Here's all New York Times Crossword answers for 21 November 2024, Thursday (11-21-24). Find all answers and solutions here.
We've also tries to explain why the answer is the correct solution for each clue.
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Clues and answers
Clues followed by answers and an explanation underneath.
.com commerce : ETAIL
The answer "ETAIL" is a play on the term "e-tail," which is short for electronic retail, referring to online commerce. The ".com" in the clue suggests an online or internet-related context, making "ETAIL" a fitting answer.
1850 : 350,000+ words
1862 : 530,000+ words
1957 : 550,000+ words
1990s sitcom nerd : URKEL
The answer "URKEL" fits the clue "1990s sitcom nerd" because Urkel is a well-known character from the 1990s sitcom "Family Matters" who is portrayed as a nerdy and awkward teenager.
Acts like : APES
"Acts like" is a clue that is hinting at imitating or mimicking someone or something. The word "APES" can mean to mimic or copy the actions or behavior of someone else, making it the correct answer to the clue.
Ancient region considered a birthplace of Western philosophy : IONIA
IONIA is the right answer because it was an ancient region in present-day Turkey that is considered a birthplace of Western philosophy, as it was home to many influential philosophers such as Thales and Anaximander.
Battalion commanders in the U.S.M.C. : LT COLS
"LT COLS" is the right solution because in the U.S. Marine Corps, battalion commanders typically hold the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, which is abbreviated as "LT COLS."
Bird-related prefix : AVI-
"AVI-" is a prefix that is commonly used in words related to birds, such as avian or aviary. In this case, the clue is asking for a bird-related prefix, making "AVI-" the correct answer.
Bolsters : AIDS
Burj Khalifa’s home : DUBAI
The Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai, making "DUBAI" the correct answer.
Character in a classic whodunit : MISS SCARLET
The answer "MISS SCARLET" fits the clue because Miss Scarlet is a character in the classic board game Clue (or Cluedo), which is a whodunit mystery game.
Cheeky review of 18-, 24- and 46- : TOO LONG, DIDN’T READ
The phrase "Too long, didn't read" is a cheeky way of summarizing something that is too lengthy to read fully. In this crossword, it hints that the answers to the clues at 18-, 24-, and 46-across are long and can be summarized with this phrase.
Chevy coupes : VETTES
"VETTES" is a common slang term for Chevrolet Corvettes, which are iconic Chevy coupes.
Classic sitcom streaming on BritBox, familiarly : AB FAB
"AB FAB" is the abbreviation for the classic sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous," which is often referred to as "Ab Fab" for short. The clue indicates that the sitcom is available for streaming on BritBox, making "AB FAB" the correct answer.
Contemptuous chorus : BOOS
The word "boos" refers to a chorus of disapproving sounds or jeers, often indicating contempt or disapproval. This makes it the fitting answer to the clue "Contemptuous chorus."
Cos. offering connections : ISPS
The answer "ISPS" stands for Internet Service Providers, which are companies that offer connections to the internet.
Court matters : CASES
The answer "CASES" fits the clue "Court matters" because in a court, legal issues are typically referred to as cases.
Cry over spilled milk, perhaps? : BAD KITTY!
Dark purple shade : PUCE
"Puce" is a dark purple shade with a hint of brown or gray. It is a specific color that fits the description given in the clue.
Davis with the memoir “Dying of Politeness” : GEENA
Geena Davis is an actress and activist who wrote the memoir "Dying of Politeness." Therefore, the answer to the clue is "GEENA."
Dresses down : CHIDES
"CHIDES" means to scold or reprimand someone, which can be seen as a way of dressing someone down verbally.
Early birds? : ROOSTERS
The term "early birds" is a play on words, as roosters are known for crowing early in the morning. Therefore, "ROOSTERS" is the right answer to this clue.
