Saturday's NYT Down Oct 04 - Full Vertical Grid Solutions
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 31 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: NYT Crossword Down September 21 2025 | June 05 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | January 18 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 04, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Saturday |
| Total Down Clues | 31 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 31 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Focus of an airplane battle, maybe |
| 2 Down | 2. Legendary rock singer? |
| 3 Down | 3. Containers that are often red |
| 4 Down | 4. Halley of Halley's comet |
| 5 Down | 5. Cornrow, e.g. |
| 6 Down | 6. Skate park fixture |
| 7 Down | 7. Mount for Quixote's squire |
| 8 Down | 8. Award won four times in the W.N.B.A. by A'ja Wilson |
| 9 Down | 9. Assistance for short drivers? |
| 10 Down | 10. Walk with exaggerated motions |
| 11 Down | 11. ___ Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker |
| 12 Down | 12. California town thought (incorrectly) to be named from a backward "bakery" sign |
| 13 Down | 14. Type of argument with conflicting accounts |
| 14 Down | 17. Result of sleeping in, say |
| 15 Down | 21. Moves along quickly, as a horse |
| 16 Down | 24. Protects oneself, possum-style |
| 17 Down | 25. Fumble around in the dark |
| 18 Down | 27. Home of Banff National Park |
| 19 Down | 29. Wonder Woman portrayer |
| 20 Down | 30. Brouhaha |
| 21 Down | 31. "Welsh" dish with melted cheese |
| 22 Down | 32. Cuban container |
| 23 Down | 33. Water cooler? |
| 24 Down | 34. Colorful shawls |
| 25 Down | 35. "Are you done guessing?" |
| 26 Down | 36. Get bested by |
| 27 Down | 37. Grain with a nutty flavor |
| 28 Down | 38. Safe job? |
| 29 Down | 41. Netflix offerings until 2023 |
| 30 Down | 43. Source of some flashbacks |
| 31 Down | 45. Sucker, for short |
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 16 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 09 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 02 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 03 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Focus of an airplane battle, maybe"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A_____T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a support for the arm
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ARMREST
2 Down: "2. Legendary rock singer?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: L_____I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LORELEI
3 Down: "3. Containers that are often red"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: G_____S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GASCANS
4 Down: "4. Halley of Halley's comet"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: E____D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EDMOND
5 Down: "5. Cornrow, e.g."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: B___D
- Similar words: pleach, plait
- Opposite of: unbraid
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BRAID
6 Down: "6. Skate park fixture"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: R__L
- Similar words: inveigh, track
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RAIL
7 Down: "7. Mount for Quixote's squire"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Similar words: shtup, shag
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ASS
8 Down: "8. Award won four times in the W.N.B.A. by A'ja Wilson"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'P'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the player judged to be the most important to the sport
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MVP
9 Down: "9. Assistance for short drivers?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C______S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CARLOANS
10 Down: "10. Walk with exaggerated motions"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: F_____E
- Similar words: furbelow, frill
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FLOUNCE
11 Down: "11. ___ Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L____E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LONNIE
12 Down: "12. California town thought (incorrectly) to be named from a backward "bakery" sign"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: Y___A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
YREKA
13 Down: "14. Type of argument with conflicting accounts"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 13 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: H___________D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HESAIDSHESAID
14 Down: "17. Result of sleeping in, say"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 9 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: L_______T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LATESTART
15 Down: "21. Moves along quickly, as a horse"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C_____S
- Similar words: lope, canter
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a smooth three-beat gait; between a trot and a gallop
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CANTERS
16 Down: "24. Protects oneself, possum-style"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 9 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: P_______D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PLAYSDEAD
17 Down: "25. Fumble around in the dark"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: G___E
- Similar words: fumble
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the act of groping; and instance of groping
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GROPE
18 Down: "27. Home of Banff National Park"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A_____A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ALBERTA
19 Down: "29. Wonder Woman portrayer"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 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 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GADOT
20 Down: "30. Brouhaha"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 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 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BIGSCENE
21 Down: "31. "Welsh" dish with melted cheese"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: R_____T
- Similar words: Welsh rarebit, Welsh rabbit
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: cheese melted with ale or beer served over toast
- This is Down clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RAREBIT
22 Down: "32. Cuban container"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: H_____R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HUMIDOR
23 Down: "33. Water cooler?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 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 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ICECUBE
24 Down: "34. Colorful shawls"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____S
- Similar words: sarape, serape
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a long brightly colored shawl; worn mainly by Mexican men
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SERAPES
25 Down: "35. "Are you done guessing?""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: G____P
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GIVEUP
26 Down: "36. Get bested by"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: L____O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LOSETO
27 Down: "37. Grain with a nutty flavor"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: F___O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FARRO
28 Down: "38. Safe job?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: H___T
- Similar words: rip-off, burglarise
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the act of stealing
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HEIST
29 Down: "41. Netflix offerings until 2023"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D__S
- Similar words: videodisc, DVD
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DVDS
30 Down: "43. Source of some flashbacks"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'D'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LSD
31 Down: "45. Sucker, for short"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'C'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: informal term for vacation
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
VAC
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 31 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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