NYT Crossword Across December 16, 2025: All 39 Horizontal Answers & Strategic Tips
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 39 Across clues. We have all the horizontal answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: July 03 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | Xwordhint Crossword Answers October 01 | April 14 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Across Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | December 16, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Tuesday |
| Total Across Clues | 39 clues |
| Direction | Horizontal (Left to Right) |
| Difficulty | Easy |
All Across Clues - Complete List
Here are all 39 Across clues for today's puzzle. These go horizontally from left to right.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 1. Library acquisition |
| 2 Across | 5. Insta and Snap |
| 3 Across | 9. Start |
| 4 Across | 14. Roughly equivalent (to) |
| 5 Across | 15. Homie |
| 6 Across | 16. Maine-to-Florida hwy. |
| 7 Across | 17. What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard |
| 8 Across | 18. Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps |
| 9 Across | 20. Hockey feints |
| 10 Across | 22. Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe |
| 11 Across | 23. Prefix with cache or tag |
| 12 Across | 24. Person in hot pants? |
| 13 Across | 26. Name on a prestigious award |
| 14 Across | 28. It may be blond or pale |
| 15 Across | 31. Disgusting |
| 16 Across | 33. C-suite types |
| 17 Across | 36. Last stop before security, often |
| 18 Across | 38. Words of communal support |
| 19 Across | 39. Texter's "Then again ..." |
| 20 Across | 40. Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film |
| 21 Across | 42. Orchestra-tuning instrument |
| 22 Across | 43. Negligent |
| 23 Across | 45. Turnabout, they say |
| 24 Across | 47. Tiny amount |
| 25 Across | 48. Pay taxes via the internet |
| 26 Across | 49. Air traveler's info |
| 27 Across | 50. Drinks served at fountains |
| 28 Across | 52. Govt. IDs |
| 29 Across | 54. Down Under land: Abbr. |
| 30 Across | 56. Computer acronym since the 1960s |
| 31 Across | 58. Inventor Nikola |
| 32 Across | 62. The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one |
| 33 Across | 65. Couple, in gossip |
| 34 Across | 66. "Aw, shucks!" |
| 35 Across | 67. Decorative pitcher |
| 36 Across | 68. Wacky |
| 37 Across | 69. Lords' lands |
| 38 Across | 70. Tells (on) |
| 39 Across | 71. After 1-Across, shelf accessories ... or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases? |
Detailed Hints and Answers for All Across Clues
Need help? Here are comprehensive hints and answers for each Across clue. Also check these helpful guides:
- March 27 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 14 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 15 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 04
Complete Across Solutions:
1 Across: "1. Library acquisition"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: B__K
- Similar words: Good Book, volume
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BOOK
2 Across: "5. Insta and Snap"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A__S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
APPS
3 Across: "9. Start"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: B___N
- Similar words: start, start out
- Opposite of: end
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BEGIN
4 Across: "14. Roughly equivalent (to)"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A__N
- Similar words: consanguine, cognate
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: similar in quality or character
- This is Across clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
AKIN
5 Across: "15. Homie"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: B__H
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BRAH
6 Across: "16. Maine-to-Florida hwy."
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: U___E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
USONE
7 Across: "17. What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N__E
- Similar words: ennead, club
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
- This is Across clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
NINE
8 Across: "18. Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 10 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: C________Y
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
COVERSTORY
9 Across: "20. Hockey feints"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D___S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
DEKES
10 Across: "22. Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: G___Y
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
GEEKY
11 Across: "23. Prefix with cache or tag"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 3 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'O'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
GEO
12 Across: "24. Person in hot pants?"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- 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 Across clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
LIAR
13 Across: "26. Name on a prestigious award"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: N___L
- Similar words: Alfred Nobel
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
NOBEL
14 Across: "28. It may be blond or pale"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 3 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ALE
15 Across: "31. Disgusting"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: G___S
- Similar words: rank, arrant
- Opposite of: net
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: twelve dozen
- This is Across clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
GROSS
16 Across: "33. C-suite types"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E___S
- Similar words: White House, EXEC
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
EXECS
17 Across: "36. Last stop before security, often"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 8 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: B______K
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BAGCHECK
18 Across: "38. Words of communal support"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 6 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: W____E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
WECARE
19 Across: "39. Texter's "Then again ...""
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: O__H
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
OTOH
20 Across: "40. Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A___A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
AKIRA
21 Across: "42. Orchestra-tuning instrument"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O__E
- Similar words: hautbois, hautboy
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
OBOE
22 Across: "43. Negligent"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 6 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R____S
- Similar words: derelict, delinquent
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: failing in what duty requires
- This is Across clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
REMISS
23 Across: "45. Turnabout, they say"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 8 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: F______Y
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
FAIRPLAY
24 Across: "47. Tiny amount"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: T___E
- Similar words: tracing, tincture
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a just detectable amount
- This is Across clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
TRACE
25 Across: "48. Pay taxes via the internet"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E___E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
EFILE
26 Across: "49. Air traveler's info"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 3 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ETA
27 Across: "50. Drinks served at fountains"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S___S
- Similar words: soda ash, soda water
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
SODAS
28 Across: "52. Govt. IDs"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S__S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
SSNS
29 Across: "54. Down Under land: Abbr."
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 3 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Similar words: AU, Au
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
AUS
30 Across: "56. Computer acronym since the 1960s"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: A___I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ASCII
31 Across: "58. Inventor Nikola"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: T___A
- Similar words: Nikola Tesla
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
TESLA
32 Across: "62. The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 10 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S________E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
SMARTPHONE
33 Across: "65. Couple, in gossip"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: I__M
- Similar words: point, particular
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ITEM
34 Across: "66. "Aw, shucks!""
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O___E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
OHGEE
35 Across: "67. Decorative pitcher"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: E__R
- Similar words: pitcher
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: an open vessel with a handle and a spout for pouring
- This is Across clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
EWER
36 Across: "68. Wacky"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'Z' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: Z__Y
- Similar words: wacky, goof
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ZANY
37 Across: "69. Lords' lands"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: F___S
- Similar words: feoff, fief
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a piece of land held under the feudal system
- This is Across clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
FIEFS
38 Across: "70. Tells (on)"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R__S
- Similar words: blackleg, so-and-so
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 38
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
RATS
39 Across: "71. After 1-Across, shelf accessories ... or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases?"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
- Similar words: destruction, stop
- Opposite of: begin
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: either extremity of something that has length
- This is Across clue number 39
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ENDS
Expert Strategies for Solving Across Clues
Master the horizontal clues with these professional tips:
Why Start with Across Clues?
- Across clues often provide more letter intersections
- Reading left to right feels more natural
- Many common phrases run horizontally
- Across answers often help solve Down clues
Across Clue Patterns to Recognize
- Fill-in-the-blank clues: These are usually the easiest Across entries
- Common phrases: Many idioms run horizontally
- Abbreviations: Look for clues with "Abbr." or shortened forms
- Plural indicators: Words ending in 'S' are common in Across
- Pop culture references: Names and titles often appear horizontally
Time-Saving Across Techniques
| Technique | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Scan all Across first | Get a mental map of the horizontal flow |
| Fill short Across words | 3-4 letter words are often articles or prepositions |
| Use crossing letters | Down letters help confirm Across answers |
| Look for themes | Related Across answers often share a theme |
Frequently Asked Questions About Across Clues
What are Across clues in crossword puzzles?
Across clues are the horizontal entries in a crossword puzzle that read from left to right. They're numbered and correspond to specific rows in the grid.
Should I solve Across or Down clues first?
Many solvers prefer starting with Across clues because reading left-to-right feels more natural. However, the best approach is to solve the clues you find easiest first, regardless of direction.
How many Across clues are in today's puzzle?
Today's NYT crossword has 39 Across clues.
Are Across clues easier than Down clues?
Neither direction is inherently easier. The difficulty depends on the specific clues and your knowledge. However, Across clues often contain more common phrases and expressions.
How do Across clues interact with Down clues?
Across and Down 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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