NYT Crossword: answers for Wednesday, October 2

The New York Times has plenty of word games on its roster today — with Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword, there’s something for everyone — but the newspaper’s standard crossword puzzle still reigns supreme. The daily crossword is full of interesting trivia, helps improve mental flexibility and, of course, gives you some bragging rights if you manage to finish it every day.

While the NYT puzzle might feel like an impossible task some days, solving a crossword is a skill and it takes practice — don’t get discouraged if you can’t get every single word in a puzzle.

If you’re having trouble completing today’s NYT Crossword, we’re here to help. We’ve got all the answers for today’s clues down below.

NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Wednesday, October 2
Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for October 2
NYT Connections tips: how to win Connections every day

NYT Crossword answers today

Across

1 Best of the best: FINEST 7 Show advertiser: BARKER 13 Loan shark: USURER 14 U.C. Irvine athlete: ANTEATER 16 Anno ___: DOMINI 17 Worm found in every ecosystem on Earth, even the deepest oceans: NEMATODE 18 Experiment subject: GUINEAPIG 20 Natty dresser: DANDY 21 Some foreigners who have yet to make contact, for short: ETS 22 Dollar, informally: CLAM 23 ID created in 1936: SSN 24 Wharton deg.: MBA 26 Complain (about): CARP 28 Fivers: ABES 32 Smoothie berry: ACAI 34 Literary ___: LION 36 Body spray brand: AXE 37 Image-cultivating group, informally: PRTEAM 40 Religious figure in red: CARDINAL 42 Cupid, e.g.: REINDEER 44 Deal with, as a problem: TACKLE 45 Special ___: OPS 4 Airhead: DODO 47 Section of The New York Times: ARTS 48 Brooklyn ballers: NETS 50 Member of a historically privileged U.S. group: WASP 52 “So, is that ___?”: ANO 53 A public speaking coach might tell you to avoid these: UHS 55 Close tightly: SEAL 57 Sudden loud noise: BAM 60 Kind of acid that forms proteins: AMINO 63World’s largest venomous snake: KINGCOBRA 65 State