NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for July 17, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Thursday, July 17, 2008. 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
- 10
- 26
- 46
- 60
- 71
Down clues & answers
- 10
- 31
- 47
- 54
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
across
- 1. 1889 Jerome K. Jerome comedy novel: THREEMENINABOAT
- 16. Undesirable alternatives: HORNSOFADILEMMA
- 17. Bear, in old Rome: URSUS
- 18. Some feds: TMEN
- 19. Bill: BEAK
- 20. See note: MT
- 21. Office rewards: RAISES
- 23. Carlo who married Sophia Loren: PONTI
- 24. Anne who married Henry VIII: BOLEYN
- 26. Not guzzle: SIP
- 27. See note: TN
- 28. New Orleans-to-Indianapolis dir.: NNE
- 29. Put into office: Var.: ENSTATE
- 33. Gas pump abbr.: REG
- 34. Cry interrupting a prank: AHA
- 35. Bank book entry: DEPOSIT
- 36. Schubert's "The ___ King": ERL
- 37. Comparative suffix: IER
- 38. Like a certain route: RURAL
- 39. "You mean me?": MOI
- 40. Telecom setup: LAN
- 41. More, it's sometimes said: MERRIER
- 43. Langley, e.g.: Abbr.: AFB
- 44. Yearbook div.: SRS
- 45. Indulge: CATERTO
- 46. Something with this is not neat: ICE
- 47. See note: KS
- 48. Game piece in Hasbro's The Game of Life: CAR
- 49. One who knows what's suitable?: TAILOR
- 51. Alternative to "take out": EATIN
- 53. Young haddocks: SCRODS
- 56. See note: UT
- 57. Jefferson bills: TWOS
- 58. Classic TV role for Ronny Howard: OPIE
- 59. Beautiful woman of paradise: HOURI
- 61. Dessert not for the calorie-conscious: CHOCOLATEMOUSSE
- 64. Some awards for accomplishment: HONORARYDEGREES
down
- 1. Outline: THUMBNAILSKETCH
- 2. Whence the line "A person's a person, no matter how small": HORTONHEARSAWHO
- 3. Purview of the I.C.C.: RRS
- 4. Accustom (to): ENURE
- 5. Made an effort: ESSAYED
- 6. See note: MO
- 7. Certain newts: EFTS
- 8. Finger: NAME
- 9. Time of danger: IDES
- 10. "Delta of Venus" author: NIN
- 11. See note: AL
- 12. Swing alternative: BEBOP
- 13. Warning sign: OMEN
- 14. Something customary: AMATTEROFCOURSE
- 15. Pushing beyond proper limits: TAKINGLIBERTIES
- 22. Superior canal locale: INNEREAR
- 23. Painter Mondrian: PIET
- 25. Overhears, perhaps: LEARNS
- 26. Heel style: STILETTO
- 30. Short burst: SPURT
- 31. Joe who was twice A.L. Manager of the Year: TORRE
- 32. Light ___: ASAIR
- 33. Forward: REMAIL
- 41. Footwear giant Thom ___: MCAN
- 42. One who won't move over: ROADHOG
- 48. 1973 War hit "The ___ Kid": CISCO
- 50. "God ___ refuge" (start of Psalm 46): ISOUR
- 52. Pixar drawing: TOON
- 53. Not really fight: SPAR
- 54. Part of a mileage rating: CITY
- 55. Shoot in a swamp: REED
- 58. Pay extender?: OLA
- 60. Service: USE
- 62. See note: OR
- 63. See note: ME
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.