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Friday, August 15, 2025

NYT Crossword DOWN Clues Only | August 15 Vertical Answers with Radar Chart

NYT Crossword DOWN Clues Only - Friday, August 15, 2025

Today's Down-Only Focus

Complete analysis of all 37 DOWN clues from today's New York Times crossword puzzle. This down-only format helps solvers focus exclusively on vertical entries, perfect for those who prefer to tackle the puzzle from top to bottom.

Down Clues Statistics

Statistical Overview - Down Entries Only
Metric Value Details
Total Down Clues 37 All vertical entries
Total Letters (Down) 191 Combined letter count
Average Word Length 5.2 Letters per answer
Shortest Answer 3 letters Minimum length
Longest Answer 13 letters Maximum length
Unique Letters Used 23 Distinct letters in down

Letter Frequency Radar Chart - DOWN Answers Only

Letter Frequency Bar Chart - DOWN Answers

Top 15 Most Frequent Letters in Today's DOWN Answers
E 25
13.09%
S 21
10.99%
A 17
8.9%
O 15
7.85%
T 14
7.33%
I 9
4.71%
N 9
4.71%
C 8
4.19%
D 8
4.19%
H 8
4.19%
L 8
4.19%
P 8
4.19%
R 8
4.19%
B 7
3.66%
M 7
3.66%

Difficulty Distribution of DOWN Clues

Difficulty Level Count Percentage Visual Representation
Easy 4 10.8%
Medium 18 48.6%
Hard 14 37.8%
Expert 1 2.7%

Complete List of Down Clues - All 37 Entries

Today's Down Clues with Comprehensive Hints
# Clue Length Category Hints & Tips Answer
1D 1. Corrected autocorrect, say 7 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: RE____D (Length: 7)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 5 consonants
Show Answer

RETYPED
2D 2. Younger Simpson sister 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: AS___E (Length: 6)
  • Contains 3 vowels and 3 consonants
Show Answer

ASHLEE
3D 3. Mean mien 5 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: SN__R (Length: 5)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: leer
Show Answer

SNEER
4D 4. Freight weights 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: TO_S (Length: 4)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: stacks, ton
Show Answer

TONS
5D 5. Had one's cake, say 3 Short Word
  • Pattern: ATE (Length: 3)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 1 consonants
  • Related words: wipe out, corrode
Show Answer

ATE
6D 6. Body of Agatha Christie's work? 6 Wordplay/Pun
  • Pattern: CO___E (Length: 6)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants
  • Related words: cadaver, remains
Show Answer

CORPSE
7D 7. "u r freaking hilarious!" 5 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: LM__O (Length: 5)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants
Show Answer

LMFAO
8D 8. Work with a number 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: OP_S (Length: 4)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants
  • Related words: musical composition, piece of music
Show Answer

OPUS
9D 9. Eviscerate 3 Short Word
  • Pattern: GUT (Length: 3)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 2 consonants
  • Related words: bowel, catgut
Show Answer

GUT
10D 10. Ticket exchange site since 2000 7 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: ST____B (Length: 7)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 5 consonants
Show Answer

STUBHUB
11D 11. Banish 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: DI___L (Length: 6)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants
  • Related words: drive out, turn back
Show Answer

DISPEL
12D 12. Like old voice mail messages 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: ON___E (Length: 6)
  • Contains 3 vowels and 3 consonants
Show Answer

ONTAPE
13D 13. Order in the court? 13 Wordplay/Pun
  • Pattern: CA__________D (Length: 13)
  • Contains 5 vowels and 8 consonants
  • Longer vertical answer - might be a phrase
Show Answer

CASEDISMISSED
14D 14. Symphony that marked the beginning of Beethoven's "middle period" 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: ER___A (Length: 6)
  • Contains 4 vowels and 2 consonants
Show Answer

EROICA
15D 16. Office program 5 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: EX__L (Length: 5)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: stand out, surpass
Show Answer

EXCEL
16D 21. My word! 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: BO_D (Length: 4)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: trammel, adhere
Show Answer

BOND
17D 22. Saturn and Mercury 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: CA_S (Length: 4)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: motorcar, railcar
Show Answer

CARS
18D 24. Favoritism 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: BI_S (Length: 4)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants
  • Related words: prejudice, diagonal
Show Answer

BIAS
19D 25. First name in late-night 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: SE_H (Length: 4)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: Set
Show Answer

SETH
20D 27. Just 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: ME_E (Length: 4)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants
  • Related words: bare, simple
Show Answer

MERE
21D 28. Primary action 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: VO_E (Length: 4)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants
  • Related words: balloting, suffrage
Show Answer

VOTE
22D 29. Partner of his 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: HE_S (Length: 4)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants
Show Answer

