Today's Down Crossword NYT September 19, 2025 - Every Vertical Solution Explained
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 37 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: November 20 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | November 07 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | NYT Crossword January 04 1990 Xwordhint |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 19, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Friday |
| Total Down Clues | 37 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Medium |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 37 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Lead-in to stratus or cumulus |
| 2 Down | 2. ___ mater (brain protector) |
| 3 Down | 3. Handling things |
| 4 Down | 4. Bud |
| 5 Down | 5. Memorial Coliseum athlete |
| 6 Down | 6. Provide that crucial spark for |
| 7 Down | 7. You may have learned your times tables by it |
| 8 Down | 8. Fin |
| 9 Down | 9. Develop over time |
| 10 Down | 10. "50 First Dates" or "(500) Days of Summer" |
| 11 Down | 11. Reader's digest |
| 12 Down | 12. Concerning |
| 13 Down | 13. It might be picked up from a trip to the beach |
| 14 Down | 15. Classic lunchbox staple, informally |
| 15 Down | 22. Tolerate |
| 16 Down | 23. Done: Fr. |
| 17 Down | 24. Big ol' teddy bear |
| 18 Down | 25. Word of approval, in French and Spanish |
| 19 Down | 26. Finance |
| 20 Down | 27. A little of this, a little of that |
| 21 Down | 28. Salutation for a mass email |
| 22 Down | 29. Lower than, on a score |
| 23 Down | 33. Learning center? |
| 24 Down | 35. Zac of "The Iron Claw" |
| 25 Down | 38. Pulitzer-winning graphic novel by Art Spiegelman |
| 26 Down | 41. British spots |
| 27 Down | 42. Throws out |
| 28 Down | 45. Declaration that might come from a bluffer |
| 29 Down | 46. Spirited sort? |
| 30 Down | 49. Wrapped dress |
| 31 Down | 50. Author Jorge ___ Borges |
| 32 Down | 51. Apt rhyme for fire |
| 33 Down | 52. Object marked with the speed limit, sometimes |
| 34 Down | 53. Word in an Italian veal dish |
| 35 Down | 54. "___ the Man" (2006 film inspired by "Twelfth Night") |
| 36 Down | 57. On the newsstand, say |
| 37 Down | 58. John |
Detailed Hints and Answers for All Down Clues
Need help? Here are comprehensive hints and answers for each Down clue. Also check these helpful guides:
- April 08 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 22 1990 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 20 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT 0905 Thur Sep 05 2024 Crossword
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Lead-in to stratus or cumulus"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A__O
- Similar words: contralto, countertenor
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a singer whose voice lies in the alto clef
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ALTO
2 Down: "2. ___ mater (brain protector)"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: D__A
- Similar words: dura mater
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the outermost (and toughest) of the 3 meninges
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DURA
3 Down: "3. Handling things"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: O__T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ONIT
4 Down: "4. Bud"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'L'
- Similar words: crony, buddy
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PAL
5 Down: "5. Memorial Coliseum athlete"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: T____N
- Similar words: Dardan, trojan horse
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a native of ancient Troy
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TROJAN
6 Down: "6. Provide that crucial spark for"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 11 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B_________E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BRINGTOLIFE
7 Down: "7. You may have learned your times tables by it"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: R__E
- Similar words: rote learning
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: memorization by repetition
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ROTE
8 Down: "8. Fin"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ABE
9 Down: "9. Develop over time"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: G_____E
- Similar words: conceptualize, expect
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: have the idea for
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GESTATE
10 Down: "10. "50 First Dates" or "(500) Days of Summer""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: R____M
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ROMCOM
11 Down: "11. Reader's digest"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: B________T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BOOKREPORT
12 Down: "12. Concerning"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I__E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
INRE
13 Down: "13. It might be picked up from a trip to the beach"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S__D
- Similar words: sandpaper, George Sand
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SAND
14 Down: "15. Classic lunchbox staple, informally"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'J'
- Word pattern: P____J
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PBANDJ
15 Down: "22. Tolerate"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A___E
- Similar words: bear, stay
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: dwell
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ABIDE
16 Down: "23. Done: Fr."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: F__I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FINI
17 Down: "24. Big ol' teddy bear"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 11 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: G_________T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GENTLEGIANT
