Tough part of a cross-country race

Latest answer — March 31, 2025

49 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Monday, March 31, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Bowlers and sombreros
  2. 5Finance channel
  3. 9Some toothpastes and hair goops
  4. 13Boy on "The Andy Griffith Show"
  5. 14Wife of Jacob in the Bible
  6. 15King of the gods, in Egyptian myth
  7. 16Bird that's the U.S.'s national symbol
  8. 18___ Raton, Fla.
  9. 19Make official
  10. 20Summer zodiac sign
  11. 22Paving gunk
  12. 23Scout's shelter
  13. 24Debbie Downer
  14. 26Like good knives and pupils
  15. 28Religious offshoot
  16. 29Org. at airports
  17. 32Bigheadedness
  18. 33Work hard
  19. 35"I'm starting to like this" ... or a hint to the starts of 16-, 24-, 47- and 58-Across, in order
  20. 40Defense org. since 1949
  21. 41Bovine call
  22. 42Section of a tennis match
  23. 43Step on a ladder
  24. 45Observes Ramadan, in a way
  25. 47Basketball shot made while leaning backward
  26. 49Tough part of a cross-country race
  27. 52U-turn from WSW
  28. 53Word after poison or bull
  29. 54Feels sorry for
  30. 56___ trap (part of a dryer)
  31. 58Like conga or mambo music
  32. 60"That ___ be expected"
  33. 61Thrice three
  34. 62Currency of Mexico
  35. 63Citrus peel
  36. 64Ponzi scheme, e.g.
  37. 65Whole bunch

Down

  1. 1So-called "king of the road"
  2. 2Not together
  3. 3Mark over the "n" in "mañana"
  4. 4Cars that typically accommodate five people
  5. 5Family group
  6. 6B-___ (rare blood type, informally)
  7. 7Make into a wad
  8. 8___-Its
  9. 9Yap
  10. 10;) and :D
  11. 11Standard announcement of a pilot upon landing
  12. 12Sound from an angry dog
  13. 17Word that reverses meaning when an "n" is put in front
  14. 21Fractions of lbs.
  15. 24Part of a face that may be furrowed
  16. 25Kind of diet in which carbs are frowned upon
  17. 27In the past
  18. 29Sn, chemically
  19. 30Plant with eight-pointed pods used in cooking
  20. 31Kids in the 90s?
  21. 34The Beatles' "___ It Be"
  22. 36Departed
  23. 37Unclear response to "Are you coming?"
  24. 38Blunt refusals
  25. 39"American ___" (Grant Wood painting)
  26. 44Opening, as between teeth
  27. 45Spinoff stories written by an author's readers, informally
  28. 46Producers of six-packs
  29. 47Happy: Sp.
  30. 48Removes a dependence (from)
  31. 50Written defamation
  32. 51Rental contract
  33. 54"Casey at the Bat," for one
  34. 55Some winter weather
  35. 57Little one
  36. 59Genetic messenger

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Bowlers and sombreros — Answer: HATS
  2. 5. Finance channel — Answer: CNBC
  3. 9. Some toothpastes and hair goops — Answer: GELS
  4. 13. Boy on "The Andy Griffith Show" — Answer: OPIE
  5. 14. Wife of Jacob in the Bible — Answer: LEAH
  6. 15. King of the gods, in Egyptian myth — Answer: AMON
  7. 16. Bird that's the U.S.'s national symbol — Answer: BALDEAGLE
  8. 18. ___ Raton, Fla. — Answer: BOCA
  9. 19. Make official — Answer: ORDAIN. Hint: This verb can mean to authorize officially or install in a clerical role. 📜
  10. 20. Summer zodiac sign — Answer: LEO
  11. 22. Paving gunk — Answer: TAR
  12. 23. Scout's shelter — Answer: TENT
  13. 24. Debbie Downer — Answer: BUZZKILL
  14. 26. Like good knives and pupils — Answer: SHARP
  15. 28. Religious offshoot — Answer: SECT. Hint: A smaller breakaway group with its own beliefs, often within a larger faith 😊
  16. 29. Org. at airports — Answer: TSA
  17. 32. Bigheadedness — Answer: EGO
  18. 33. Work hard — Answer: TOIL
  19. 35. "I'm starting to like this" ... or a hint to the starts of 16-, 24-, 47- and 58-Across, in order — Answer: ITSGROWINGONME
  20. 40. Defense org. since 1949 — Answer: NATO
  21. 41. Bovine call — Answer: MOO
  22. 42. Section of a tennis match — Answer: SET
  23. 43. Step on a ladder — Answer: RUNG. Hint: A ladder’s horizontal foothold gives you the next step up 🪜
  24. 45. Observes Ramadan, in a way — Answer: FASTS
  25. 47. Basketball shot made while leaning backward — Answer: FADEAWAY
  26. 49. Tough part of a cross-country race — Answer: HILL
  27. 52. U-turn from WSW — Answer: ENE
  28. 53. Word after poison or bull — Answer: PEN
  29. 54. Feels sorry for — Answer: PITIES
  30. 56. ___ trap (part of a dryer) — Answer: LINT
  31. 58. Like conga or mambo music — Answer: AFROCUBAN
  32. 60. "That ___ be expected" — Answer: ISTO. Hint: A familiar phrase meaning “this outcome is no surprise” completes the sentence. 🤔
  33. 61. Thrice three — Answer: NINE
  34. 62. Currency of Mexico — Answer: PESO
  35. 63. Citrus peel — Answer: ZEST
  36. 64. Ponzi scheme, e.g. — Answer: SCAM
  37. 65. Whole bunch — Answer: SLEW. Hint: Think of a large quantity or a heap of something! 🌊

