NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for August 28, 2015

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

Friday, August 28, 2015

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 2:35 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Friday, August 28, 2015. 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.

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

Across clues & answers

1
Prepare for a court battle
9
1987 B'way smash
15
Common court battle
16
Wild
17
Tell the world
18
On-deck approval
19
Locale of the American Red Cross headquarters in Washington
20
Shapes up quickly
21
Places for life-and-death decisions, for short
22
Season ticket holder, presumably
23
Fried rice bit
24
Obfuscate
27
Cousin of a pollock
28
Barely communicates on a smartphone?
30
Prankster's activity
31
Prankster's claim
33
Rush target
34
Chimichurri ingredient
35
___ good job
36
Group on a yearbook page
38
Many a bachelorette party hiree
39
Star of the sitcom "Wanda at Large"
40
___ talk
41
Having no currency
42
Result of labor half the time?
43
Leo's advisee on "The West Wing"
44
Anatomical tube
45
Writing rooms
47
Single or double
51
Breaking news
52
It sets occupancy limits
53
Classical squares
54
Academic references
55
Stretching muscle
56
"Hold on ... did I hear that correctly?"

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

Thursday, August 27, 2015

across

1. Ruling party?: ARBITER
8. Box with handles?: CBRADIO
15. Mariner's measure: SEAMILE
16. Attire: RAIMENT
17. "The Invisible Man" author: HGWELLS
18. Settles in, say: UNPACKS
19. First in line, in a way: ELDEST
20. And others: Abbr.: ETAL
21. Game with Wild Draw 4 cards: UNO
22. Washington M.L.S. team: DCUNITED
26. Set location: STUDIO
30. Vast stretches of time: EONS
31. G.I.-entertaining grp.: USO
32. To the rear: ASTERN
33. "___: Cyber": CSI
34. Lead-in to while: ERST
35. "The A-Team" character played by Mr. T: BABARACUS
38. "Fancy ___!": THAT
41. Possible answer to "What's brewing?": ALE
42. Land bordering Francia: ESPANA
46. Dad on "Malcolm in the Middle": HAL
47. Page, e.g.: AIDE
48. Aromatic seasoning: FENNEL
49. Educational institution near Plano, informally: UTDALLAS
51. "Straight Outta Compton" rappers: NWA
52. Birthplace of Paddington Bear: PERU
53. Let up: ABATED
57. Least: MINIMAL
60. Some return addresses: POBOXES
62. Bug detector?: ANTENNA
63. Legalese adverb: THEREAT
64. "Four Quartets" poet: TSELIOT
65. By a wide margin: SOLIDLY

down

1. Blond shade: ASH
2. New York State's ___ Examinations: REGENTS
3. Give a tongue-lashing: BAWLOUT
4. Contacted via Google Talk, say: IMED
5. Outdoor fountain piece: TILE
6. Duckbill's tail?: ELLS
7. Note's counterpart: REST
8. Grand ___ (wine designation): CRU
9. Permanently exclude: BAN
10. Gets juicier, say: RIPENS
11. Fine fiddle: AMATI
12. Stephen ___, War of 1812 naval hero: DECATUR
13. Empty, as a fountain pen: INKLESS
14. Extra N.B.A. periods: OTS
21. 2015 Women's World Cup champs: USA
22. Lays down the law: DECREES
23. ___ Nostra: COSA
24. International humanitarian grp.: UNICEF
25. Period: DOT
27. College student's accumulation: DEBT
28. Lyricist Gershwin: IRA
29. Out of jail, conditionally: ONBAIL
34. National Spelling Bee airer: ESPN
36. Pierce portrayer: ALDA
37. Avail oneself of: USE
38. Election Day in the U.K.: THU
39. Milliners' accessories: HATPINS
40. Somewhat firm: ALDENTE
43. Appropriated: ANNEXED
44. Noted recovery program: NEWDEAL
45. "Selma" setting: Abbr.: ALA
47. Donors, often: ALUMNI
50. Prince Eric's love: ARIEL
53. Flats: Abbr.: APTS
54. ___-chic (fashion style): BOHO
55. Genesis son: ABEL
56. Singer Amos: TORI
57. One may be laid at your doorstep: MAT
58. "I'll take that as ___": ANO
59. GPS fig.: LAT
61. Swineherd's workplace: STY

Hints and full breakdown for Aug 27

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.