NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for February 26, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Wednesday, February 26, 2014. 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
- 25
Down clues & answers
- 35
- 53
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
across
- 1. Where Matisses hang in N.Y.C.: MOMA
- 5. Sun and moon, poetically: ORBS
- 9. Sacred Egyptian bird: IBIS
- 13. Sarcasm, informally: SNARK
- 15. Paper quantity: REAM
- 16. Madrid tidbit: TAPA
- 17. John known as the "Teflon Don": GOTTI
- 18. Big do: AFRO
- 19. Med. student course: ANAT
- 20. EPEE: FENCINGBLADE
- 23. Discourteous: UNCIVIL
- 26. Asian-American basketball sensation Jeremy: LIN
- 27. "Let's ___!": ROLL
- 28. ETUI: NEEDLECASE
- 34. Foot-pound?: STOMP
- 36. Remote button: MUTE
- 37. Driver's license datum: SEX
- 38. Tomato and lettuce pickers' org.: UFW
- 39. ERNE: SEABIRD
- 42. Energy: PEP
- 43. Computer-connecting system, for short: LAN
- 44. Wheel connector: AXLE
- 45. Tortilla chip dip: SALSA
- 47. EMIR: ARABLEADER
- 51. Barack's re-election opponent: MITT
- 52. Pirate's quaff: RUM
- 53. Makeshift shelters: LEANTOS
- 55. What this puzzle's capitalized clues are, both by definition and pun: CROSSWORDESE
- 60. Jupiter, to the Greeks: ZEUS
- 61. Relative of a bassoon: OBOE
- 62. N.B.A. Hall-of-Famer Thomas: ISIAH
- 66. Actress Hathaway: ANNE
- 67. Guns, as an engine: REVS
- 68. Burn a bit: SINGE
- 69. Reels' counterparts: RODS
- 70. Putin put-down?: NYET
- 71. Once more: ANEW
down
- 1. Abbr. on Chinese menus: MSG
- 2. Lennon's love: ONO
- 3. Gymnast's surface: MAT
- 4. Highbrow theater screening: ARTFILM
- 5. Seer: ORACLE
- 6. New mortgage deal, informally: REFI
- 7. Place for an owl: BARN
- 8. What can take your breath away in L.A.?: SMOG
- 9. Bold alternative: ITALIC
- 10. Fountain treat with cherries on top: BANANASPLIT
- 11. Apple tablet: IPAD
- 12. Fill to excess: SATE
- 14. Chicken ___: KIEV
- 21. Diarist Anaïs: NIN
- 22. Runs, as a color: BLEEDS
- 23. Bond girl Andress: URSULA
- 24. Relatively near: NOTFAR
- 25. Be a goof: CLOWNAROUND
- 29. Many a Persian Gulf war correspondent: EMBED
- 30. It makes MADD mad: DUI
- 31. Photocopier setting: Abbr.: LTR
- 32. Takes care of: SEESTO
- 33. Yanks living abroad, e.g.: EXPATS
- 35. Sacred songs: PSALMS
- 40. Computer file extension: EXE
- 41. Pie ___ mode: ALA
- 46. Overused plot device in soaps: AMNESIA
- 48. Hearty kisses: BUSSES
- 49. Firstborn: ELDEST
- 50. Riddle-me-___: REE
- 54. Yard sale caveat: ASIS
- 55. Peter the Great or Ivan the Terrible: CZAR
- 56. Clinton attorney general Janet: RENO
- 57. Threadbare: WORN
- 58. Follow orders: OBEY
- 59. Wander about: ROVE
- 63. Holiday ___: INN
- 64. Grow long in the tooth: AGE
- 65. Chop: HEW
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.