NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for May 1, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Tuesday, May 1, 2012. 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
Down clues & answers
- 13
- 33
- 47
- 54
- 55
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Monday, April 30, 2012
across
- 1. Fret: STEW
- 5. Singer/actress Midler: BETTE
- 10. Heading on a list of errands: TODO
- 14. Memo: NOTE
- 15. No turn may be allowed then, according to a sign: ONRED
- 16. Lab assistant in a horror film: IGOR
- 17. Face-to-face exam: ORAL
- 18. Group that includes North, South, East and West: BRIDGECLUB
- 20. Actor Thornton of "Sling Blade": BILLYBOB
- 22. Opposite of exits: ENTERS
- 23. Shower: RAIN
- 24. ___ fide: BONA
- 25. Carlsbad feature: CAVERN
- 28. Chesapeake Bay delicacy: BLUECRAB
- 32. Beelike: APIAN
- 33. Can of worms, say: BAIT
- 34. Singer Yoko: ONO
- 35. Writer Ayn and others: RANDS
- 36. Naval rank: Abbr.: ENS
- 37. Bare-bones: PLAIN
- 39. Frigid: ICY
- 40. Writing tablets: PADS
- 41. Dentist's directive: RINSE
- 42. Activity a puppy loves: BELLYRUB
- 45. Talked back to: SASSED
- 46. Currier and ___: IVES
- 47. Bit of bumper damage: DENT
- 48. Golden Delicious and others: APPLES
- 51. Service provided at Meineke and Pep Boys: BRAKEJOB
- 55. Sparring injury, perhaps: BRUISEDRIB
- 57. California wine valley: NAPA
- 58. Bygone Italian coins: LIRE
- 59. Artless: NAIVE
- 60. Hawaiian strings, informally: UKES
- 61. Ones giving or receiving alimony: EXES
- 62. Like some preppy jackets: TWEED
- 63. Eat like a bird: PECK
down
- 1. High-hatter: SNOB
- 2. Spelling of "90210": TORI
- 3. And others, for short: ETAL
- 4. Versed in the classics, say: WELLREAD
- 5. Certain spool: BOBBIN
- 6. Company with a spectacular 2001 bankruptcy: ENRON
- 7. Chicago daily, briefly, with "the": TRIB
- 8. Koppel or Kennedy: TED
- 9. Just beat, as in a competition: EDGEOUT
- 10. Something always sold in mint condition?: TICTAC
- 11. Eye amorously: OGLE
- 12. Sullen: DOUR
- 13. Heavenly bodies: ORBS
- 19. Feminine suffix: ENNE
- 21. Tall tales: YARNS
- 24. Seventh heaven: BLISS
- 25. West Indies native: CARIB
- 26. Rapidly: APACE
- 27. Old LPs and 45s: VINYL
- 28. Quaint lodging hinted at by the outsides of 18-, 20-, 28-, 42-, 51- or 55-Across: BANDB
- 29. Reddish/white horses: ROANS
- 30. Biscotti flavoring: ANISE
- 31. Like chicken breast cutlets: BONED
- 33. Boyfriends: BEAUS
- 37. Shenanigan: PRANK
- 38. "Now hear this!": LISTENUP
- 40. Something brought to a birthday party: PRESENT
- 43. Easter blooms: LILIES
- 44. Designer ___ Saint Laurent: YVES
- 45. Bottom of the ocean: SEABED
- 47. The "D" of PRNDL: DRIVE
- 48. Competent: ABLE
- 49. Grand ___ (auto race): PRIX
- 50. Chaste: PURE
- 51. Cheese popular with crackers: BRIE
- 52. Actor Gyllenhaal: JAKE
- 53. Crude group?: OPEC
- 54. Take in some sun: BASK
- 56. Black bird: DAW
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.