Eponymous youth sports organization, the largest of its kind in the U.S. : POP WARNER
The answer "POP WARNER" is correct because Pop Warner is an eponymous youth sports organization that is the largest of its kind in the U.S., known for its football and cheerleading programs for children.
Gala throwaway : CORE
The word "CORE" can refer to the center or most important part of something, like an apple. At a gala, people often discard the core of an apple after eating the rest, making "CORE" a fitting answer for "Gala throwaway."
Help with wrongdoing : ABET
The word "abet" means to assist or support someone in committing a wrongdoing, so it fits the clue "Help with wrongdoing."
Image file format : JPEG
The answer is "JPEG" because it is a common image file format that stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. It is widely used for storing and sharing images due to its high compression capabilities.
Informal green lights : A-OKS
The answer "A-OKS" is a play on words where "A-OK" means everything is fine or going well, and adding an "S" at the end makes it plural, indicating multiple green lights.
Instrument that gave rise to the guitalele, in brief : UKE
The instrument that gave rise to the guitalele is the ukulele, often shortened to "uke." So, "UKE" is the right answer for this clue.
Invoice unit : ITEM
The term "ITEM" is commonly used to refer to a single thing or piece, making it a fitting answer for an "Invoice unit" as invoices typically list individual items being charged for.
Joey of children’s lit : ROO
"Joey of children’s lit" refers to the character Roo from A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh series. Roo is a young kangaroo who is a friend of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.
Jordan’s only coastal city : AQABA
Just pulls off, with “out” : EKES …
The word "EKES" means to just manage to make a living or support oneself, which fits the clue "Just pulls off, with 'out'".
Like some barrel-aged spirits : OAKY
"OAKY" is the right solution because barrel-aged spirits, such as whiskey or wine, can take on flavors from the oak barrels they are aged in, giving them a distinctive oaky taste.
Location within an office building : Abbr.
The answer "Abbr." is the right solution because it indicates that the answer is an abbreviation for a location within an office building, such as "Fl." for floor or "Ste." for suite.
Major highway through the southern U.S. : I-TEN
Interstate 10, abbreviated as I-10, is a major highway that runs through the southern United States, connecting California to Florida. It is a commonly used route for cross-country travel in the southern region.
N.B.A. player-turned-sports analyst Rose : JALEN
Jalen Rose is a former NBA player who is now a sports analyst, making "JALEN" the correct answer for this clue.
No longer relevant : MOOT
"Moot" means having no practical significance or relevance. So, when something is "no longer relevant," it can be described as "moot."
No. 1’s : FAVES
The answer "FAVES" is short for "favorites," which are often referred to as "No. 1's" or top choices.
Not a straight shot : SLICE
The answer "SLICE" is a golfing term referring to a shot that curves to the right (for a right-handed golfer) instead of going straight. This fits the clue "Not a straight shot" as it describes a shot that veers off course.
Not easy to find : SCARCE
The word "scarce" means something that is not easily found or in short supply, making it a fitting answer for the clue "Not easy to find."
Not wired, say : ACOUSTIC
The clue "Not wired, say" is hinting at something that is not connected electronically, which fits the word "ACOUSTIC" as it refers to sound produced without electronic amplification.
On ice longer than normal, say? : IN OT
The clue "On ice longer than normal, say?" is a play on words suggesting being in overtime (OT) during a hockey game, which means the game is lasting longer than usual. So, the answer "IN OT" fits the clue.
One hanging out in the cold : ICICLE
The answer "ICICLE" fits the clue "One hanging out in the cold" because icicles are formed when dripping water freezes in cold temperatures, hanging from buildings or trees.
Piece of old movie equipment : REEL
The answer "REEL" is the right solution because old movies were played on reels of film, making a piece of old movie equipment a "REEL."
Place to park a camper : RV LOT
"RV LOT" is the right solution because it refers to a designated area where campers and recreational vehicles can park. It is a common term used to describe a specific parking area for RVs.