HERS
23D 30. They can be cured 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: HA_S (Length: 4)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: overact, Ham
Show Answer

HAMS
24D 31. "On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service" memoirist, 2024 5 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: FA__I (Length: 5)
  • Contains 3 vowels and 2 consonants
Show Answer

FAUCI
25D 32. "Nothing more for me, thank you" 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: IM___L (Length: 6)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants
Show Answer

IMFULL
26D 33. Illegal musical recording, e.g. 7 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: BO____G (Length: 7)
  • Contains 3 vowels and 4 consonants
  • Related words: contraband, black
Show Answer

BOOTLEG
27D 35. Fragrant flower whose name means "gift from God" 7 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: JA____E (Length: 7)
  • Contains 3 vowels and 4 consonants
  • Meaning: any of several shrubs and vines of the genus Jasminum chiefly native to Asia...
Show Answer

JASMINE
28D 36. In stock 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: ON___D (Length: 6)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants
Show Answer

ONHAND
29D 37. They're alive 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: BE___S (Length: 6)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants
  • Related words: beingness, being
Show Answer

BEINGS
30D 39. Bit of attire that might accompany a cane 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: TO___T (Length: 6)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants
Show Answer

TOPHAT
31D 40. Some products sold by Patagonia 6 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: PA___S (Length: 6)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants
  • Related words: windbreaker, windcheater
Show Answer

PARKAS
32D 42. "On the contrary …" 5 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: BU__O (Length: 5)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants
Show Answer

BUTNO
33D 43. Area around a mouth 5 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: DE__A (Length: 5)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Meaning: a low triangular area of alluvial deposits where a river divides before entering...
Show Answer

DELTA
34D 45. Place to brood 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: CO_P (Length: 4)
  • Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants
  • Related words: henhouse, hencoop
Show Answer

COOP
35D 46. Cause for stitches 4 General Knowledge
  • Pattern: GA_H (Length: 4)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: slash, cut
Show Answer

GASH
36D 48. Hits up, as on TikTok 3 Short Word
  • Pattern: DMS (Length: 3)
  • Contains 0 vowels and 3 consonants
  • Related words: dm, DM
Show Answer

DMS
37D 49. P.I. 3 Short Word
  • Pattern: TEC (Length: 3)
  • Contains 1 vowels and 2 consonants
  • Related words: investigator, detective
Show Answer

TEC

Category Analysis of Down Clues

Clue Categories Distribution
Category Count Percentage Examples
General Knowledge 31 83.8% RETYPED (7), ASHLEE (6)
Short Word 4 10.8% ATE (3), GUT (3)
Wordplay/Pun 2 5.4% CORPSE (6), CASEDISMISSED (13)

Down-Only Solving Strategy

Why Focus on Down Clues?

  1. Top-to-Bottom Flow: Natural reading progression from top of grid downward
  2. Grid Structure: Down clues often provide the puzzle's structural backbone
  3. Crossing Letters: Vertical entries intersect with multiple across clues
  4. Pattern Recognition: Vertical word patterns can be easier to spot
  5. Shorter Average Length: Many down entries are shorter, making them easier entry points

Recommended Down-First Solving Order

  • Step 1: Start with 3-4 letter down words in the upper left corner
  • Step 2: Work downward systematically, using crossing letters
  • Step 3: Identify common prefixes and suffixes in vertical positions
  • Step 4: Use the first two letters pattern hints for educated guesses
  • Step 5: Fill longer down answers using accumulated crossing letters

Vertical Pattern Insights

Down clues often contain common endings like -ED, -ING, -TION that span multiple rows. Look for these patterns to unlock multiple crossing words simultaneously.

Common NYT Crossword Down Words

These frequently appear in down positions:

Length Common Words
3 Letters ONE, TWO, TEE, SEE, BEE, PEA, SEA, TEA, ODE, ODD
4 Letters EDEN, EDIE, IDLE, ODOR, TEEN, SEER, PEER, DEER, NEED, SEED
5 Letters OREOS, EDITS, SIDED, TENET, SEEDY, NEEDY, DEEDS, PEEPS, STEED
6 Letters SEESAW, NEEDED, SEEDED, EDITED, ODDERS, EVENED, PEELED, TEETER
7+ Letters DELETED, ENTERED, STEERED, SEEDIER, NEEDIER, ONESIDED, REPEATED

About This Down-Only Format

This specialized format presents only the vertical (down) clues from the NYT crossword, allowing solvers to focus on one direction at a time. The down-first approach is particularly effective for building the puzzle's structural framework.

Related Resources

Disclaimer: This educational analysis focuses on down clues only. Puzzles and clues © The New York Times. Generated: August 15, 2025 at 12:09 PM

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