Solution: Where the lowest-numbered avenues in Manhattan are - NYT Crossword

This is true. Much of Manhattan is a grid, with the avenue numbers running from the lowest on the EAST Side to the highest on the West Side. Street numbers, for the most part, increase from south to north (so, at least in Midtown, if you stand with a street behind you and the next highest numbered street in front of you, you are facing north). Fifth Avenue is generally thought of as the dividing line between the East and West Sides. Planning a visit to the Big Apple and don’t want to look like a tourist? Here’s a handy way to remember how to find your way around even if you don’t have a map or smartphone GPS.