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Showing posts sorted by date for query SESAME. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Monday, December 29, 2025

Today's Down Crossword NYT December 29, 2025 - Every Vertical Solution Explained

Today's Down Crossword NYT December 29, 2025 - Every Vertical Solution Explained

Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 43 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!

Related Puzzles: December 12 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | March 04 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | August 20 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |

About Today's Down Clues

NYT Down clues solutions for December 29, 2025
NYT Down Clues - Monday, December 29, 2025
Down Clues Statistics
Detail Information
Date December 29, 2025
Day of Week Monday
Total Down Clues 43 clues
Direction Vertical (Top to Bottom)
Difficulty Tricky

All Down Clues - Complete List

Here are all 43 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.

Complete Down Clues List
Number Clue
1 Down 1. Cry like a baby
2 Down 2. Admired figures
3 Down 3. Battle cry of the U.S. Marine Corps
4 Down 4. Kind of bagel
5 Down 5. Many a PC file
6 Down 6. Really eager
7 Down 7. Actor Michael of "Arrested Development"
8 Down 8. Caught sight of
9 Down 9. Place to be pampered
10 Down 10. 1996 #1 hit for the Spice Girls
11 Down 11. Water, in Colombia
12 Down 12. Team that plays at Citi Field
13 Down 13. "Over here!"
14 Down 18. Onetime retail chain giant
15 Down 19. ___ Grey tea
16 Down 24. Very light brown
17 Down 26. Tail-less cat
18 Down 28. Above, in poetry
19 Down 29. Synthetic fiber
20 Down 30. Fencing sword
21 Down 31. Not on time
22 Down 32. "Gimme a ___!"
23 Down 33. Commoner
24 Down 34. Norway's capital
25 Down 37. Two lengths of a pool
26 Down 39. What a punch line may end
27 Down 40. Part of a drill assembly or comedy routine
28 Down 41. "Frozen" snowman
29 Down 44. Seafood with claws
30 Down 46. Jeter in the Baseball Hall of Fame
31 Down 48. Rushing yards, e.g., informally
32 Down 49. "Well, dang it!"
33 Down 50. Slightly out of tune
34 Down 53. Put into law
35 Down 54. Move smoothly to another topic
36 Down 55. Without a date
37 Down 56. River past Cincinnati
38 Down 57. Lima's land
39 Down 59. Tiny canine pest
40 Down 60. Drove over the legal limit
41 Down 62. Ticked (off)
42 Down 64. Peculiar
43 Down 65. The Falcons, on a scoreboard

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. Cry like a baby"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'B' and ends with 'L'
  • Word pattern: B__L
  • Similar words: bellow, yawp
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: shout loudly and without restraint
  • This is Down clue number 1

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer BAWL

2 Down: "2. Admired figures"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: I___S
  • Similar words: god, perfection
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a material effigy that is worshipped
  • This is Down clue number 2

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer IDOLS

3 Down: "3. Battle cry of the U.S. Marine Corps"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'H'
  • Word pattern: O___H
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 3

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OORAH

4 Down: "4. Kind of bagel"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: S____E
  • Similar words: benne, benni
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 4

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SESAME

5 Down: "5. Many a PC file"

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 5

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PDF

6 Down: "6. Really eager"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'G'
  • Word pattern: A__G
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: highly excited
  • This is Down clue number 6

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer AGOG

7 Down: "7. Actor Michael of "Arrested Development""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'A'
  • Word pattern: C__A
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 7

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer CERA

8 Down: "8. Caught sight of"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: E____D
  • Similar words: descry, espy
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: catch sight of
  • This is Down clue number 8

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ESPIED

9 Down: "9. Place to be pampered"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
  • Similar words: health spa, watering hole
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a health resort near a spring or at the seaside
  • This is Down clue number 9

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SPA

10 Down: "10. 1996 #1 hit for the Spice Girls"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'W' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: W_____E
  • Similar words: wannabee, aspirer
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: an ambitious and aspiring young person
  • This is Down clue number 10

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer WANNABE

11 Down: "11. Water, in Colombia"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
  • Word pattern: A__A
  • Similar words: agua toad, Bufo marinus
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 11

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer AGUA

12 Down: "12. Team that plays at Citi Field"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer METS

13 Down: "13. "Over here!""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: P__T
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 13

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PSST

14 Down: "18. Onetime retail chain giant"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'K' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: K___T
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 14

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer KMART

15 Down: "19. ___ Grey tea"

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 15

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer EARL

16 Down: "24. Very light brown"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'U'
  • Word pattern: E__U
  • Similar words: beige
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a very light brown
  • This is Down clue number 16

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ECRU

17 Down: "26. Tail-less cat"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'M' and ends with 'X'
  • Word pattern: M__X
  • Similar words: Manx cat
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 17

