NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for May 30, 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Sunday, May 30, 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.
Across clues & answers
- 31
- 39
- 72
- 95
- 112
- 120
- 121
Down clues & answers
- 14
- 16
- 41
- 52
- 58
- 81
- 99
- 105
- 106
- 109
- 113
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Saturday, May 29, 2004
across
- 1. Good clean fun?: BUBBLEBATH
- 11. Bolted: SHUT
- 15. Typical Scarlatti work: OPERASERIA
- 16. Bar ___: NONE
- 17. Public relations people: ADVANCEMEN
- 18. Leading ammunition maker: OLIN
- 19. Film featuring Slinky Dog and Hamm the Pig: TOYSTORY
- 20. Waste time: DAWDLE
- 22. One of a matched pair, maybe: HERS
- 23. Henpecks: CARPSAT
- 24. Mount ___, highest peak in the Rockies: ELBERT
- 27. Most sexually alluring: FOXIEST
- 28. Pick up from school: LEARN
- 29. Was older than: FOREDATED
- 31. Regrettable: SAD
- 32. Tosses it in: FOLDS
- 33. Pulse quickener, say: IRE
- 34. They snip and clip: EDGETOOLS
- 37. TV show created by Steven Bochco: LALAW
- 39. Fine: PENALTY
- 40. In an ugly way: FOULLY
- 41. Able to bear: FERTILE
- 42. Pink-slip: BOOT
- 43. Castel Sant'___ (Roman museum): ANGELO
- 44. Ajar: HALFOPEN
- 48. Old nick: SCAR
- 49. Carnival game played with a mallet: WHACKAMOLE
- 51. Proctor's call: TIME
- 52. Drinks made with mixers: MILKSHAKES
- 53. Husky burden: SLED
- 54. They're full of life: ECOSYSTEMS
down
- 1. Salt holder: BOAT
- 2. Beehive, e.g.: UPDO
- 3. Multitude: BEVY
- 4. More impudent: BRASHER
- 5. Light case: LANTERN
- 6. Ford model introduced in 1981: ESCORT
- 7. What "Britney Spears" means in rhyming slang: BEERS
- 8. It may go into action: ARMY
- 9. Even finish: TIE
- 10. Stone Age relics: HANDAXES
- 11. Stir-fry tidbit: SNOWPEA
- 12. Freezes: HOLDSSTILL
- 13. Done on one side: UNILATERAL
- 14. Precept: TENET
- 21. Bone-dry: ARID
- 23. Some trousers: CORDS
- 24. "Anything ___" (Woody Allen film): ELSE
- 25. Number 2, e.g.: LEADPENCIL
- 26. Cheating-woman-with-an-angry-husband con: BADGERGAME
- 27. Unwise undertaking: FOLLY
- 29. Historical author seen on PBS's "The Civil War": FOOTE
- 30. ___-eyed (naive): DEWY
- 32. Restaurant hostess's command: FOLLOWME
- 35. Typed in: ENTERED
- 36. Final portion: TAIL
- 37. Scrubbers: LOOFAHS
- 38. Retro restaurant: AUTOMAT
- 40. Like Ma and Pa Kettle: FOLKSY
- 41. Some religious observances: FASTS
- 42. Bets on: BACKS
- 44. Good sign?: HALO
- 45. Stick: POKE
- 46. Low-grade?: Abbr.: ELEM
- 47. 1987 Costner role: NESS
- 50. Coca-Cola drink brand: HIC
More daily puzzle hints
- WordleGuess the five-letter word in six triesGuide & tips
- ConnectionsSort 16 words into four hidden groupsGuide & tips
- StrandsFind the themed words hidden in a letter gridGuide & tips
- Spelling BeeMake words from seven letters around a center letterGuide & tips
- Mini CrosswordA bite-size crossword you can finish over coffeeGuide & tips
- Connections: Sports EditionConnections with a sports-only word poolGuide & tips
- Letter BoxedChain words around a square using all 12 lettersGuide & tips
- Midi CrosswordThe mid-size crossword between the Mini and the dailyGuide & tips
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.