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Wednesday, August 12, 2026

XWordHint Crossword Answers August 12, 2026 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

Master today's NYT crossword with our expert hint system. We provide synonyms, antonyms, and strategic clues to help you solve without spoiling the fun. Perfect for crossword lovers who want that satisfying "aha!" moment.

Quick Navigation - Table of Contents

Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Challenging

Pro Tip: Start with the fill-in-the-blank clues - they're usually the easiest entry points!

Across Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1A 1. Mentions by username, on social media 4
2A 5. High range 6
3A 11. Hits up on Insta, say 3
4A 14. ___ vez (again, in Spanish) 4
5A 15. Torment 6
6A 16. On the sea, it's akin to "Sí" 3
7A 17. Where Docs and Sheets are stored 11
8A 19. Jordan joined it in 1984, for short 3
9A 20. Pal 5
10A 21. Only number that appears twice in the Fibonacci sequence 3
11A 22. Rip-off 4
12A 23. Measurements of Wi-Fi performance 13
13A 27. Didn't have a match in Go Fish, say 4
14A 28. Feeling little to no amorous attraction, in L.G.B.T.Q.+ lingo 3
15A 29. Identity prefix 3
16A 32. Baldwin with a record 17 appearances as "Saturday Night Live" host 4
17A 35. Unwanted divisions 5
18A 38. Web volume measured in hits ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 49- and 61-Across 15
19A 42. 2024 film that won Best Picture 5
20A 43. Boba tea flavor 4
21A 44. Word with run or resort 3
22A 45. Throw, for instance 3
23A 46. Buddhist leader 4
24A 49. Major consequence of a virus, perhaps 13
25A 55. Extreme craving 4
26A 56. "OK," in Osaka 3
27A 57. "Like ___!" ("Whatever!") 5
28A 60. "Sorry, it's ___ from me" 3
29A 61. Cause of some slow data transfers 11
30A 64. Highly monitored area, for short 3
31A 65. Flowery 6
32A 66. Affinity for something, so to speak 4
33A 67. Home of Emanuel Leutze's "Washington Crossing the Delaware," with "the" 3
34A 68. Snipes of "White Men Can't Jump" 6
35A 69. Baking amts. 4

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Mentions by username, on social media"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a label written or printed on paper, cardboard, or plastic that is attached to something to indicate its owner, nature, price, etc.
  • Similar words include: tail, go after, ticket
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAGS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "5. High range"

6 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the pitch range of the highest female voice
  • Similar words include: threefold, three-fold, double
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TREBLE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "11. Hits up on Insta, say"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that diabetes caused by a relative or absolute deficiency of insulin and characterized by polyuria
  • Similar words include: DM, dm, decimeter
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DMS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "14. ___ vez (again, in Spanish)"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OTRA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "15. Torment"

6 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a cultivator that pulverizes or smooths the soil
  • Similar words include: disk
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HARROW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "16. On the sea, it's akin to "Sí""

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AYE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "17. Where Docs and Sheets are stored"

11 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOOGLEDRIVE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "19. Jordan joined it in 1984, for short"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NBA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "20. Pal"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a friend or comrade
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMIGO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "21. Only number that appears twice in the Fibonacci sequence"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
  • Similar words include: 1, peerless, nonpareil
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "22. Rip-off"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a fraudulent business scheme
  • Similar words include: defraud, gyp, con
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCAM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "23. Measurements of Wi-Fi performance"

13 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NETWORKSPEEDS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "27. Didn't have a match in Go Fish, say"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that united states actor (born in ireland); father of georgiana emma barrymore (1827-1862)
  • Similar words include: thread, trace, pass
  • Opposite of: repel, deposit
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DREW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "28. Feeling little to no amorous attraction, in L.G.B.T.Q.+ lingo"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "29. Identity prefix"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an alliance made up of states that had been soviet socialist republics in the soviet union prior to its dissolution in dec 1991
  • Similar words include: Commonwealth of Independent States, Ci, curie
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "32. Baldwin with a record 17 appearances as "Saturday Night Live" host"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALEC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "35. Unwanted divisions"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a gap between cloud masses
  • Similar words include: breach, rift, falling out
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIFTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "38. Web volume measured in hits ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 49- and 61-Across"