18 Down: "25. Word of approval, in French and Spanish"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: B__N
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BIEN
19 Down: "26. Finance"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'W'
- Word pattern: E___W
- Similar words: empower, endue
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: give qualities or abilities to
- This is Down clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ENDOW
20 Down: "27. A little of this, a little of that"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: H________E
- Similar words: odds and ends, farrago
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a motley assortment of things
- This is Down clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HODGEPODGE
21 Down: "28. Salutation for a mass email"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: H___L
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HIALL
22 Down: "29. Lower than, on a score"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: S___O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SOTTO
23 Down: "33. Learning center?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: D__K
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DESK
24 Down: "35. Zac of "The Iron Claw""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: E___N
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EFRON
25 Down: "38. Pulitzer-winning graphic novel by Art Spiegelman"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: M__S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MAUS
26 Down: "41. British spots"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A_____S
- Similar words: advert, cite
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a public promotion of some product or service
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ADVERTS
27 Down: "42. Throws out"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E____S
- Similar words: oust, throw out
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: force to leave or move out
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EXPELS
28 Down: "45. Declaration that might come from a bluffer"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I____E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IRAISE
29 Down: "46. Spirited sort?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: B____Y
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BARFLY
30 Down: "49. Wrapped dress"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: S__I
- Similar words: saree
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SARI
31 Down: "50. Author Jorge ___ Borges"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L__S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LUIS
32 Down: "51. Apt rhyme for fire"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: P__E
- Similar words: funeral pyre
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: wood heaped for burning a dead body as a funeral rite
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PYRE
33 Down: "52. Object marked with the speed limit, sometimes"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: B__Y
- Similar words: buoy up
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BUOY
34 Down: "53. Word in an Italian veal dish"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: O__O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OSSO
35 Down: "54. "___ the Man" (2006 film inspired by "Twelfth Night")"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S__S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SHES
36 Down: "57. On the newsstand, say"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: prohibited, KO'd
- Opposite of: safe
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OUT
37 Down: "58. John"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'O'
- Similar words: W.C., water closet
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a toilet in Britain
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LOO
Expert Strategies for Solving Down Clues
Master the vertical clues with these professional tips:
Why Start with Down Clues?
- Down clues often reveal key letters for intersecting words
- Vertical patterns can unlock difficult sections
- Many prefixes and suffixes run vertically
- Down answers often help solve Across clues
Down Clue Patterns to Recognize
- Fill-in-the-blank clues: These are usually the easiest Down entries
- Prefixes and suffixes: Common word parts often run vertically
- Abbreviations: Look for clues with "Abbr." or shortened forms
- Plural indicators: Words ending in 'S' are common in Down
- Pop culture references: Names and titles often appear vertically
Time-Saving Down Techniques
| Technique | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Scan all Down first | Get a mental map of the vertical flow |
| Fill short Down words | 3-4 letter words are often prefixes or connectors |
| Use crossing letters | Across letters help confirm Down answers |
| Look for themes | Related Down answers often share a theme |
Frequently Asked Questions About Down Clues
What are Down clues in crossword puzzles?
Down clues are the vertical entries in a crossword puzzle that read from top to bottom. They're numbered and correspond to specific columns in the grid.
Should I solve Down or Across clues first?
Many solvers alternate between Down and Across clues to build momentum. Down clues can help unlock difficult sections by providing key intersecting letters. The best approach is to solve the clues you find easiest first, regardless of direction.
How many Down clues are in today's puzzle?
Today's NYT crossword has 37 Down clues.
Are Down clues easier than Across clues?
Neither direction is inherently easier. The difficulty depends on the specific clues and your knowledge. However, Down clues often contain helpful prefixes, suffixes, and word parts that can be easier to guess.
How do Down clues interact with Across clues?
Down and Across clues intersect at various points in the grid. Solving one can provide letters that help solve the other, making the puzzle easier as you progress.
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