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Monday, September 22, 2025

All NYT Down Clues September 22, 2025 - 41 Vertical Answers with Hints

All NYT Down Clues September 22, 2025 - 41 Vertical Answers with Hints

Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 41 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!

Related Puzzles: July 20 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | September 18 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | Xwordhint Crossword Answers August 28 |

About Today's Down Clues

NYT Down clues solutions for September 22, 2025
NYT Down Clues - Monday, September 22, 2025
Down Clues Statistics
Detail Information
Date September 22, 2025
Day of Week Monday
Total Down Clues 41 clues
Direction Vertical (Top to Bottom)
Difficulty Challenging

All Down Clues - Complete List

Here are all 41 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.

Complete Down Clues List
Number Clue
1 Down 1. Kids these days
2 Down 2. "Not guilty," e.g.
3 Down 3. "You got that right, sister!"
4 Down 4. Certain evergreen
5 Down 5. Like some bars in gymnastics
6 Down 6. One who is barely seen?
7 Down 7. Jeer
8 Down 8. "How was ___ know?"
9 Down 9. Pamper
10 Down 10. Tour guide?
11 Down 11. Crash of thunder
12 Down 12. Promote enthusiastically
13 Down 13. "Need You Tonight" rock band
14 Down 19. Like speakeasies and refrigerators, at times
15 Down 21. Brand of cooler that shares its name with a Himalayan legend
16 Down 25. Opposite of tame
17 Down 26. Join into one
18 Down 27. Jacuzzi features
19 Down 28. Where to find the Jazz
20 Down 29. Long-winded tales
21 Down 30. Apply, as ointment
22 Down 31. City-related
23 Down 35. Desertlike
24 Down 36. Carefree motto, in modern lingo
25 Down 39. Low-scoring deadlock
26 Down 40. Richard of "Pretty Woman"
27 Down 41. Hurdles for srs.
28 Down 44. Sounded like a duck
29 Down 47. Farm docs
30 Down 49. Tartan patterns
31 Down 50. "Yeah, right"
32 Down 51. Bean
33 Down 54. Does some theater work
34 Down 55. Word before food or mate
35 Down 56. Refine, as a skill
36 Down 57. Castle defense
37 Down 59. What a whittler whittles
38 Down 60. Facts
39 Down 61. Relative of a butterfly
40 Down 63. Private online chats, for short
41 Down 64. Spicy

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. Kids these days"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'G' and ends with 'Z'
  • Word pattern: G__Z
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 1

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer GENZ

2 Down: "2. "Not guilty," e.g."

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'A'
  • Word pattern: P__A
  • Similar words: supplication
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a humble request for help from someone in authority
  • This is Down clue number 2

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PLEA

3 Down: "3. "You got that right, sister!""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: A__N
  • Similar words: Amon, Amun
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 3

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer AMEN

4 Down: "4. Certain evergreen"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'F' and ends with 'R'
  • Similar words: fir tree, true fir
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: nonresinous wood of a fir tree
  • This is Down clue number 4

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer FIR

5 Down: "5. Like some bars in gymnastics"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: U____N
  • Similar words: mismatched, scratchy
  • Opposite of: even
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture
  • This is Down clue number 5

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer UNEVEN

6 Down: "6. One who is barely seen?"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: N____T
  • Similar words: naturist
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 6

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer NUDIST

7 Down: "7. Jeer"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'G' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: G__E
  • Similar words: slam, jeer
  • Opposite of: disagree
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 7

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer GIBE

8 Down: "8. "How was ___ know?""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 8

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ITO

9 Down: "9. Pamper"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: C____E
  • Similar words: featherbed, cocker
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: treat with excessive indulgence
  • This is Down clue number 9

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer CODDLE

10 Down: "10. Tour guide?"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'P'
  • Word pattern: A_____P
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 10

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer AREAMAP

11 Down: "11. Crash of thunder"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'P'
  • Word pattern: C__P
  • Similar words: bam, applaud
  • Opposite of: boo
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a sudden very loud noise
  • This is Down clue number 11

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer CLAP

12 Down: "12. Promote enthusiastically"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: T__T
  • Similar words: ticket tout, brag
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 12

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer TOUT

13 Down: "13. "Need You Tonight" rock band"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 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 13