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer MANX

18 Down: "28. Above, in poetry"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OER

19 Down: "29. Synthetic fiber"

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
  • Definition: a synthetic silklike fabric
  • This is Down clue number 19

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer RAYON

20 Down: "30. Fencing sword"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: E__E
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a fencing sword similar to a foil but with a heavier blade
  • This is Down clue number 20

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer EPEE

21 Down: "31. Not on time"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: L__E
  • Similar words: lately, of late
  • Opposite of: early
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 21

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer LATE

22 Down: "32. "Gimme a ___!""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'C'
  • Similar words: unsweet, secant
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 22

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SEC

23 Down: "33. Commoner"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'B'
  • Word pattern: P__B
  • Similar words: plebeian
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: one of the common people
  • This is Down clue number 23

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PLEB

24 Down: "34. Norway's capital"

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
  • Similar words: Christiania
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 24

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OSLO

25 Down: "37. Two lengths of a pool"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'L' and ends with 'P'
  • Similar words: swoosh, swish
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: the upper side of the thighs of a seated person
  • This is Down clue number 25

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer LAP

26 Down: "39. What a punch line may end"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'J' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: J__E
  • Similar words: jocularity, prank
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
  • This is Down clue number 26

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer JOKE

27 Down: "40. Part of a drill assembly or comedy routine"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'B' and ends with 'T'
  • Similar words: prick, flake
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a small piece or quantity of something
  • This is Down clue number 27

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer BIT

28 Down: "41. "Frozen" snowman"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'F'
  • Word pattern: O__F
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 28

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OLAF

29 Down: "44. Seafood with claws"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'L' and ends with 'R'
  • Word pattern: L_____R
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: flesh of a lobster
  • This is Down clue number 29

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer LOBSTER

30 Down: "46. Jeter in the Baseball Hall of Fame"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'D' and ends with 'K'
  • Word pattern: D___K
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 30

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer DEREK

31 Down: "48. Rushing yards, e.g., informally"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 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 31

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer STAT

32 Down: "49. "Well, dang it!""

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 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 32

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OHRATS

33 Down: "50. Slightly out of tune"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'Y'
  • Word pattern: P____Y
  • Similar words: resinous, jet
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: of the blackest black; similar to the color of jet or coal
  • This is Down clue number 33

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PITCHY

34 Down: "53. Put into law"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: E___T
  • Similar words: act out, reenact
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: order by virtue of superior authority; decree
  • This is Down clue number 34

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ENACT

35 Down: "54. Move smoothly to another topic"

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
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 35

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SEGUE

36 Down: "55. Without a date"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'G'
  • Word pattern: S__G
  • Similar words: snitch, shop
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: a male deer
  • This is Down clue number 36

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer STAG

37 Down: "56. River past Cincinnati"

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
  • Similar words: OH, Buckeye State
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 37

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer OHIO

38 Down: "57. Lima's land"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'U'
  • Word pattern: P__U
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • This is Down clue number 38

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer PERU

39 Down: "59. Tiny canine pest"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer FLEA

40 Down: "60. Drove over the legal limit"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: S__D
  • Similar words: hotfoot, step on it
  • Opposite of: decelerate
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: move fast
  • This is Down clue number 40

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer SPED

41 Down: "62. Ticked (off)"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: T__D
  • Similar words: tee up, tee
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: place on a tee
  • This is Down clue number 41

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer TEED

42 Down: "64. Peculiar"

Helpful hints for this Down clue:

  • This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
  • It starts with 'O' and ends with 'D'
  • Similar words: left over, singular
  • Opposite of: even
  • This is an abbreviation or acronym
  • Definition: not divisible by two
  • This is Down clue number 42

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ODD

43 Down: "65. The Falcons, on a scoreboard"

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 43

Answer:

Click to reveal the Down answer ATL

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 43 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: December 29, 2025 at 05:23 AM

Search terms: NYT Down, Down clues, vertical, crossword answers, top to bottom, December 29 2025 down clues

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XWordHint Crossword Answers December 29, 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

