NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for April 24, 2002

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

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

Wednesday, April 24, 2002

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 4:07 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Wednesday, April 24, 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

Tuesday, April 23, 2002

across

1. Light bulb unit: WATT
5. Up and about: ASTIR
10. Gung-ho: AVID
14. Like a 911 call: Abbr.: EMER
15. Captain Nemo's creator: VERNE
16. Playing with a full deck: SANE
17. Group of packers?: BOXINGRING
19. High school breakout: ACNE
20. Tiny bit: TRACE
21. Afrikaner: BOER
22. Heavy smoker's voice, maybe: RASP
23. Use for expensive wood: VENEER
25. Summer show, often: RERUN
27. Certain sports event: PROAM
30. Not on the up and up?: TILTED
33. They may be picked up in bars: TABS
36. ___ McAn shoes: THOM
38. Casals's instrument: CELLO
39. Friend of François: AMI
40. Group of freezer repairers?: ICEPACK
42. The Buckeyes, briefly: OSU
43. You use gray ones: CELLS
45. Think (over): MULL
46. Have the lead: STAR
47. Borrowed: ONLOAN
49. Michelangelo masterpiece: PIETA
51. Toys on strings: YOYOS
53. Closing number: FINALE
57. Down with something: SICK
59. Hostilities ender: PACT
62. Newsman Newman: EDWIN
63. Buddies: PALS
64. Group of masseurs?: RUBBERBAND
66. Fluish feeling: AGUE
67. N.B.A.'s Shaquille: ONEAL
68. Nonsmoking ___: AREA
69. After-bath wear: ROBE
70. Humor columnist Dave: BARRY
71. Lady's man: GENT

down

1. Modern news and entertainment source: WEBTV
2. Dean Martin's "That's ___": AMORE
3. George Bush, for one: TEXAN
4. Arm muscle: TRICEPS
5. Student's stat.: AVG
6. Belgrade native: SERB
7. The Magi, e.g.: TRIO
8. ___ circle: INNER
9. Wish undone: REGRET
10. Usually: ASARULE
11. Group of airheads?: VACANTLOT
12. Rural retreats: INNS
13. Like a billionaire's pockets: DEEP
18. ___-do-well: NEER
24. Some campus marchers: Abbr.: ROTC
26. "Casablanca" cafe owner: RICK
28. Interrupter's word: AHEM
29. Clean, as a spill: MOPUP
31. Designer Schiaparelli: ELSA
32. Sullen: DOUR
33. Crunchy munchie: TACO
34. End of grace: AMEN
35. Group of male goats?: BILLYCLUB
37. Timbuktu's land: MALI
40. "My word!": ISAY
41. Staff symbol: CLEF
44. Visual survey: LOOKSEE
46. Bank fortifier: SANDBAG
48. "Piece of cake!": NOPROB
50. Seating section: TIER
52. Spa spot: SAUNA
54. With it: AWARE
55. Some bedding: LINEN
56. Conclude by: ENDAT
57. Practice punching: SPAR
58. "Othello" villain: IAGO
60. Smokey spotter: CBER
61. Way uphill: TBAR
65. Noted cathedral town: ELY

Hints and full breakdown for Apr 23

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.