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer INXS

14 Down: "19. Like speakeasies and refrigerators, at times"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: R____D
  • Similar words: raid, bust
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: search without warning
  • This is Down clue number 14

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer RAIDED

15 Down: "21. Brand of cooler that shares its name with a Himalayan legend"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'I'
  • Word pattern: Y__I
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 15

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer YETI

16 Down: "25. Opposite of tame"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'W' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: W__D
  • Similar words: godforsaken, savage
  • Opposite of: tame
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a wild primitive state untouched by civilization
  • This is Down clue number 16

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer WILD

17 Down: "26. Join into one"

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: merge, flux
  • Opposite of: defuse
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 17

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer FUSE

18 Down: "27. Jacuzzi features"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'J' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: J__S
  • Similar words: spurt, green
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: an airplane powered by one or more jet engines
  • This is Down clue number 18

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer JETS

19 Down: "28. Where to find the Jazz"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'H'
  • Word pattern: U__H
  • Similar words: Mormon State, Beehive State
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 19

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer UTAH

20 Down: "29. Long-winded tales"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: S___S
  • Similar words: saga
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 20

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SAGAS

21 Down: "30. Apply, as ointment"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: R___N
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 21

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer RUBON

22 Down: "31. City-related"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: U___N
  • Opposite of: rural
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 22

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer URBAN

23 Down: "35. Desertlike"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: A__D
  • Similar words: desiccated, waterless
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: lacking sufficient water or rainfall
  • This is Down clue number 23

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ARID

24 Down: "36. Carefree motto, in modern lingo"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'O'
  • Word pattern: Y__O
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 24

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer YOLO

25 Down: "39. Low-scoring deadlock"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: O____E
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 25

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ONEONE

26 Down: "40. Richard of "Pretty Woman""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'G' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: G__E
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 26

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer GERE

27 Down: "41. Hurdles for srs."

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: Sat, Saturday
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 27

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SATS

28 Down: "44. Sounded like a duck"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'Q' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: Q_____D
  • Similar words: quack
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: utter quacking noises
  • This is Down clue number 28

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer QUACKED

29 Down: "47. Farm docs"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'V' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: V__S
  • Similar words: veterinary, ex-serviceman
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a doctor who practices veterinary medicine
  • This is Down clue number 29

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer VETS

30 Down: "49. Tartan patterns"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: P____S
  • Similar words: tartan, plaid
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a cloth having a crisscross design
  • This is Down clue number 30

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PLAIDS

31 Down: "50. "Yeah, right""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: I____E
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 31

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer IMSURE

32 Down: "51. Bean"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'N' and ends with 'N'
  • Word pattern: N____N
  • Similar words: noodle, bonce
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: informal terms for a human head
  • This is Down clue number 32

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer NOGGIN

33 Down: "54. Does some theater work"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: A__S
  • Similar words: number, deed
  • Opposite of: refrain
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 33

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ACTS

34 Down: "55. Word before food or mate"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'L'
  • Word pattern: S__L
  • Similar words: person, someone
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 34

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SOUL

35 Down: "56. Refine, as a skill"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: H__E
  • Similar words: perfect
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 35

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer HONE

36 Down: "57. Castle defense"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'M' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: M__T
  • Similar words: fosse
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water
  • This is Down clue number 36

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer MOAT

37 Down: "59. What a whittler whittles"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'W' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: W__D
  • Similar words: Sir Henry Wood, forest
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 37

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer WOOD

38 Down: "60. Facts"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
  • Word pattern: I__O
  • Similar words: information
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a message received and understood
  • This is Down clue number 38

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer INFO

39 Down: "61. Relative of a butterfly"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'M' and ends with 'H'
  • Word pattern: M__H
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 39

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer MOTH

40 Down: "63. Private online chats, for short"

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: decimeter, decimetre
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 40

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DMS

41 Down: "64. Spicy"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'H' and ends with 'T'
  • Similar words: live, raging
  • Opposite of: cold
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 41

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer HOT

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 41 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: September 22, 2025 at 05:13 AM

Search terms: NYT Down, Down clues, vertical, crossword answers, top to bottom, September 22 2025 down clues

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XWordHint Crossword Answers September 22, 2025 | 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

