Where Dante's path to paradise begins

Latest answer — July 30, 2026

30 Down

The poet’s journey starts in the deepest, gloomiest place below ground 😈

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

NYT Crossword

This clue's Thursday, July 30, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Change entirely
  2. 6Like former secrets
  3. 12Make like a frog
  4. 15One who doesn't speak while in a cast
  5. 16Balkan state that's been independent since 2008
  6. 17Like the name of former soccer star Mark De Man
  7. 18Cluster
  8. 20Density symbol
  9. 21Go for gold?
  10. 22It may be padded or slapped
  11. 23Do you read me?
  12. 25Veteran
  13. 27Agent
  14. 31Change logos, maybe
  15. 33"Bravo!"
  16. 34Dour
  17. 35Unnatural, in a way
  18. 36H.S. course covering integrals
  19. 39___ trading
  20. 40Steam
  21. 43Sow, e.g.
  22. 46Black-and-orange bird
  23. 47Bob who painted "happy little trees"
  24. 50Jackie who co-starred in "Rush Hour"
  25. 52Top halves of centaurs
  26. 53They may be lifted ... or downed
  27. 56Gambit
  28. 59City with red buses
  29. 60Big or bad follower
  30. 61So-called "Land of a Million Elephants"
  31. 63Fripp & ___ (musical duo)
  32. 64___ culpa
  33. 65Communication aid that helps make sense of the italicized clues
  34. 70Subj. for immigrants, maybe
  35. 71Training aids for a lab, say
  36. 72Plain
  37. 73___ pad
  38. 74What headphones often play in
  39. 75Shark's mark

Down

  1. 1Church leader
  2. 2Took one's breath away?
  3. 3Remain loyal to
  4. 4Pronounce "aisle" as it's spelled, e.g.
  5. 5It often leans left or right
  6. 6___-Ball
  7. 7Joel follows it
  8. 8Flame's remains
  9. 9Lumpsucker eggs
  10. 10Biblical second coming?
  11. 11Prima ___
  12. 12University of Cambridge
  13. 13"Hamlet" noblewoman
  14. 14Developer of a geocentric model of the universe
  15. 19Words after cash or zero
  16. 24[Horrors!]
  17. 26Org. leader
  18. 28One who knows all the shortcuts, maybe
  19. 29Puts down
  20. 30Where Dante's path to paradise begins
  21. 32Panama's ___ National Park
  22. 37That's the whole point!
  23. 38Seller of knickknacks
  24. 41Gospel singer Franklin
  25. 42Like a zoomer after 1997
  26. 43Minecraft and World of Warcraft
  27. 44"If we're lucky!"
  28. 45Rhyming name for a certain group of friends
  29. 48It's not the main part of the action
  30. 49High achievers?
  31. 51Notable org. with 32 members
  32. 54Sit (down) heavily
  33. 55Arrogant
  34. 57Lets
  35. 58Really please
  36. 62Plus
  37. 66It might be left hanging
  38. 67Most common letter in this clue
  39. 68Boat propeller
  40. 69Director DuVernay

The answer to “Where Dante's path to paradise begins” in the New York Times crossword is HELL — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 30, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 30-Down. 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.

“Where Dante's path to paradise begins” answer

HELL (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 HELL.

Why the answer is HELL

The poet’s journey starts in the deepest, gloomiest place below ground 😈

What does HELL mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of HELL is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • a place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death

When else has “Where Dante's path to paradise begins” 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.

July 30, 2026 (most recent) → HELL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Where Dante's path to paradise begins”?

The answer is HELL, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 30, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Where Dante's path to paradise begins”?

4 letters: HELL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on July 30, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 30-Down.

Can “Where Dante's path to paradise begins” 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 July 30, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

New York Times Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.