Prince saved from drowning by 39- : ERIC
The answer is "ERIC" because the phrase "39-" indicates that the word "Prince" should be shortened by 39 letters, which leaves us with "ERIC".
Princess played by Halle Bailey in a 2023 film : ARIEL
This is the right solution because Ariel is the name of the princess character played by Halle Bailey in the upcoming 2023 film adaptation of "The Little Mermaid."
Records : BESTS
The word "logs" can be used to refer to records or entries of events, making it a suitable answer for the clue "Records."
San Francisco organization supporting women in the arts : BRAVA
BRAVA is a San Francisco organization that supports women in the arts, making it the correct answer to the clue.
School record, for short : GPA
"GPA" stands for Grade Point Average, which is a common school record used to measure a student's academic performance. It is often referred to as "GPA" for short in educational settings.
Sewing machine inventor Howe : ELIAS
Elias Howe is the inventor of the sewing machine, making "ELIAS" the correct answer to the clue.
Some eBay revenue : AD FEES
The answer "AD FEES" fits the clue "Some eBay revenue" because eBay generates revenue from charging fees to sellers for placing advertisements (ads) on their platform.
Structural supports : JOISTS
JOISTS are horizontal beams that provide structural support in buildings. They are commonly used in floors and ceilings to help distribute weight and support the structure above.
Students run for it : GYM CLASS
The answer "GYM CLASS" fits because students often run during physical education classes, commonly referred to as "gym class."
Theater throwaway : STUB
The answer "STUB" fits the clue "Theater throwaway" because after attending a show at a theater, the ticket stub is typically discarded or thrown away.
Thénardier and Bovary : Abbr.
The answer "Abbr." stands for "abbreviation." In this case, "Thénardier" and "Bovary" are both abbreviated titles of characters in literature, specifically "Les Misérables" and "Madame Bovary." So, the clue is asking for the abbreviation of these characters' names, which is "Abbr."
Third letter of Athens, in ancient Athens : ETA
The third letter of "Athens" is E, and in ancient Athens, Eta (Η) is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, which corresponds to the letter E in the Latin alphabet. Therefore, the answer is "ETA."
Tool : PATSY
Tots’ pops : DADAS
unknown
U.S. city named for a geological formation : MESA
The city of Mesa in Arizona is named after the Spanish word for "table," which is a geological formation resembling a flat-topped mountain or hill.
Volume divided by height : AREA
The formula for calculating the area of a shape often involves dividing the volume by the height, making "AREA" the correct answer to this clue.
Word with bake or fire : … SALE
The word "sale" can be combined with "bake" or "fire" to form common phrases like "bake sale" or "fire sale."
___ grazing (winter farm feeding strategy) : BALE
The answer "BALE" fits the clue because in winter, animals on a farm are often fed by providing them with bales of hay or other feed to graze on.
___ Khan, former Pakistani prime minister : IMRAN
Imran Khan is a former Pakistani prime minister, making "IMRAN" the correct answer to the clue.
“Bam!” : KAPOW!
"KAPOW!" is often used in comic books to represent the sound of a punch or a hit, making it a fitting answer for the clue "Bam!" in a crossword puzzle.
“Pass the ball to me!” : I’M OPEN!
The phrase "I'M OPEN!" is commonly used in sports, especially in basketball, to indicate that a player is ready to receive a pass. In this context, it fits the clue "Pass the ball to me!" perfectly.
“Stop with that!” : C’MON!
The answer "C'MON!" is the right solution because it is a common expression used to tell someone to stop doing something or to express frustration or annoyance.
“That’s on me” : I MESSED UP
The phrase "my bad" is a casual way of taking responsibility for a mistake or error. It is commonly used informally to acknowledge fault or wrongdoing.
“Why don’t you take a picture — it’ll last longer!” : QUIT STARING!
The answer "QUIT STARING!" fits because it is a common response to someone who is staring at you for too long, implying that they should stop looking.