September 22, 2025 NYT Crossword Solutions

Today's Puzzle Difficulty: Medium

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. School stat like 3.5 or 4.0 3
2A 4. Yeast, mold and mushrooms 5
3A 9. Desert plants with needles 5
4A 14. Tree with "American" and "slippery" varieties 3
5A 15. Alaskan native 5
6A 16. Synthetic fabric once common in sweaters 5
7A 17. Born as 3
8A 18. Wine choice in southern France 11
9A 20. Bonkers 4
10A 22. Compete (for) 3
11A 23. Changes with the times 6
12A 24. Females that may be fleeced 4
13A 26. Cinema showing 4
14A 27. Canadian P.M. who is the son of another Canadian P.M. 13
15A 32. Cyber Monday sector 5
16A 33. Put to work 3
17A 34. Ask God (for) 4
18A 37. Identify in a Facebook photo 3
19A 38. Where canines sleep 7
20A 42. "Du-u-ude!" 3
21A 43. Basketball's O'Neal, to fans 4
22A 45. Keanu Reeves's character in "The Matrix" 3
23A 46. To no ___ (ineffectively) 5
24A 48. Platform for Donkey Kong Country 13
25A 52. Ingredient in many hand lotions 4
26A 53. The lion's share 4
27A 54. Cigarette butt receptacle 6
28A 57. Major N.Y.C. concert venue 3
29A 58. Do the backstroke or breaststroke 4
30A 62. Chunks found in Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream 11
31A 65. Avant-garde musical artist Yoko 3
32A 66. Fixed, as a piano 5
33A 67. "The Godfather" author Puzo 5
34A 68. Frequently, to a poet 3
35A 69. Winter coasters 5
36A 70. Surgical tube 5
37A 71. Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across 3

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. School stat like 3.5 or 4.0"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a measure of a student's academic achievement at a college or university; calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted
  • Similar words include: grade point average
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GPA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "4. Yeast, mold and mushrooms"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the taxonomic kingdom including yeast, molds, smuts, mushrooms, and toadstools; distinct from the green plants
  • Similar words include: fungus, fungus kingdom, kingdom Fungi
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FUNGI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "9. Desert plants with needles"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any succulent plant of the family cactaceae native chiefly to arid regions of the new world and usually having spines
  • Similar words include: cactus
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CACTI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "14. Tree with "American" and "slippery" varieties"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any of various trees of the genus ulmus: important timber or shade trees
  • Similar words include: elm tree, elmwood
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "15. Alaskan native"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a member of a people inhabiting the arctic (northern canada or greenland or alaska or eastern siberia); the algonquians called them eskimo (`eaters of raw flesh') but they call themselves the inuit (`the people')
  • Similar words include: Esquimau, Eskimo
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INUIT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "16. Synthetic fabric once common in sweaters"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an acrylic fiber or the lightweight crease-resistant fabric made with orlon yarns
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ORLON

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "17. Born as"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (meaning literally `born') used to indicate the maiden or family name of a married woman
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "18. Wine choice in southern France"

11 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "20. Bonkers"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for ludicrous effect
  • Similar words include: cockamamy, fathead, sappy
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ZANY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "22. Compete (for)"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
  • Similar words include: contend, compete
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VIE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "23. Changes with the times"

6 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
  • Similar words include: adapt, accommodate, conform
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADAPTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "24. Females that may be fleeced"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a member of a people living in southern benin and togo and southeastern ghana
  • Similar words include: ewe, Ewe
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EWES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "26. Cinema showing"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement
  • Similar words include: cinema, flick, shoot
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FILM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "27. Canadian P.M. who is the son of another Canadian P.M."

13 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "32. Cyber Monday sector"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "33. Put to work"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the act of using
  • Similar words include: employment, apply, manipulation
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: USE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "34. Ask God (for)"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
  • Similar words include: implore, beg
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PRAY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "37. Identify in a Facebook photo"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

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: chase, dog, tag end
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TAG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "38. Where canines sleep"

7 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOGBEDS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "42. "Du-u-ude!""

