NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for March 19, 2004

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

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

Friday, March 19, 2004

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 3:55 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Friday, March 19, 2004. 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.

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

Across clues & answers

Down clues & answers

1
"Hit me," in blackjack
2
Like some salads
3
Bit of football gear
4
1977 double-platinum Steely Dan album
5
A to Z, for one
6
Loan security
7
Envious wit's remark
8
"___ of the North" (1922 film)
9
Total
10
Paws
11
Alabama's Civil Rights Memorial architect
12
Enliven
13
Furniture worker
14
Cries out loud
21
Novel subtitled "A Peep at Polynesian Life"
24
Hype
25
Drudge
28
Light ring
30
Some pintfuls
31
U.S.S.R. successor
32
Lush
34
Infection-fighting drug
35
More than cool
36
International young men's club
37
Become payable
39
Shake up
40
Hors d'oeuvres
41
Most provocative
43
Many
46
Cunning
47
Someone ___ (not ours)
48
Cub Scouts leader
50
Something to explain your way through
53
Ties
55
Semi

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Previous The Crossword answer

Thursday, March 18, 2004

across

1. Run up: AMASS
6. Building block: ADOBE
11. It's a mess: STY
14. Range orphan: DOGIE
15. Oscar winner Zellweger: RENEE
16. "This ___ shall pass": TOO
17. Hippo tail?: DROME
18. Zoo for newborns?: NATALPARK
20. Ceremonial drumstick?: LEGOFHONOR
22. Suffix with sermon: ETTE
23. Stretch out: LIE
24. "A Taste for Death" author: PDJAMES
26. Fall behind in a race: LOSETIME
31. Police blotter abbr.: AKA
32. Best friend's dinner, maybe: ALPO
33. Musical selection: NUMBER
36. Racing initials: STP
39. Liquid ___ (refrigerant): NEON
40. By hook or by crook, e.g.: IDIOM
41. Plains tribe: OTOE
42. Camera ___ (film festival prize): DOR
43. Pounding tool: PESTLE
44. Folk singer Seeger: PETE
45. Cable giant: TBS
47. Wizard: SORCERER
49. 1950's Firedomes: DESOTOS
53. "Charge" missing from 18-, 20-, 55- and 61-Across, and 11- and 28-Down: ION
54. "Wishing won't make ___": ITSO
55. Plum permit?: PURPLEPASS
61. Popular pen pitcher?: THEBICMAN
63. Scamp: ROGUE
64. Quirk: TIC
65. Soccer great Maradona: DIEGO
66. Oil holder: CRUET
67. When Can. celebrates Thanksgiving: OCT
68. Sound some strings: STRUM
69. Nations Unies members: ETATS

down

1. Extra: Abbr.: ADDL
2. Extra: MORE
3. Like a kid at the circus: AGOG
4. Buck: SIMOLEON
5. Deem appropriate: SEEFIT
6. Florence's river: ARNO
7. Unsuccessful candidate in the 2004 primaries: DEAN
8. Ahead of the pack: ONTOP
9. Amish growth: BEARD
10. Sushi stock: EEL
11. Actuary?: STATMASTER
12. Nutty cake: TORTE
13. Couples: YOKES
19. Point on a line graph: PEAK
21. Bottom, slangily: HEINIE
25. Cookie holder: JAR
26. Domain: LAND
27. Blue Bonnet, e.g.: OLEO
28. Athlete worshipers?: SPORTSSECT
29. Some spa mixtures: MUDS
30. Issues: EMITS
34. Single-edged knife: BOLO
35. First name in cooking: EMERIL
37. Lug: TOTE
38. Equal: PEER
41. International trade place: OPENPORT
43. S.F. hours: PST
46. Nitwit: BOOB
48. Make do: COERCE
49. Mark of conformity?: DITTO
50. Work ___: ETHIC
51. Footnote abbr.: OPCIT
52. So-called "cradle of civilization": SUMER
56. Sauce brand: RAGU
57. ___-Penh: PNOM
58. The rain in Spain: AGUA
59. Tallow source: SUET
60. Some volleyball hits: SETS
62. Bar-goers' needs: IDS

Hints and full breakdown for Mar 18

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.