Down

  1. 1. So-called "king of the road" — Answer: HOBO
  2. 2. Not together — Answer: APART. Hint: When two things are separated, they are this way! 🧩
  3. 3. Mark over the "n" in "mañana" — Answer: TILDE
  4. 4. Cars that typically accommodate five people — Answer: SEDANS
  5. 5. Family group — Answer: CLAN
  6. 6. B-___ (rare blood type, informally) — Answer: NEG
  7. 7. Make into a wad — Answer: BALLUP
  8. 8. ___-Its — Answer: CHEEZ
  9. 9. Yap — Answer: GAB
  10. 10. ;) and :D — Answer: EMOTICONS
  11. 11. Standard announcement of a pilot upon landing — Answer: LOCALTIME
  12. 12. Sound from an angry dog — Answer: SNARL
  13. 17. Word that reverses meaning when an "n" is put in front — Answer: EITHER
  14. 21. Fractions of lbs. — Answer: OZS
  15. 24. Part of a face that may be furrowed — Answer: BROW
  16. 25. Kind of diet in which carbs are frowned upon — Answer: KETO
  17. 27. In the past — Answer: AGO. Hint: A little while back, not now 😌
  18. 29. Sn, chemically — Answer: TIN
  19. 30. Plant with eight-pointed pods used in cooking — Answer: STARANISE
  20. 31. Kids in the 90s? — Answer: ASTUDENTS
  21. 34. The Beatles' "___ It Be" — Answer: LET
  22. 36. Departed — Answer: GONE
  23. 37. Unclear response to "Are you coming?" — Answer: IMAY
  24. 38. Blunt refusals — Answer: NOS
  25. 39. "American ___" (Grant Wood painting) — Answer: GOTHIC
  26. 44. Opening, as between teeth — Answer: GAP
  27. 45. Spinoff stories written by an author's readers, informally — Answer: FANFIC
  28. 46. Producers of six-packs — Answer: SITUPS
  29. 47. Happy: Sp. — Answer: FELIZ
  30. 48. Removes a dependence (from) — Answer: WEANS
  31. 50. Written defamation — Answer: LIBEL
  32. 51. Rental contract — Answer: LEASE
  33. 54. "Casey at the Bat," for one — Answer: POEM
  34. 55. Some winter weather — Answer: SNOW
  35. 57. Little one — Answer: TOT
  36. 59. Genetic messenger — Answer: RNA

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Tough part of a cross-country race” in the New York Times crossword is HILL — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 31, 2025, a Monday puzzle, at 49-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Tough part of a cross-country race” answer

HILL (4 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is HILL.

Why the answer is HILL

HILL is the 4-letter solution that fits "Tough part of a cross-country race" in the NYT Crossword crossword on March 31, 2025 (49-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Tough part of a cross-country race” appeared?

New York Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

March 31, 2025 (most recent) → HILL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on March 31, 2025

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for March 31, 2025 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Monday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Tough part of a cross-country race”?

The answer is HILL, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 31, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Tough part of a cross-country race”?

4 letters: HILL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on March 31, 2025 (a Monday puzzle), at 49-Across.

Can “Tough part of a cross-country race” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for March 31, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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