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "43. Basketball's O'Neal, to fans"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "45. Keanu Reeves's character in "The Matrix""

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (used as a combining form) recent or new
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "46. To no ___ (ineffectively)"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a means of serving
  • Similar words include: service, help
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AVAIL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "48. Platform for Donkey Kong Country"

13 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "52. Ingredient in many hand lotions"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that succulent plants having rosettes of leaves usually with fiber like hemp and spikes of showy flowers; found chiefly in africa
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ALOE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "53. The lion's share"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (superlative of `many' used with count nouns and often preceded by `the') quantifier meaning the greatest in number
  • Similar words include: virtually, near, nearly
  • Opposite of: least, fewest
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "54. Cigarette butt receptacle"

6 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a bin that holds rubbish until it is collected
  • Similar words include: trash bin, ash bin, dustbin
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ASHCAN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "57. Major N.Y.C. concert venue"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that white crystalline compound used as a food additive to enhance flavor; often used in chinese cooking
  • Similar words include: monosodium glutamate
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MSG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "58. Do the backstroke or breaststroke"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the act of swimming; :
  • Similar words include: swimming, drown, float
  • Opposite of: sink
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SWIM

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "62. Chunks found in Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream"

11 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "65. Avant-garde musical artist Yoko"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that united states musician (born in japan) who married john lennon and collaborated with him on recordings (born in 1933)
  • Similar words include: Yoko Ono
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "66. Fixed, as a piano"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that adjust for (better) functioning
  • Similar words include: tune, tune up
  • Opposite of: untune
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TUNED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "67. "The Godfather" author Puzo"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34A: "68. Frequently, to a poet"

3 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that many times at short intervals
  • Similar words include: frequently, ofttimes, oftentimes
  • Opposite of: infrequently, rarely
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OFT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35A: "69. Winter coasters"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow
  • Similar words include: sledge, sled, sleigh
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SLEDS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36A: "70. Surgical tube"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a slender tube inserted inside a tubular body part (as a blood vessel) to provide support during and after surgical anastomosis
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STENT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

37A: "71. Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across"

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the syllable naming the first (tonic) note of any major scale in solmization
  • Similar words include: ut, do
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DOH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1D 1. Kids these days 4
2D 2. "Not guilty," e.g. 4
3D 3. "You got that right, sister!" 4
4D 4. Certain evergreen 3
5D 5. Like some bars in gymnastics 6
6D 6. One who is barely seen? 6
7D 7. Jeer 4
8D 8. "How was ___ know?" 3
9D 9. Pamper 6
10D 10. Tour guide? 7
11D 11. Crash of thunder 4
12D 12. Promote enthusiastically 4
13D 13. "Need You Tonight" rock band 4
14D 19. Like speakeasies and refrigerators, at times 6
15D 21. Brand of cooler that shares its name with a Himalayan legend 4
16D 25. Opposite of tame 4
17D 26. Join into one 4
18D 27. Jacuzzi features 4
19D 28. Where to find the Jazz 4
20D 29. Long-winded tales 5
21D 30. Apply, as ointment 5
22D 31. City-related 5
23D 35. Desertlike 4
24D 36. Carefree motto, in modern lingo 4
25D 39. Low-scoring deadlock 6
26D 40. Richard of "Pretty Woman" 4
27D 41. Hurdles for srs. 4
28D 44. Sounded like a duck 7
29D 47. Farm docs 4
30D 49. Tartan patterns 6
31D 50. "Yeah, right" 6
32D 51. Bean 6
33D 54. Does some theater work 4
34D 55. Word before food or mate 4
35D 56. Refine, as a skill 4
36D 57. Castle defense 4
37D 59. What a whittler whittles 4
38D 60. Facts 4
39D 61. Relative of a butterfly 4
40D 63. Private online chats, for short 3
41D 64. Spicy 3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Kids these days"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. "Not guilty," e.g."

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a humble request for help from someone in authority
  • Similar words include: supplication
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLEA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. "You got that right, sister!""

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a primeval egyptian personification of air and breath; worshipped especially at thebes
  • Similar words include: Amon, Amun
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AMEN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Certain evergreen"

3 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that nonresinous wood of a fir tree
  • Similar words include: fir tree, true fir
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIR

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Like some bars in gymnastics"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture
  • Similar words include: odd, scratchy, mismatched
  • Opposite of: even
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UNEVEN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. One who is barely seen?"

6 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a person who practices nudity for reasons of health or religion
  • Similar words include: naturist
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NUDIST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. Jeer"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
  • Similar words include: dig, jeer, scoff
  • Opposite of: disagree
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GIBE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. "How was ___ know?""

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Pamper"

6 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that treat with excessive indulgence
  • Similar words include: indulge, cosset, spoil
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CODDLE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. Tour guide?"

