday, February 2, 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.

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

Across clues & answers

1
Book after Galatians: Abbr.
4
Spout
7
Fixed
13
"___ star was glintin out aboon" (old poem start)
14
Coach Parseghian
15
Heartbeat
16
Inauguration participant
18
Turns up
19
Sleeping
21
Belongings
22
Fruitcakes
23
Exam giver, maybe
26
Different
27
Acapulco gold
28
1957 #1 song
30
Snow bringer
34
Breathless condition
36
Where vicuñas roam
37
Big decision time
41
Tree similar to a cottonwood
42
Schedule abbr.
43
Make a dent in
46
Backstairs
47
"Bravo!"
49
Screenplay direction
50
1927 #1 song
54
Warming
56
Spanish cowboy
57
A little of this, a little of that
58
Earthlink competitor
59
German newspaper ___ Bild
60
Weigh
61
Old Pontiac LeMans
62
Funny

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

Friday, February 1, 2002

across

1. It may be filled with gunpowder: TEACUP
7. Cleaned out: EMPTIED
14. Like cult rituals: ARCANE
15. Dangerous singer: LORELEI
16. Deli order: REUBEN
17. Put off: REPELLED
18. Opening on Broadway: ACTI
19. Result of ruling: LINES
20. W.W. II weapons: STENS
22. Gelling agents in foods: AGARS
23. They make periodical changes: Abbr.: EDS
26. Seedeater, say: FINCH
28. Spy's quest: SECRET
30. They may be taken on the chin: UPPERCUTS
34. Florentine exiled in 1302: DANTE
35. Year in Edward the Confessor's reign: MLIV
36. Way to walk: ONAIR
38. Per ___: DIEM
39. Sources of woe: BANES
41. Lizzie Borden's cause célèbre: AXMURDERS
43. Petrol units: LITRES
45. Supplication starter: IPRAY
46. Some dashes: ENS
47. One bit: ATALL
49. "I don't buy it!": PSHAW
53. Go (forth): SALLY
54. Fabulous loser: HARE
55. South American strangler: ANACONDA
59. Snowy race setting: ALASKA
61. Never: NOTONCE
62. It's in a jam: PECTIN
63. One who does windows: DRESSER
64. Amusement arcade items: TOKENS

down

1. Fictional Cossack ___ Bulba: TARAS
2. Not at ease, perhaps: ERECT
3. Like some French accents: ACUTE
4. It may drive you to get out: CABINFEVER
5. Article in le journal: UNE
6. Crib: PEN
7. Likhovtseva of tennis: ELENA
8. Blue bunch: MOPERS
9. Lacking wrinkles: PRESSED
10. Rolodex abbr.: TEL
11. Advised leader?: ILL
12. Shoe designation: EEE
13. Executed: DID
17. It's not left underarm: RIGHTAXILLA
19. Gap: LACUNA
21. "Hey, mister!": SIR
23. Bud Grace comic strip character: ERNIE
24. Block: DETER
25. Blocks: STEMS
27. Barracks V.I.P.: NCO
29. Chase scenes abound in this movie: CADDYSHACK
30. Like Uriah Heep: UMBLE
31. Vanilla: PLAIN
32. Pub orders: PINTS
33. Just: SIMPLY
37. Man-vs.-machine play: RUR
40. Annual quartet: SEASONS
42. Hammer: RAP
44. Golf lesson topic: STANCE
48. Charcoal wood: ALDER
50. Bad thing to make a decision in: HASTE
51. "100 Centre Street" star: ARKIN
52. Makes less dependent: WEANS
55. Conjunction: AND
56. Conjunction: NOR
57. Had: ATE
58. Firms: Abbr.: COS
59. Inclined: APT
60. The Sickle is in it: LEO

Hints and full breakdown for Feb 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.