15 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INTERNETTRAFFIC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "42. 2024 film that won Best Picture"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANORA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "43. Boba tea flavor"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that edible starchy tuberous root of taro plants
  • Similar words include: dasheen, taro root, edda
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TARO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "44. Word with run or resort"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that narrow wood or metal or plastic runners used in pairs for gliding over snow
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SKI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "45. Throw, for instance"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
  • Similar words include: carpet, carpeting
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RUG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "46. Buddhist leader"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a tibetan or mongolian priest of lamaism
  • Similar words include: genus Lama
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAMA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "49. Major consequence of a virus, perhaps"

13 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: COMPUTERCRASH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "55. Extreme craving"

4 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a strong sexual desire
  • Similar words include: hunger, lecherousness, crave
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LUST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "56. "OK," in Osaka"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HAI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "57. "Like ___!" ("Whatever!")"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICARE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "60. "Sorry, it's ___ from me""

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a palestinian international terrorist organization that split from the plo in 1974; has conducted terrorist attacks in 20 countries
  • Similar words include: Revolutionary Organization of Socialist Muslims, Abu Nidal Organization, Black September
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ANO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "61. Cause of some slow data transfers"

11 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SERVERDELAY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "64. Highly monitored area, for short"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care
  • Similar words include: intensive care unit
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ICU

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "65. Flowery"

6 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details; ; -john milton
  • Similar words include: flowery
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORNATE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "66. Affinity for something, so to speak"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
  • Similar words include: wind, poke, olfactory organ
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "67. Home of Emanuel Leutze's "Washington Crossing the Delaware," with "the""

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that come together
  • Similar words include: fill, receive, run across
  • Opposite of: diverge
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MET

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34A: "68. Snipes of "White Men Can't Jump""

6 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that english clergyman and brother of john wesley who wrote many hymns (1707-1788)
  • Similar words include: John Wesley, Charles Wesley
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WESLEY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35A: "69. Baking amts."

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TSPS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1D 1. Party wrap 4
2D 2. Bit of chemistry 4
3D 3. Bad thing to pull while running 5
4D 4. Failed under pressure, in a way 6
5D 5. Hot French beverage 3
6D 6. "Sick, dude!" 3
7D 7. What a bug may cause 5
8D 8. Cusp 5
9D 9. Is gaga for 5
10D 10. Farm female 3
11D 11. "Battles" of those busting moves 9
12D 12. "I messed up" 5
13D 13. Lines in mines 5
14D 18. Tolkien fantasy series inits. 4
15D 22. Little flourish on a letter 5
16D 24. Break off gradually 4
17D 25. Barn nestling 5
18D 26. Lawyer's aide, informally 4
19D 29. Org. in the Jack Ryan movies 3
20D 30. Tabard ___, locale in "The Canterbury Tales" 3
21D 31. Leaves in a huff 9
22D 33. Greek letter representing elasticity in economics 3
23D 34. PC "copy" shortcut 5
24D 36. ___Tok 3
25D 37. STEM part: Abbr. 3
26D 39. Go ballistic 5
27D 40. Big name in pasta sauce 4
28D 41. Pride sound 4
29D 47. ___ Marian (English folklore heroine) 4
30D 48. It's on the up and up 6
31D 49. Fraud victim's filing 5
32D 50. Perfumery unit 5
33D 51. "And ... voilà!" 5
34D 52. Comes to deserve 5
35D 53. Measure up to, as in competition 5
36D 54. Nickname for M.L.B.'s Angels 5
37D 58. Feature of one's voice following a loud concert, say 4
38D 59. Potato discards 4
39D 61. Farm female 3
40D 62. It ends in septembre 3
41D 63. Singer Lana Del ___ 3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Party wrap"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a one-piece cloak worn by men in ancient rome
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOGA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. Bit of chemistry"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element
  • Similar words include: speck, molecule, corpuscle
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ATOM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. Bad thing to pull while running"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the crease at the junction of the inner part of the thigh with the trunk together with the adjacent region and often including the external genitals
  • Similar words include: breakwater, seawall, bulwark
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GROIN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Failed under pressure, in a way"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
  • Similar words include: droop, flag, sag down
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAGGED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Hot French beverage"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. "Sick, dude!""

