NYT Down Crossword December 18, 2025 - Master All 41 Top-to-Bottom Clues
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 41 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: December 05 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | July 14 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | November 16 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | December 18, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Thursday |
| Total Down Clues | 41 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Easy |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 41 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Some queens |
| 2 Down | 2. Live |
| 3 Down | 3. It comes from the heart |
| 4 Down | 4. Glide down a piste |
| 5 Down | 5. ___ soldier |
| 6 Down | 6. Levels |
| 7 Down | 7. One versed in verse |
| 8 Down | 8. Agcy. that takes many forms |
| 9 Down | 9. Title for a J.D. |
| 10 Down | 10. Spirits |
| 11 Down | 11. "That's what she said" and others |
| 12 Down | 12. Beyond impressive, informally |
| 13 Down | 13. Ceremony |
| 14 Down | 18. One of several in a watch |
| 15 Down | 23. Caribbean music genre |
| 16 Down | 25. Rae of "Insecure" |
| 17 Down | 26. NaOH |
| 18 Down | 27. About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr. |
| 19 Down | 28. No longer relevant |
| 20 Down | 30. ___ Nation (activist organization since 1990) |
| 21 Down | 31. Fair |
| 22 Down | 32. T.H. White's "The ___ and Future King" |
| 23 Down | 33. Knockoff version of a bejeweled Imperial egg, e.g. |
| 24 Down | 34. In a class by oneself |
| 25 Down | 38. ___ Mawr |
| 26 Down | 39. Teeming (with) |
| 27 Down | 40. Greeting from Kermit |
| 28 Down | 42. Name that sounds like a computer guidebook |
| 29 Down | 43. Hosts, for short |
| 30 Down | 45. N.F.L. div. |
| 31 Down | 46. Lives |
| 32 Down | 47. Coming right up |
| 33 Down | 50. Eel, at a sushi bar |
| 34 Down | 51. "Ratatouille" topper |
| 35 Down | 52. Fabrication expert |
| 36 Down | 53. "I guess so" |
| 37 Down | 55. Barred from competing, for short |
| 38 Down | 58. Trail Blazers' grp. |
| 39 Down | 59. "Severance" actress Tullock |
| 40 Down | 60. Microdosing drug |
| 41 Down | 61. "Quit ___ yappin'!" |
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 09 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 16 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- December 05 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- Mondays NYT Mini Oct 20 All 10 Across
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Some queens"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B__S
- Similar words: bed, bottom
- Opposite of: turn out
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BEDS
2 Down: "2. Live"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: O___R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ONAIR
3 Down: "3. It comes from the heart"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 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 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AORTA
4 Down: "4. Glide down a piste"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'I'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SKI
5 Down: "5. ___ soldier"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Similar words: can, tin can
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TIN
6 Down: "6. Levels"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S____A
- Similar words: level, stratum
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
STRATA
7 Down: "7. One versed in verse"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: P__T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
POET
8 Down: "8. Agcy. that takes many forms"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IRS
9 Down: "9. Title for a J.D."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'Q'
- Similar words: Esquire
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ESQ
10 Down: "10. Spirits"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L_____S
- Similar words: pot likker, spirits
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LIQUORS
11 Down: "11. "That's what she said" and others"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 9 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I_______S
- Similar words: insinuation, innuendo
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: an indirect (and usually malicious) implication
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
INNUENDOS
12 Down: "12. Beyond impressive, informally"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 9 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S_______D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SCARYGOOD
13 Down: "13. Ceremony"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: P__P
- Similar words: gaudery, eclat
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: cheap or pretentious or vain display
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
POMP
14 Down: "18. One of several in a watch"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: G__R
- Similar words: gear mechanism, pitch
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GEAR
15 Down: "23. Caribbean music genre"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SKA
16 Down: "25. Rae of "Insecure""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: I__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ISSA
17 Down: "26. NaOH"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a strong solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LYE
18 Down: "27. About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S__T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SQFT
19 Down: "28. No longer relevant"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: M__T
- Similar words: disputable, consider
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a hypothetical case that law students argue as an exercise
- This is Down clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MOOT
20 Down: "30. ___ Nation (activist organization since 1990)"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'Q' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: Q___R
- Similar words: gay, faggot
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: offensive term for an openly homosexual man
- This is Down clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
QUEER
21 Down: "31. Fair"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: E__O
- Similar words: exhibition, exposition
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EXPO
22 Down: "32. T.H. White's "The ___ and Future King""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O__E
- Similar words: at one time, formerly
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: on one occasion
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ONCE
23 Down: "33. Knockoff version of a bejeweled Imperial egg, e.g."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 9 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: F_______E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FAUXBERGE
24 Down: "34. In a class by oneself"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 9 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: U_______D
- Similar words: unique, unparalleled
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: radically distinctive and without equal
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
UNEQUALED
25 Down: "38. ___ Mawr"
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 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BRYN
26 Down: "39. Teeming (with)"
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: predominant, prevalent
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: most frequent or common
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RIFE
27 Down: "40. Greeting from Kermit"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: H__O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HIHO
28 Down: "42. Name that sounds like a computer guidebook"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: E_____L
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EMANUEL
29 Down: "43. Hosts, for short"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Similar words: MHz, megahertz
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: one million periods per second
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MCS
30 Down: "45. N.F.L. div."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'Q' and ends with 'R'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
QTR
31 Down: "46. Lives"
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: live, subsist
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: have an existence
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EXISTS
32 Down: "47. Coming right up"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: N__T
- Similar words: following, succeeding
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: immediately following in time or order
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NEXT
33 Down: "50. Eel, at a sushi bar"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: U___I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
UNAGI
34 Down: "51. "Ratatouille" topper"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: T___E
- Similar words: turban, pillbox
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a tall white hat with a pouched crown; worn by chefs
- This is Down clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TOQUE
35 Down: "52. Fabrication expert"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: L__R
- Similar words: prevaricator
- Opposite of: square shooter
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a person who has lied or who lies repeatedly
- This is Down clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LIAR
36 Down: "53. "I guess so""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S__E
- Similar words: for sure, trusted
- Opposite of: unsure
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SURE
37 Down: "55. Barred from competing, for short"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: D__D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DQED
38 Down: "58. Trail Blazers' grp."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'A'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 38
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NBA
39 Down: "59. "Severance" actress Tullock"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'N'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 39
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
JEN
40 Down: "60. Microdosing drug"
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 40
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LSD
41 Down: "61. "Quit ___ yappin'!""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'R'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 41
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
YER
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 41 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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