December 29, 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. Life story, in brief 3
2A 4. The "S" of NASA 5
3A 9. Where Shrek lives 5
4A 14. Kerfuffle 3
5A 15. Outer limits 5
6A 16. They're contained within books 5
7A 17. Is severely underpaid 15
8A 20. Andean animal with a long neck 5
9A 21. Earth goddess 4
10A 22. Condé ___ (magazine publisher) 4
11A 23. "Tsk! Tsk!" 5
12A 25. Humorist Bombeck 4
13A 27. Motown or RCA 11
14A 32. Particular place 4
15A 35. Stephen of "V for Vendetta" 3
16A 36. Country that contains the southern slope of Mount Everest 5
17A 38. Chicago trains 3
18A 39. Seating area for 12 peers 7
19A 42. Piece of Grubhub info, for short 3
20A 43. Stringed instrument that rests on the ground 5
21A 45. Tin Man's need 3
22A 46. Like the Mariana Trench 4
23A 47. Works that are heard rather than read 11
24A 51. Sister of Meg, Jo and Amy in "Little Women" 4
25A 52. Gives the ax 5
26A 55. Soaks (up) 4
27A 58. Puppy sounds 4
28A 61. Fundamental belief 5
29A 63. Description for an ideal partner ... or what the ends of 17-, 27-, 39- and 47-Across create? 15
30A 66. Put on TV 5
31A 67. Molars and canines 5
32A 68. Signal for an actor to go onstage 3
33A 69. Pumpkin, e.g. 5
34A 70. "Alas ..." 5
35A 71. TV's "___ Lasso" 3

Across Clues - Strategic Hints

1A: "1. Life story, in brief"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2A: "4. The "S" of NASA"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
  • Similar words include: place, blank, outer space
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPACE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3A: "9. Where Shrek lives"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that low land that is seasonally flooded; has more woody plants than a marsh and better drainage than a bog
  • Similar words include: swampland, flood, deluge
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SWAMP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4A: "14. Kerfuffle"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a rapid active commotion
  • Similar words include: flurry, stir, bustle
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ADO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5A: "15. Outer limits"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the boundary of a surface
  • Similar words include: butt against, inch, butt on
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EDGES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6A: "16. They're contained within books"

5 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
  • Similar words include: paginate, foliate, Page
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PAGES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7A: "17. Is severely underpaid"

15 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8A: "20. Andean animal with a long neck"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that wild or domesticated south american cud-chewing animal related to camels but smaller and lacking a hump
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LLAMA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9A: "21. Earth goddess"

4 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that (greek mythology) goddess of the earth and mother of cronus and the titans in ancient mythology
  • Similar words include: Gaea, Ge
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GAIA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10A: "22. Condé ___ (magazine publisher)"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that united states political cartoonist (1840-1902)
  • Similar words include: Thomas Nast
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NAST

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11A: "23. "Tsk! Tsk!""

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
  • Similar words include: ignominy, dishonor, pity
  • Opposite of: honor
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SHAME

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12A: "25. Humorist Bombeck"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13A: "27. Motown or RCA"

11 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14A: "32. Particular place"

4 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a point located with respect to surface features of some region
  • Similar words include: descry, smear, bit
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPOT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15A: "35. Stephen of "V for Vendetta""

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16A: "36. Country that contains the southern slope of Mount Everest"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a small landlocked asian country high in the himalayas between india and china
  • Similar words include: Kingdom of Nepal
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: NEPAL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17A: "38. Chicago trains"

3 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object)
  • Similar words include: elevated railway, elevated railroad, ALT
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ELS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18A: "39. Seating area for 12 peers"

7 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19A: "42. Piece of Grubhub info, for short"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

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: Basque Homeland and Freedom, Basque Fatherland and Liberty, Euskadi ta Askatasuna
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ETA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20A: "43. Stringed instrument that rests on the ground"

5 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a large stringed instrument; seated player holds it upright while playing
  • Similar words include: violoncello
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CELLO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21A: "45. Tin Man's need"

3 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a slippery or viscous liquid or liquefiable substance not miscible with water
  • Similar words include: fossil oil, vegetable oil, crude oil
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OIL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22A: "46. Like the Mariana Trench"

4 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the central and most intense or profound part
  • Similar words include: oceanic abyss, bass, deeply
  • Opposite of: shallow
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: DEEP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23A: "47. Works that are heard rather than read"

11 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24A: "51. Sister of Meg, Jo and Amy in "Little Women""

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the 2nd letter of the hebrew alphabet
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BETH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25A: "52. Gives the ax"

5 letters Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the event of something burning (often destructive)
  • Similar words include: go off, flak, elicit
  • Opposite of: hire
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FIRES

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26A: "55. Soaks (up)"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that piece of solid food for dipping in a liquid
  • Similar words include: sop, SOP, standard procedure
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SOPS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27A: "58. Puppy sounds"

4 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28A: "61. Fundamental belief"

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof
  • Similar words include: dogma
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TENET

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29A: "63. Description for an ideal partner ... or what the ends of 17-, 27-, 39- and 47-Across create?"

15 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30A: "66. Put on TV"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that expose to fresh air
  • Similar words include: air out, broadcast, publicise
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AIRED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31A: "67. Molars and canines"

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
  • Similar words include: tooth, dentition
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEETH

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32A: "68. Signal for an actor to go onstage"

3 letters Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an actor's line that immediately precedes and serves as a reminder for some action or speech
  • Similar words include: cue stick, clue, remind
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: CUE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33A: "69. Pumpkin, e.g."