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material
  • Similar words include: radian
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. What a bug may cause"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
  • Similar words include: fault, misplay, erroneous belief
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERROR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. Cusp"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a region marking a boundary
  • Similar words include: verge, threshold
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BRINK

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Is gaga for"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
  • Similar words include: roll in the hay, hump, fuck
  • Opposite of: hate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOVES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Farm female"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a member of a people living in southern benin and togo and southeastern ghana
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EWE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. "Battles" of those busting moves"

9 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DANCEOFFS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. "I messed up""

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MYBAD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. Lines in mines"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces
  • Similar words include: wrinkle, bed, seam
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEAMS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "18. Tolkien fantasy series inits."

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOTR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "22. Little flourish on a letter"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a short line at the end of the main strokes of a character
  • Similar words include: seriph
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SERIF

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "24. Break off gradually"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that gradually deprive (infants and young mammals) of mother's milk
  • Similar words include: ablactate
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WEAN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "25. Barn nestling"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OWLET

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18D: "26. Lawyer's aide, informally"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (obstetrics) the number of liveborn children a woman has delivered
  • Similar words include: Feliz Lusitania, paratrooper, Belem
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PARA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19D: "29. Org. in the Jack Ryan movies"

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an independent agency of the united states government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest; headed by the director of central intelligence under the supervision of the president and national security council
  • Similar words include: Central Intelligence Agency
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CIA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20D: "30. Tabard ___, locale in "The Canterbury Tales""

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
  • Similar words include: hostel, lodge, auberge
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21D: "31. Leaves in a huff"

9 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _________
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STORMSOUT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22D: "33. Greek letter representing elasticity in economics"

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a terrorist organization organized in 1959 by student activists who were dissatisfied with the moderate nationalism of the traditional basque party; want to create an independent homeland in spain's western pyrenees
  • Similar words include: Euskadi ta Askatasuna, Basque Homeland and Freedom, Basque Fatherland and Liberty
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23D: "34. PC "copy" shortcut"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CTRLC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24D: "36. ___Tok"

3 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TIK

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25D: "37. STEM part: Abbr."

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SCI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26D: "39. Go ballistic"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that start abruptly
  • Similar words include: flare up, break, break through
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ERUPT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27D: "40. Big name in pasta sauce"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAGU

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28D: "41. Pride sound"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a deep prolonged loud noise
  • Similar words include: holler, bellow, hollo
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ROAR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29D: "47. ___ Marian (English folklore heroine)"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a female domestic
  • Similar words include: maiden, maidservant, housemaid
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MAID

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30D: "48. It's on the up and up"

6 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an upward slope or grade (as in a road)
  • Similar words include: upgrade, climb, rising
  • Opposite of: fall, descent
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASCENT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31D: "49. Fraud victim's filing"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
  • Similar words include: take, call, arrogate
  • Opposite of: forfeit, disclaim
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLAIM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32D: "50. Perfumery unit"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a unit of apothecary weight equal to 480 grains or one twelfth of a pound
  • Similar words include: oz., snow leopard, troy ounce
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OUNCE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33D: "51. "And ... voilà!""

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a location other than here; that place
  • Similar words include: at that place, in that respect, in that location
  • Opposite of: here
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: THERE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34D: "52. Comes to deserve"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
  • Similar words include: realise, bring in, garner
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EARNS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35D: "53. Measure up to, as in competition"

5 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the contestant you hope to defeat
  • Similar words include: equal, competition, challenger
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RIVAL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36D: "54. Nickname for M.L.B.'s Angels"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint
  • Similar words include: aura, glory, aureole
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HALOS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

37D: "58. Feature of one's voice following a loud concert, say"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that uttering in an irritated tone
  • Similar words include: rasping, wood file
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RASP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

38D: "59. Potato discards"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that opinion or judgment
  • Similar words include: heart, optic, oculus
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EYES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

39D: "61. Farm female"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an adult female hog
  • Similar words include: seed, inseminate, sow in
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOW

Remember this word for future puzzles!