7 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AREAMAP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. Crash of thunder"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a sudden very loud noise
  • Similar words include: bam, eruption, applaud
  • Opposite of: boo
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CLAP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. Promote enthusiastically"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that someone who buys tickets to an event in order to resell them at a profit
  • Similar words include: swash, boast, bluster
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TOUT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. "Need You Tonight" rock band"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "19. Like speakeasies and refrigerators, at times"

6 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
  • Similar words include: foray into, raid, bust
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAIDED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "21. Brand of cooler that shares its name with a Himalayan legend"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a large hairy humanoid creature said to live in the himalayas
  • Similar words include: abominable snowman
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: YETI

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "25. Opposite of tame"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a wild primitive state untouched by civilization
  • Similar words include: raving mad, waste, crazy
  • Opposite of: tame
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WILD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "26. Join into one"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an electrical device that can interrupt the flow of electrical current when it is overloaded
  • Similar words include: meld, fuze, safety fuse
  • Opposite of: defuse
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FUSE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18D: "27. Jacuzzi features"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an airplane powered by one or more jet engines
  • Similar words include: spirt, jet-propelled plane, fountain
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JETS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19D: "28. Where to find the Jazz"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a state in the western united states; settled in 1847 by mormons led by brigham young
  • Similar words include: UT, Beehive State, Mormon State
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: UTAH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20D: "29. Long-winded tales"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family; originally (12th to 14th centuries) a story of the families that settled iceland and their descendants but now any prose narrative that resembles such an account
  • Similar words include: saga
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SAGAS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21D: "30. Apply, as ointment"

5 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22D: "31. City-related"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that relating to or concerned with a city or densely populated area
  • Opposite of: rural
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: URBAN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23D: "35. Desertlike"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that lacking sufficient water or rainfall
  • Similar words include: waterless, desiccate, desiccated
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ARID

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24D: "36. Carefree motto, in modern lingo"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25D: "39. Low-scoring deadlock"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ONEONE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26D: "40. Richard of "Pretty Woman""

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27D: "41. Hurdles for srs."

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the sabbath by jews and some christians
  • Similar words include: Sabbatum, Sat, Saturday
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SATS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28D: "44. Sounded like a duck"

7 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that utter quacking noises
  • Similar words include: quack
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: QUACKED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29D: "47. Farm docs"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a doctor who practices veterinary medicine
  • Similar words include: vet, veterinary, ex-serviceman
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: VETS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30D: "49. Tartan patterns"

6 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a cloth having a crisscross design
  • Similar words include: plaid, tartan
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLAIDS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31D: "50. "Yeah, right""

6 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IMSURE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32D: "51. Bean"

6 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that informal terms for a human head
  • Similar words include: attic, noodle, dome
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NOGGIN

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33D: "54. Does some theater work"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a new testament book describing the development of the early church from christ's ascension to paul's sojourn at rome
  • Similar words include: human action, human activity, number
  • Opposite of: refrain
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ACTS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34D: "55. Word before food or mate"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
  • Similar words include: psyche, individual, somebody
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOUL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35D: "56. Refine, as a skill"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a whetstone made of fine gritstone; used for sharpening razors
  • Similar words include: perfect
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HONE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36D: "57. Castle defense"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water
  • Similar words include: fosse
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOAT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

37D: "59. What a whittler whittles"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
  • Similar words include: woods, Sir Henry Wood, Sir Henry Joseph Wood
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WOOD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

38D: "60. Facts"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a message received and understood
  • Similar words include: information
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: INFO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

39D: "61. Relative of a butterfly"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that typically crepuscular or nocturnal insect having a stout body and feathery or hairlike antennae
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MOTH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

40D: "63. Private online chats, for short"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

41D: "64. Spicy"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
  • Similar words include: blistering, spicy, live
  • Opposite of: cold
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: HOT

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

Let intersecting letters guide you. One correct answer unlocks several others.

Build Vocabulary

Common crossword words repeat. Learning them speeds up future solving.

Today's Puzzle Stats

37 Across Clues
41 Down Clues
78 Total Clues

More NYT Crossword Help

Looking for more puzzle solutions? Check out our comprehensive archive of NYT crossword hints and answers. We update daily with expert analysis and solving strategies.

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Last updated: September 22, 2025 at 03:50 AM

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