NYT Across Clues Answers October 17, 2025 - All 36 Horizontal Solutions & Expert Hints
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 36 Across clues. We have all the horizontal answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: February 16 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | January 05 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | July 08 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Across Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 17, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Friday |
| Total Across Clues | 36 clues |
| Direction | Horizontal (Left to Right) |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
All Across Clues - Complete List
Here are all 36 Across clues for today's puzzle. These go horizontally from left to right.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 1. What a comment might be made in |
| 2 Across | 5. Plant often confused with algae |
| 3 Across | 9. "The Craft" |
| 4 Across | 14. Pulitzer-winning historian and journalist Applebaum |
| 5 Across | 15. Understanding response |
| 6 Across | 16. Amazon smart speakers |
| 7 Across | 17. British singer with the top 10 albums "Crash" and "Brat" |
| 8 Across | 19. Some suitors |
| 9 Across | 20. Sets in motion |
| 10 Across | 21. Sake, for one |
| 11 Across | 23. Not fixed, as a stone |
| 12 Across | 24. Drinking game with projectiles |
| 13 Across | 25. Sign of healing |
| 14 Across | 26. New service member |
| 15 Across | 27. Mental image, for short? |
| 16 Across | 28. Fun-size, so to speak |
| 17 Across | 29. Stalk |
| 18 Across | 31. First releases |
| 19 Across | 33. Taking out the trash and others |
| 20 Across | 35. Lab liquids |
| 21 Across | 36. Max ___, boxer nicknamed "Madcap Maxie" |
| 22 Across | 37. Corn ___ (snack misnomer) |
| 23 Across | 39. Longtime Nestlé candy brand |
| 24 Across | 41. Arizona tribe with matrilineal clans |
| 25 Across | 42. 1992 Whoopi Goldberg comedy |
| 26 Across | 45. Survived, so to speak |
| 27 Across | 46. Portmanteau for evidence based solely on personal accounts |
| 28 Across | 47. Popular name of the 1958 Italian hit "Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu" |
| 29 Across | 48. ___ month |
| 30 Across | 49. Act of writing down whatever comes to mind in order to clear mental clutter |
| 31 Across | 51. Wipe |
| 32 Across | 52. Biblical locale in a Steinbeck title |
| 33 Across | 53. Golfer Aoki |
| 34 Across | 54. Rationed (out) |
| 35 Across | 55. Bleak |
| 36 Across | 56. Gravitate |
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:
- February 16 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 06 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 19 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 01 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
Complete Across Solutions:
1 Across: "1. What a comment might be made in"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: J__T
- Similar words: gag, laugh
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
- This is Across clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
JEST
2 Across: "5. Plant often confused with algae"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: M__S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants
- This is Across clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
MOSS
3 Across: "9. "The Craft""
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: W___A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a community of followers of the Wicca religion
- This is Across clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
WICCA
4 Across: "14. Pulitzer-winning historian and journalist Applebaum"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A__E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ANNE
5 Across: "15. Understanding response"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I__E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ISEE
6 Across: "16. Amazon smart speakers"
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: reverberate, replication
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ECHOS
7 Across: "17. British singer with the top 10 albums "Crash" and "Brat""
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 9 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'X'
- Word pattern: C_______X
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
CHARLIXCX
8 Across: "19. Some suitors"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B___S
- Similar words: sheik, dude
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a man who is the lover of a girl or young woman
- This is Across clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BEAUS
9 Across: "20. Sets in motion"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 6 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C____S
- Similar words: causal agent, causal agency
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
CAUSES
10 Across: "21. Sake, for one"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 8 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: R______E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
RICEWINE
11 Across: "23. Not fixed, as a stone"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: U___T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
UNSET
12 Across: "24. Drinking game with projectiles"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 9 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B_______S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BEERDARTS
13 Across: "25. Sign of healing"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: S__R
- Similar words: pock, pit
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
SCAR
14 Across: "26. New service member"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 7 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: R_____T
- Similar words: levy, enlistee
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a recently enlisted soldier
- This is Across clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
RECRUIT
15 Across: "27. Mental image, for short?"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 3 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'G'
- Similar words: encephalogram
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
EEG
16 Across: "28. Fun-size, so to speak"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: T__Y
- Similar words: diminutive, lilliputian
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: very small
- This is Across clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
TINY
17 Across: "29. Stalk"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: S__M
- Similar words: root, fore
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
STEM
18 Across: "31. First releases"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 6 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D____S
- Similar words: entry, introduction
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the act of beginning something new
- This is Across clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
DEBUTS
19 Across: "33. Taking out the trash and others"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 6 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C____S
- Similar words: job, chore
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
CHORES
20 Across: "35. Lab liquids"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S__A
- Similar words: blood serum, serum
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: an amber
- This is Across clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
SERA
21 Across: "36. Max ___, boxer nicknamed "Madcap Maxie""
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: B__R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BAER
22 Across: "37. Corn ___ (snack misnomer)"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 3 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: nut case, en
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: usually large hard-shelled seed
- This is Across clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
NUT
23 Across: "39. Longtime Nestlé candy brand"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 7 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 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
SNOCAPS
24 Across: "41. Arizona tribe with matrilineal clans"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: H__I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a member of the Shoshonean people of northeastern Arizona
- This is Across clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
HOPI
25 Across: "42. 1992 Whoopi Goldberg comedy"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 9 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S_______T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
SISTERACT
26 Across: "45. Survived, so to speak"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: C___D
- Similar words: hook, manage
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: come to terms with
- This is Across clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
COPED
27 Across: "46. Portmanteau for evidence based solely on personal accounts"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 8 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 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ANECDATA
28 Across: "47. Popular name of the 1958 Italian hit "Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu""
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 6 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: V____E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
VOLARE
29 Across: "48. ___ month"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: L___R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: of or relating to or associated with the moon
- This is Across clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
LUNAR
30 Across: "49. Act of writing down whatever comes to mind in order to clear mental clutter"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 9 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: B_______P
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
BRAINDUMP
31 Across: "51. Wipe"
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
- Similar words: wipe out, score out
- Opposite of: record
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: remove from memory or existence
- This is Across clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ERASE
32 Across: "52. Biblical locale in a Steinbeck title"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: E__N
- Similar words: heaven, promised land
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
- This is Across clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
EDEN
33 Across: "53. Golfer Aoki"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: I__O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
ISAO
34 Across: "54. Rationed (out)"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 5 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: M___D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
METED
35 Across: "55. Bleak"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: D__E
- Similar words: desperate, frightening
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
DIRE
36 Across: "56. Gravitate"
Helpful hints for this Across clue:
- This word has 4 letters going left to right
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: T__D
- Similar words: be given, run
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Across clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Across answer
TEND
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 36 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.