40D: "62. It ends in septembre"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

41D: "63. Singer Lana Del ___"

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: REY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Expert Solving Strategies

Start Smart

Begin with fill-in-the-blank clues and short 3-4 letter words. These are your foundation.

Decode the Clues

Question marks indicate wordplay or puns. "Maybe" suggests multiple interpretations.

Use Cross-References

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Today's Puzzle Stats

35 Across Clues
41 Down Clues
76 Total Clues

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Last updated: August 12, 2026 at 05:10 AM

Sunday, October 12, 2025

NYT Down Clues Answers October 12, 2025 - All 83 Vertical Solutions & Expert Hints

Sunday's NYT Down Oct 12 - Full Vertical Grid Solutions

Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 83 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!

Related Puzzles: NYT Down Today October 01 2025 Complete | August 11 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | August 10 2023 NYT Clues Solutions |

About Today's Down Clues

NYT Down clues solutions for October 12, 2025
NYT Down Clues - Sunday, October 12, 2025
Down Clues Statistics
Detail Information
Date October 12, 2025
Day of Week Sunday
Total Down Clues 83 clues
Direction Vertical (Top to Bottom)
Difficulty Easy

All Down Clues - Complete List

Here are all 83 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.

Complete Down Clues List
Number Clue
1 Down 1. Green or black African menace
2 Down 2. Spider-Man, for one
3 Down 3. Freak out
4 Down 4. Good name for an apiarist?
5 Down 5. Rocker ___ Rose
6 Down 6. UPS competitor
7 Down 7. Sends to Hades
8 Down 8. Mishmash
9 Down 9. Bloke
10 Down 10. Religious title whose name comes from the Hebrew for "father"
11 Down 11. Chews (out)
12 Down 12. Classic car that shared its name with a planet, informally
13 Down 13. Postdebate areas
14 Down 14. Some old game consoles
15 Down 15. ___ Gay, author of "Bad Feminist"
16 Down 16. Fairy tale sibling
17 Down 17. Doofuses, north of the border
18 Down 20. Absolutely, in slang
19 Down 24. Never-ending
20 Down 26. CPR pressure points
21 Down 29. Cycle at night?
22 Down 31. Core-strengthening Pilates exercises
23 Down 32. Badly
24 Down 33. It's covered in kernels
25 Down 37. ___ gin fizz
26 Down 38. "Charlotte's Web" author's inits.
27 Down 39. Wood found in restaurant furniture
28 Down 40. Speck
29 Down 41. Online shorthand meaning "Victory!"
30 Down 42. Afore
31 Down 43. Previously known as
32 Down 44. Of help
33 Down 45. "Turn that frown upside down!"
34 Down 46. Clever sort
35 Down 49. Big name in vacuum cleaners
36 Down 50. [It's time for bed!]
37 Down 51. Sharply dressed
38 Down 52. Part
39 Down 53. The Bronx Bombers, on scoreboards
40 Down 55. Pittance
41 Down 56. Camera type, for short
42 Down 60. Barista's flourish
43 Down 61. ___ Eminence
44 Down 63. Mouthy bird?
45 Down 64. Name found in "whole milk"
46 Down 65. Prefix with matter
47 Down 66. One of many in the book of Job
48 Down 67. Actor Firth
49 Down 68. Employ
50 Down 69. Hot French beverage
51 Down 70. "Resolute" item in the Oval Office
52 Down 71. Hold dear, perhaps
53 Down 75. Men who marry later in life
54 Down 76. Rafts
55 Down 77. Ripen
56 Down 78. Settings of many Patrick O'Brian novels
57 Down 79. Recite
58 Down 80. Moody music genre
59 Down 81. Light up?
60 Down 82. Worker with a handler
61 Down 84. Easy-listening radio category
62 Down 85. "More or less"
63 Down 86. Business name abbr.
64 Down 90. Poor grade
65 Down 91. Took off
66 Down 92. Man who might be installing a baby gate
67 Down 93. Gild the lily, with "it"
68 Down 94. Facade
69 Down 95. Not distracted at work
70 Down 96. Email attachment type
71 Down 99. Body parts examined for arrhythmia
72 Down 100. Big name in vacuum cleaners
73 Down 101. Company that owns Words With Friends
74 Down 102. A, in Ashkelon
75 Down 103. "Totally cool!"
76 Down 104. Old Scratch
77 Down 106. Chow
78 Down 107. Pretty cool stuff
79 Down 108. Big Apple's bravest, in brief
80 Down 109. Something a beach lifeguard monitors
81 Down 113. Cry of frustration
82 Down 114. Insta chats
83 Down 115. Fair-hiring inits.

