NYT Down Today December 02, 2025: Complete Vertical Clues Walkthrough
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 38 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: April 07 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | May 17 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | April 04 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | December 02, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Tuesday |
| Total Down Clues | 38 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 38 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Nicki ___, "Starships" rapper |
| 2 Down | 2. Gas brand owned by BP |
| 3 Down | 3. Dessert item usually eaten moments after it's made |
| 4 Down | 4. Criticize unfairly |
| 5 Down | 5. 1960s antiwar grp. |
| 6 Down | 6. Hospital staffer, for short |
| 7 Down | 7. With 43-Down, seeking funding from investors ... or what you're doing in 4-, 9-, 15- and 38-Down? |
| 8 Down | 8. Suffix with Manhattan or Brooklyn |
| 9 Down | 9. Brought up the rear |
| 10 Down | 10. Prefix that's bigger than kilo- |
| 11 Down | 11. Bible figures invoked by O. Henry |
| 12 Down | 12. Love of Spanish? |
| 13 Down | 15. Grey Goose competitor |
| 14 Down | 20. Chicago-to-Indianapolis dir. |
| 15 Down | 22. Hairball hacker |
| 16 Down | 24. Subject of the Tenth Commandment |
| 17 Down | 28. Bit in a friendship bracelet |
| 18 Down | 29. Many a Mideast native |
| 19 Down | 30. 1970s sitcom title character who "can turn the world on with her smile" |
| 20 Down | 31. Superiors to cpls. |
| 21 Down | 32. Oaf |
| 22 Down | 33. What spicy food has |
| 23 Down | 34. Lay eyes on |
| 24 Down | 35. Clearasil target |
| 25 Down | 38. "Huh, better than I expected" |
| 26 Down | 40. Ring of light |
| 27 Down | 43. See 7-Down |
| 28 Down | 46. Top of the hour? |
| 29 Down | 47. Electric guitarist's accessory |
| 30 Down | 50. Communication system for almost two billion people |
| 31 Down | 51. Belief system for almost two billion people |
| 32 Down | 52. Top-tier |
| 33 Down | 53. Not drunk |
| 34 Down | 54. Dos cubed |
| 35 Down | 55. Business that's owned and managed by its members |
| 36 Down | 56. Frequently |
| 37 Down | 61. Prefix with conscious |
| 38 Down | 62. Communication syst. in which the letter Z is drawn with one's index finger |
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:
- May 02 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 24 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 02 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 14 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Nicki ___, "Starships" rapper"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'J'
- Word pattern: M___J
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MINAJ
2 Down: "2. Gas brand owned by BP"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A___O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AMOCO
3 Down: "3. Dessert item usually eaten moments after it's made"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S___E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SMORE
4 Down: "4. Criticize unfairly"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 14 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: T____________T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TAKEPOTSHOTSAT
5 Down: "5. 1960s antiwar grp."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Similar words: Coyote State, South Dakota
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a state in north central United States
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SDS
6 Down: "6. Hospital staffer, for short"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: E___C
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ERDOC
7 Down: "7. With 43-Down, seeking funding from investors ... or what you're doing in 4-, 9-, 15- and 38-Down?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: R_____G
- Similar words: rear, put forward
- Opposite of: lower
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the event of something being raised upward
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RAISING
8 Down: "8. Suffix with Manhattan or Brooklyn"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ITE
9 Down: "9. Brought up the rear"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: C______T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CAMELAST
10 Down: "10. Prefix that's bigger than kilo-"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: M__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MEGA
11 Down: "11. Bible figures invoked by O. Henry"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: M__I
- Similar words: magus, Wise Men
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MAGI
12 Down: "12. Love of Spanish?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: A__R
- Similar words: Cupid
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: (Roman mythology) god of love; counterpart of Greek Eros
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AMOR
13 Down: "15. Grey Goose competitor"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 14 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: B____________A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BELVEDEREVODKA
14 Down: "20. Chicago-to-Indianapolis dir."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Similar words: sou'-sou'-east, south southeast
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the compass point midway between south and southeast
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SSE
15 Down: "22. Hairball hacker"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: khat, guy
- Opposite of: keep down
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CAT
16 Down: "24. Subject of the Tenth Commandment"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: E__Y
- Similar words: begrudge, invidia
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ENVY
17 Down: "28. Bit in a friendship bracelet"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: B__D
- Similar words: beadwork, beading
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a small ball with a hole through the middle
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BEAD
18 Down: "29. Many a Mideast native"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'B'
- Word pattern: A__B
- Similar words: Arabian
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ARAB
19 Down: "30. 1970s sitcom title character who "can turn the world on with her smile""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: M__Y
- Similar words: Madonna, The Virgin
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MARY
20 Down: "31. Superiors to cpls."
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 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SGTS
21 Down: "32. Oaf"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: C__D
- Similar words: oaf, gawk
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a compact mass
- This is Down clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CLOD
22 Down: "33. What spicy food has"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B__E
- Similar words: insect bite, prick
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a wound resulting from biting by an animal or a person
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BITE
23 Down: "34. Lay eyes on"
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
- Similar words: recognize, smirch
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SPOT
24 Down: "35. Clearasil target"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A__E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ACNE
25 Down: "38. "Huh, better than I expected""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: N______D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NOTSOBAD
26 Down: "40. Ring of light"
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
- Similar words: gloriole, aureole
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HALO
27 Down: "43. See 7-Down"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: C_____L
- Similar words: majuscule, Das Kapital
- Opposite of: lowercase
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CAPITAL
28 Down: "46. Top of the hour?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'X' and ends with 'I'
- Similar words: dozen, twelve
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
XII
29 Down: "47. Electric guitarist's accessory"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'P'
- Similar words: ampere, A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AMP
30 Down: "50. Communication system for almost two billion people"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: G___L
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GMAIL
31 Down: "51. Belief system for almost two billion people"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: I___M
- Similar words: Muslimism, Islamism
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ISLAM
32 Down: "52. Top-tier"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E___E
- Similar words: elite group, elect
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ELITE
33 Down: "53. Not drunk"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: S___R
- Similar words: serious, drab
- Opposite of: playful
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: cause to become sober
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SOBER
34 Down: "54. Dos cubed"
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
OCHO
35 Down: "55. Business that's owned and managed by its members"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: C__P
- Similar words: hencoop, chicken coop
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a farm building for housing poultry
- This is Down clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
COOP
36 Down: "56. Frequently"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A__T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ALOT
37 Down: "61. Prefix with conscious"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ECO
38 Down: "62. Communication syst. in which the letter Z is drawn with one's index finger"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'L'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the sign language used in the United States
- This is Down clue number 38
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ASL
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 38 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment