NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for June 23, 2012

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

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

Saturday, June 23, 2012

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 3:02 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Saturday, June 23, 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.

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

Across clues & answers

1
Lower one's racket
10
Establish
15
1 + 1
16
Disperse again
17
Realized in the end
18
Emcee's delivery
19
Have mastery over
20
Part of a suite no.
21
Asian soup ingredients
23
Some antique buses
25
Wrangler's assent
27
Setting for many early online discussions
28
1999 Ron Howard bomb
29
Aunt or uncle's leader?
31
Honk off
32
They're found in orbits
35
Feature of many an Italian skyline
36
Evoker of 1950s nostalgia
39
What some vaccinations prevent
41
Knock
42
Person trying to move things?
44
Certify
46
"The ___ Bride" (Rimsky-Korsakov opera)
47
Terminal division
51
What gums might do
53
Cause of a messy breakup?
54
Where the John Day R. flows
55
One might do a countdown
57
Engadget's co.
59
Coll. administration
60
Common desktop clutter
61
Fascinates
64
Like some kids' shoelaces
65
Most carefree
66
Journalist Ifill and others
67
Gumbo seasoning source

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

Friday, June 22, 2012

across

1. Party pooper: BUZZKILL
9. Tree related to the ylang-ylang: PAPAW
14. Local money?: UNIONDUES
16. Zombie's craving: FLESH
17. Gridded display: STREETMAP
18. Tourist buy in Mexico: CARTA
19. Foible: TIC
20. Moolah: WAMPUM
22. ___ Act: RIOT
23. Ancient rival of Judah: EDOM
25. "Growing Up ___" (2004-05 A&E reality show): GOTTI
26. "___ Lisa": MONA
27. Relatives of newtons: DYNES
29. Algebraic unknowns: XANDY
31. "Savvy?": DIG
32. "Well, ___!": DUH
34. Literally, "pick me up": TIRAMISU
36. Beverage substitute: CREAMER
40. Too cute, say: KITSCHY
41. Johnnie Walker blend: REDLABEL
43. It's made every day: BED
44. Parliament's end?: ASH
45. Dogma: CREED
47. German leader?: SOFTG
51. One crossing a line: SCAB
53. Richard of NBC News: ENGEL
55. King who consulted the Witch of Endor: SAUL
56. Chuck: HURL
57. "The Pianist" setting: WARSAW
59. Knoxville-based org.: TVA
60. Breakers ahead: PERIL
62. Sweet spot: COOKIEJAR
64. Serotonin, e.g.: AMINE
65. Hierarchy: TOTEMPOLE
66. Classroom units: DESKS
67. Captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, in "The Matrix": MORPHEUS

down

1. Cry when exposing something secret: BUSTED
2. Out of order: UNTIDY
3. December birthstone: ZIRCON
4. Actress Caldwell: ZOE
5. "I ___ it!": KNEW
6. Accessory to a case: IDTAG
7. Foozler: LUMMOX
8. Eagerly accepted: LEAPTAT
9. Forrest Gump's rank: Abbr.: PFC
10. Cell phone function: ALARM
11. Intermittent: PERIODIC
12. Stagger: ASTONISH
13. "Gotta love him!": WHATAGUY
15. Traveler in 1957 news: SPUTNIK
21. Main vein: MIDRIB
24. There might be one on a hero: MEDAL
28. Tree whose leaves were once smoked by Indians: SUMAC
30. David who directed the final four Harry Potter films: YATES
33. 55-Across, e.g.: HEBREW
35. Operations were once commonly performed in this: MSDOS
36. Resting place, informally: CRASHPAD
37. 1991 Madonna hit: RESCUEME
38. "Apollo 13" actor: EDHARRIS
39. Simulate, in a way: REENACT
42. Subject of an air traveler's complaint: LEGROOM
46. Old Chrysler make: DESOTO
48. "All or Nothing" rapper, 2005: FATJOE
49. Second-smallest member of the United Nations, by population: TUVALU
50. Bad looks: GLARES
52. Flip one's lid?: BLINK
54. Staples Center player: LAKER
58. Wuss: WIMP
61. Article in L'Express: LES
63. Book before Phil.: EPH

Hints and full breakdown for Jun 22

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.