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:

Complete Down Solutions:


1 Down: "1. Green or black African menace"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 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 1

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer MAMBA


2 Down: "2. Spider-Man, for one"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: A___S
  • Similar words: assumed name, a.k.a.
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a name that has been assumed temporarily
  • This is Down clue number 2

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ALIAS


3 Down: "3. Freak out"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'C'
  • Word pattern: P___C
  • Similar words: scare, terror
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
  • This is Down clue number 3

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PANIC


4 Down: "4. Good name for an apiarist?"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'B' and ends with 'A'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 4

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer BEA


5 Down: "5. Rocker ___ Rose"

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
  • This is Down clue number 5

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer AXL


6 Down: "6. UPS competitor"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'L'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 6

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DHL


7 Down: "7. Sends to Hades"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: D___S
  • Similar words: darn, hoot
  • Opposite of: bless
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: something of little value
  • This is Down clue number 7

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DAMNS


8 Down: "8. Mishmash"

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 8

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OLIO


9 Down: "9. Bloke"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'G' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: G__T
  • Similar words: cuss, Ghent
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: informal abbreviation of `gentleman'
  • This is Down clue number 9

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer GENT


10 Down: "10. Religious title whose name comes from the Hebrew for "father""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: A___T
  • Similar words: archimandrite
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: the superior of an abbey of monks
  • This is Down clue number 10

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ABBOT


11 Down: "11. Chews (out)"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: R___S
  • Similar words: ream
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a large quantity of written matter
  • This is Down clue number 11

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer REAMS


12 Down: "12. Classic car that shared its name with a planet, informally"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'M' and ends with 'C'
  • Word pattern: M__C
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 12

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer MERC


13 Down: "13. Postdebate areas"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 9 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 13

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SPINROOMS


14 Down: "14. Some old game consoles"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: A____S
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 14

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ATARIS


15 Down: "15. ___ Gay, author of "Bad Feminist""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: R____E
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 15

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ROXANE


16 Down: "16. Fairy tale sibling"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 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 16

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer GRETEL


17 Down: "17. Doofuses, north of the border"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'H' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: H____S
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 17

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer HOSERS


18 Down: "20. Absolutely, in slang"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'F'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 18

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DEF


19 Down: "24. Never-ending"

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
  • Similar words: ageless, eonian
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: continuing forever or indefinitely
  • This is Down clue number 19

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ETERNAL


20 Down: "26. CPR pressure points"

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: sternum, genus Sterna
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a genus of Sterninae
  • This is Down clue number 20

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer STERNA


21 Down: "29. Cycle at night?"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'M'
  • Similar words: REM sleep
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 21

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer REM


22 Down: "31. Core-strengthening Pilates exercises"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: T_____S
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 22

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer TOETAPS


23 Down: "32. Badly"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'I' and ends with 'L'
  • Similar words: poorly, badly
  • Opposite of: well
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 23

