NYT Down Crossword October 01, 2025 - Master All 39 Top-to-Bottom Clues
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 39 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: January 17 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | January 16 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | November 20 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 01, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Wednesday |
| Total Down Clues | 39 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 39 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Stole from a show? |
| 2 Down | 2. Screw up |
| 3 Down | 3. Keepsake after a rookie's first touchdown |
| 4 Down | 4. Sneaky so-and-so |
| 5 Down | 5. An "I.R.S. agent" asking you to buy gift cards, e.g. |
| 6 Down | 6. M&M's color replaced by blue in 1995 |
| 7 Down | 7. "Whoa!" |
| 8 Down | 8. Candy brand with a Big Cup variety |
| 9 Down | 9. Fungus with a pitted cap |
| 10 Down | 10. Boxer who retired undefeated (24-0) in 2007 |
| 11 Down | 11. With an implication of shouting, say |
| 12 Down | 12. Spotted attending |
| 13 Down | 13. Most middle schoolers |
| 14 Down | 18. Splinter in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," e.g. |
| 15 Down | 22. Just about |
| 16 Down | 23. Blackjack half |
| 17 Down | 24. Spanish for "tar" |
| 18 Down | 25. Spa treatment, familiarly |
| 19 Down | 26. Desert |
| 20 Down | 28. Takes gold |
| 21 Down | 31. Move in which a skier leaves the ground |
| 22 Down | 32. Still on, in a way |
| 23 Down | 34. "Can't wait for the next episode!" |
| 24 Down | 35. Power to remove a nomination for eviction on "Big Brother" |
| 25 Down | 36. Online subscription service since 2016 |
| 26 Down | 37. Paper or plastic, say |
| 27 Down | 41. Part of a Cub Scout pack |
| 28 Down | 42. Dutch beer brand |
| 29 Down | 43. Desert whose name comes from the Arabic for "desert" |
| 30 Down | 44. Painkiller brand that sponsored the first TV sitcom |
| 31 Down | 45. River through four European capitals |
| 32 Down | 46. ___ Estefan, Miami Sound Machine vocalist |
| 33 Down | 48. Pinchpenny |
| 34 Down | 49. Suiting the needs of |
| 35 Down | 51. Gets hitched |
| 36 Down | 54. Wharton offering, in brief |
| 37 Down | 55. TV's "Chicago ___" |
| 38 Down | 56. Hypotheticals |
| 39 Down | 57. "What's ___ to like?" |
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:
- November 20 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 17 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 17 2024 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 06 2024 NYT Clues Solutions
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Stole from a show?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'A'
- Similar words: feather boa
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BOA
2 Down: "2. Screw up"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Similar words: stray, slip
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: to make a mistake or be incorrect
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ERR
3 Down: "3. Keepsake after a rookie's first touchdown"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 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 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GAMEBALL
4 Down: "4. Sneaky so-and-so"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: S____G
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SLYDOG
5 Down: "5. An "I.R.S. agent" asking you to buy gift cards, e.g."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: S__M
- Similar words: rook, gip
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a fraudulent business scheme
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SCAM
6 Down: "6. M&M's color replaced by blue in 1995"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Similar words: suntan, bronze
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TAN
7 Down: "7. "Whoa!""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'G'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OMG
8 Down: "8. Candy brand with a Big Cup variety"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R____S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
REESES
9 Down: "9. Fungus with a pitted cap"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: M___L
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MOREL
10 Down: "10. Boxer who retired undefeated (24-0) in 2007"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: L______I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LAILAALI
11 Down: "11. With an implication of shouting, say"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I____S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
INCAPS
12 Down: "12. Spotted attending"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S____T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SEENAT
13 Down: "13. Most middle schoolers"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 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 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TWEENS
14 Down: "18. Splinter in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," e.g."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: puke, grass
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RAT
15 Down: "22. Just about"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A____T
- Similar words: about, most
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ALMOST
16 Down: "23. Blackjack half"
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: crack, sail through
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ACE
17 Down: "24. Spanish for "tar""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 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 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BREA
18 Down: "25. Spa treatment, familiarly"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: P__I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PEDI
19 Down: "26. Desert"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A_____N
- Similar words: wildness, unconstraint
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ABANDON
20 Down: "28. Takes gold"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: W__S
- Similar words: acquire, succeed
- Opposite of: losings
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a victory (as in a race or other competition)
- This is Down clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
WINS
21 Down: "31. Move in which a skier leaves the ground"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: A____L
- Similar words: aeriform, forward pass
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a pass to a receiver downfield from the passer
- This is Down clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AERIAL
22 Down: "32. Still on, in a way"
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: condom, prophylactic
- Opposite of: out
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: strongbox where valuables can be safely kept
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SAFE
23 Down: "34. "Can't wait for the next episode!""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: I______D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IMHOOKED
24 Down: "35. Power to remove a nomination for eviction on "Big Brother""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: V__O
- Similar words: forbid, interdict
- Opposite of: permit
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a vote that blocks a decision
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
VETO
25 Down: "36. Online subscription service since 2016"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: O______S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ONLYFANS
26 Down: "37. Paper or plastic, say"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: N__N
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a content word that can be used to refer to a person
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NOUN
27 Down: "41. Part of a Cub Scout pack"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'N'
- Similar words: lair, hideaway
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the habitation of wild animals
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DEN
28 Down: "42. Dutch beer brand"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: A____L
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AMSTEL
29 Down: "43. Desert whose name comes from the Arabic for "desert""
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: Sahara Desert
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the world's largest desert (3
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SAHARA
30 Down: "44. Painkiller brand that sponsored the first TV sitcom"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A____N
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ANACIN
31 Down: "45. River through four European capitals"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: D____E
- Similar words: Danau, Danube River
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DANUBE
32 Down: "46. ___ Estefan, Miami Sound Machine vocalist"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: G____A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GLORIA
33 Down: "48. Pinchpenny"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: M___R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MISER
34 Down: "49. Suiting the needs of"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'R'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FOR
35 Down: "51. Gets hitched"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: W__S
- Similar words: espouse, get married
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the fourth day of the week; the third working day
- This is Down clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
WEDS
36 Down: "54. Wharton offering, in brief"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'A'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a master's degree in business
- This is Down clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MBA
37 Down: "55. TV's "Chicago ___""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'D'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a master's degree in education
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MED
38 Down: "56. Hypotheticals"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 38
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IFS
39 Down: "57. "What's ___ to like?""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: non
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: negation of a word or group of words
- This is Down clue number 39
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NOT
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 39 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.
