NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for September 20, 2018
Thursday, September 20, 2018
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Thursday, September 20, 2018. 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
- 24
- 34
- 39
- 43
- 51
- 54
- 64
Down clues & answers
- 25
- 37
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
across
- 1. Hosp. hookups: IVS
- 4. Sneaky scheme: RUSE
- 8. Two-by-four, for one: BOARD
- 13. Part of XXX: TIC
- 14. Churchill prop: CIGAR
- 15. Not so cordial: ICIER
- 16. Knickknack: TCHOTCHKE
- 18. Painter's primer: GESSO
- 19. Accustom (to): INURE
- 20. Excessive sentimentality: SCHMALTZ
- 22. The Falcons, on a scoreboard: ATL
- 23. Some steak orders: TBONES
- 24. Shameless audacity: CHUTZPAH
- 29. Yes, to Yvette: OUI
- 30. "Frank, ___ & Sammy: The Ultimate Event" (1989 documentary): LIZA
- 31. Response to an affront: SLAP
- 33. Follower of "Twice-Told" or "old wives'": TALES
- 37. Sí, at sea: AYE
- 38. Source of the six longest Across answers in this puzzle: YIDDISH
- 40. One of the Gulf states: Abbr.: ALA
- 41. Italian city known for its cheese: PARMA
- 43. Girl or boy intro: ATTA
- 44. Rose Bowl, e.g.: OVAL
- 45. Severe displeasure: IRE
- 47. "Jeez!": OYGEVALT
- 49. Two- or three-ring holder: BINDER
- 52. "Cool" amount of money: MIL
- 53. Long, involved account: MEGILLAH
- 55. Mount that Moses mounted: SINAI
- 57. Suspect's out: ALIBI
- 58. Choked up with emotion: VERKLEMPT
- 61. Backless sofa: DIVAN
- 62. Naïvely optimistic Muppet: ERNIE
- 63. For whom the Edgar Award is named: POE
- 64. John who invented the steel plow: DEERE
- 65. Old TV's "Guiding Light," for one: SOAP
- 66. W-2 datum: Abbr.: SSN
down
- 1. Cousin of Gomez Addams: ITT
- 2. End of Caesar's boast: VICI
- 3. Dog with a bearded muzzle: SCHNAUZER
- 4. Crosstown rival of the University of Houston: RICE
- 5. "That's disgusting!": UGH
- 6. Noted Fifth Avenue emporium: SAKS
- 7. Standing tall: ERECT
- 8. Sort who can't keep a secret: BIGMOUTH
- 9. Locale of Tuvalu and Nauru: OCEANIA
- 10. Separator of some rows: AISLE
- 11. Snoozes, e.g.: RESTS
- 12. Physician who was once a regular on "The Oprah Winfrey Show": DROZ
- 14. "Undo" shortcut in Microsoft Word: CTRLZ
- 17. "I'm ___ here!": OUTTA
- 21. TV debut of 1972: HBO
- 24. Give someone a hand: CLAP
- 25. Informal greeting: HIYA
- 26. Tire gauge meas.: PSI
- 27. Actor nominated for 34 Emmys: ALDA
- 28. Couldn't help but: HADTO
- 32. "Too bad!": PITY
- 34. 1960s fad light sources: LAVALAMPS
- 35. Alternative to Israir Airlines: ELAL
- 36. What "S" may stand for on a dinner table: SALT
- 38. Gridiron marker: YARDLINE
- 39. Yield to gravity: SAG
- 42. Fancy hotel room amenity: MINIBAR
- 44. Sheeplike: OVINE
- 46. Sushi roll fish: EEL
- 48. Author Zola: EMILE
- 49. Misrepresent: BELIE
- 50. "Uncle!": IGIVE
- 51. Opposite of pans: RAVES
- 53. Org. advocating highway safety: MADD
- 54. Bolívar, in much of South America: HERO
- 55. Problem with a 45-r.p.m. record: SKIP
- 56. Major N.Y.S.E. events: IPOS
- 59. Genetic inits.: RNA
- 60. Half a score ... or a perfect score: TEN
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.