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ILL


24 Down: "33. It's covered in kernels"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'B'
  • Similar words: cobnut, filbert
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: nut of any of several trees of the genus Corylus
  • This is Down clue number 24

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer COB


25 Down: "37. ___ gin fizz"

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: blackthorn, Alleghany plum
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 25

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SLOE


26 Down: "38. "Charlotte's Web" author's inits."

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'W'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 26

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer EBW


27 Down: "39. Wood found in restaurant furniture"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
  • Similar words: ash tree
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: the residue that remains when something is burned
  • This is Down clue number 27

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ASH


28 Down: "40. Speck"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'M' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: M__E
  • Similar words: atom, corpuscle
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
  • This is Down clue number 28

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer MOTE


29 Down: "41. Online shorthand meaning "Victory!""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'F' and ends with 'W'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 29

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer FTW


30 Down: "42. Afore"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 30

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ERE


31 Down: "43. Previously known as"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 31

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer NEE


32 Down: "44. Of help"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: U___E
  • Similar words: useful
  • Opposite of: useless
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: being of use or service
  • This is Down clue number 32

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer UTILE


33 Down: "45. "Turn that frown upside down!""

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
  • Similar words: grin, grinning
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 33

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SMILE


34 Down: "46. Clever sort"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'W' and ends with 'T'
  • Similar words: humor, humour
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 34

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer WIT


35 Down: "49. Big name in vacuum cleaners"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'K'
  • Word pattern: O___K
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 35

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ORECK


36 Down: "50. [It's time for bed!]"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: Y__N
  • Similar words: gape, oscitancy
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 36

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer YAWN


37 Down: "51. Sharply dressed"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'C'
  • Word pattern: C__C
  • Similar words: modishness, smartness
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: elegance by virtue of being fashionable
  • This is Down clue number 37

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer CHIC


38 Down: "52. Part"

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: use, office
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 38

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ROLE


39 Down: "53. The Bronx Bombers, on scoreboards"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'Y'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 39

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer NYY


40 Down: "55. Pittance"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'U'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 40

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SOU


41 Down: "56. Camera type, for short"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'R'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 41

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SLR


42 Down: "60. Barista's flourish"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'L'
  • Word pattern: S___L
  • Similar words: eddy, convolution
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: the shape of something rotating rapidly
  • This is Down clue number 42

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SWIRL


43 Down: "61. ___ Eminence"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'H' and ends with 'S'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 43

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer HIS


44 Down: "63. Mouthy bird?"

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
  • Similar words: mina, myna bird
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: tropical Asian starlings
  • This is Down clue number 44

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer MYNA


45 Down: "64. Name found in "whole milk""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 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 45

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer EMIL


46 Down: "65. Prefix with matter"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
  • Word pattern: A__I
  • Opposite of: pro
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 46

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ANTI


47 Down: "66. One of many in the book of Job"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'L'
  • Word pattern: T___L
  • Similar words: tryout, trial run
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: the act of testing something
  • This is Down clue number 47

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer TRIAL


48 Down: "67. Actor Firth"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: C___N
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 48

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer COLIN


49 Down: "68. Employ"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'E'
  • Similar words: apply, practice
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: the act of using
  • This is Down clue number 49

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer USE


50 Down: "69. Hot French beverage"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 50

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer THE


51 Down: "70. "Resolute" item in the Oval Office"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'K'
  • Word pattern: O_____K
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 51

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OAKDESK


52 Down: "71. Hold dear, perhaps"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'H' and ends with 'G'
  • Similar words: embrace, bosom
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a tight or amorous embrace
  • This is Down clue number 52

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer HUG


53 Down: "75. Men who marry later in life"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 9 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: B_______S
  • Similar words: benedick, Ruth Benedict
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: United States anthropologist (1887-1948)
  • This is Down clue number 53

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer BENEDICTS


54 Down: "76. Rafts"

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
  • Similar words: passel, circle
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a large number or amount
  • This is Down clue number 54

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer LOTS


55 Down: "77. Ripen"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
  • Similar words: long time, geezerhood
  • Opposite of: rejuvenate
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: how long something has existed
  • This is Down clue number 55

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer AGE


56 Down: "78. Settings of many Patrick O'Brian novels"

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
  • Similar words: sea, ocean
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 56

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SEAS


57 Down: "79. Recite"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'F'
  • Word pattern: N_____F
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 57

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer NAMEOFF


58 Down: "80. Moody music genre"

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 58

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer EMO


59 Down: "81. Light up?"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
  • Similar words: sunshine, insolate
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 59

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SUN


60 Down: "82. Worker with a handler"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
  • Similar words: descry, sight
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 60

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SPY


61 Down: "84. Easy-listening radio category"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'L' and ends with 'M'
  • Word pattern: L____M
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 61

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer LITEFM


62 Down: "85. "More or less""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'I' and ends with 'H'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 62

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ISH


63 Down: "86. Business name abbr."

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 63

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer LTD


64 Down: "90. Poor grade"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 64

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DEE


65 Down: "91. Took off"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
  • Similar words: hunt, ply
  • Opposite of: idle
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: move fast by using one's feet
  • This is Down clue number 65

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer RAN


66 Down: "92. Man who might be installing a baby gate"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 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 66

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer NEWDAD


67 Down: "93. Gild the lily, with "it""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'O'
  • Word pattern: O____O
  • Similar words: exaggerate
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: do something to an excessive degree
  • This is Down clue number 67

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OVERDO


68 Down: "94. Facade"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'V' and ends with 'R'
  • Word pattern: V____R
  • Similar words: facing, veneering
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 68

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer VENEER


69 Down: "95. Not distracted at work"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'K'
  • Word pattern: O____K
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 69

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ONTASK


70 Down: "96. Email attachment type"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'F'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 70

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PDF


71 Down: "99. Body parts examined for arrhythmia"

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
  • Similar words: atrium
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 71

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ATRIA


72 Down: "100. Big name in vacuum cleaners"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: D___N
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 72

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DYSON


73 Down: "101. Company that owns Words With Friends"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'Z' and ends with 'A'
  • Word pattern: Z___A
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 73

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ZYNGA


74 Down: "102. A, in Ashkelon"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
  • Word pattern: A___H
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: the 1st letter of the Hebrew alphabet
  • This is Down clue number 74

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ALEPH


75 Down: "103. "Totally cool!""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'O'
  • Word pattern: N___O
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 75

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer NEATO


76 Down: "104. Old Scratch"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: S___N
  • Similar words: Old Nick, Beelzebub
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 76

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SATAN


77 Down: "106. Chow"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: F__E
  • Similar words: make out, get along
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: an agenda of things to do
  • This is Down clue number 77

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer FARE


78 Down: "107. Pretty cool stuff"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
  • Similar words: glass, deoxyephedrine
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: water frozen in the solid state
  • This is Down clue number 78

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ICE


79 Down: "108. Big Apple's bravest, in brief"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'F' and ends with 'Y'
  • Word pattern: F__Y
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 79

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer FDNY


80 Down: "109. Something a beach lifeguard monitors"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: T__E
  • Similar words: surge
  • Opposite of: ebb
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 80

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer TIDE


81 Down: "113. Cry of frustration"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'G' and ends with 'H'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 81

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer GAH


82 Down: "114. Insta chats"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
  • Similar words: dm, decimetre
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 82

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DMS


83 Down: "115. Fair-hiring inits."

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 83

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer EEO

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

  1. Fill-in-the-blank clues: These are usually the easiest Down entries
  2. Prefixes and suffixes: Common word parts often run vertically
  3. Abbreviations: Look for clues with "Abbr." or shortened forms
  4. Plural indicators: Words ending in 'S' are common in Down
  5. 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 83 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.


About This Page: We provide comprehensive Down clues solutions and hints for the NYT Crossword to help you improve your solving skills. This site is not affiliated with The New York Times.

Last Updated: October 12, 2025 at 05:12 AM

Search terms: NYT Down, Down clues, vertical, crossword answers, top to bottom, October 12 2025 down clues