5 letters Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that bottle made from the dried shell of a bottle gourd
  • Similar words include: gourd vine, calabash
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: GOURD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34A: "70. "Alas ...""

5 letters Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that in an unfortunate way
  • Similar words include: woefully, deplorably, lamentably
  • Opposite of: happily
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SADLY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35A: "71. TV's "___ Lasso""

3 letters Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing edwardian style clothes
  • Similar words include: Teddy boy
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

Down Clues - Complete List

No. Clue Letters
1D 1. Cry like a baby 4
2D 2. Admired figures 5
3D 3. Battle cry of the U.S. Marine Corps 5
4D 4. Kind of bagel 6
5D 5. Many a PC file 3
6D 6. Really eager 4
7D 7. Actor Michael of "Arrested Development" 4
8D 8. Caught sight of 6
9D 9. Place to be pampered 3
10D 10. 1996 #1 hit for the Spice Girls 7
11D 11. Water, in Colombia 4
12D 12. Team that plays at Citi Field 4
13D 13. "Over here!" 4
14D 18. Onetime retail chain giant 5
15D 19. ___ Grey tea 4
16D 24. Very light brown 4
17D 26. Tail-less cat 4
18D 28. Above, in poetry 3
19D 29. Synthetic fiber 5
20D 30. Fencing sword 4
21D 31. Not on time 4
22D 32. "Gimme a ___!" 3
23D 33. Commoner 4
24D 34. Norway's capital 4
25D 37. Two lengths of a pool 3
26D 39. What a punch line may end 4
27D 40. Part of a drill assembly or comedy routine 3
28D 41. "Frozen" snowman 4
29D 44. Seafood with claws 7
30D 46. Jeter in the Baseball Hall of Fame 5
31D 48. Rushing yards, e.g., informally 4
32D 49. "Well, dang it!" 6
33D 50. Slightly out of tune 6
34D 53. Put into law 5
35D 54. Move smoothly to another topic 5
36D 55. Without a date 4
37D 56. River past Cincinnati 4
38D 57. Lima's land 4
39D 59. Tiny canine pest 4
40D 60. Drove over the legal limit 4
41D 62. Ticked (off) 4
42D 64. Peculiar 3
43D 65. The Falcons, on a scoreboard 3

Down Clues - Strategic Hints

1D: "1. Cry like a baby"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that shout loudly and without restraint
  • Similar words include: bellow, yawp
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BAWL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

2D: "2. Admired figures"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a material effigy that is worshipped
  • Similar words include: paragon, idol, matinee idol
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: IDOLS

Remember this word for future puzzles!

3D: "3. Battle cry of the U.S. Marine Corps"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

4D: "4. Kind of bagel"

6 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that east indian annual erect herb; source of sesame seed or benniseed and sesame oil
  • Similar words include: benny, benni, benne
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SESAME

Remember this word for future puzzles!

5D: "5. Many a PC file"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

6D: "6. Really eager"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that highly excited
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGOG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

7D: "7. Actor Michael of "Arrested Development""

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

8D: "8. Caught sight of"

6 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that catch sight of
  • Similar words include: descry, spot, spy
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ESPIED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

9D: "9. Place to be pampered"

3 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a health resort near a spring or at the seaside
  • Similar words include: watering place, resort hotel, watering hole
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

10D: "10. 1996 #1 hit for the Spice Girls"

7 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that an ambitious and aspiring young person
  • Similar words include: aspirant, hopeful, wannabee
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: WANNABE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

11D: "11. Water, in Colombia"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that largest known toad species; native to central america; valuable destroyer of insect pests
  • Similar words include: agua toad, Bufo marinus
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: AGUA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

12D: "12. Team that plays at Citi Field"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

13D: "13. "Over here!""

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

14D: "18. Onetime retail chain giant"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

15D: "19. ___ Grey tea"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a british peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EARL

Remember this word for future puzzles!

16D: "24. Very light brown"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a very light brown
  • Similar words include: beige
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ECRU

Remember this word for future puzzles!

17D: "26. Tail-less cat"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the ancient gaelic formerly spoken on the isle of man; the language is sometimes used on ceremonial occasions
  • Similar words include: Manx cat
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: MANX

Remember this word for future puzzles!

18D: "28. Above, in poetry"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

19D: "29. Synthetic fiber"

5 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a synthetic silklike fabric
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: RAYON

Remember this word for future puzzles!

20D: "30. Fencing sword"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a fencing sword similar to a foil but with a heavier blade
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: EPEE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

21D: "31. Not on time"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
  • Similar words include: belatedly, recently, belated
  • Opposite of: early
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LATE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

22D: "32. "Gimme a ___!""

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the systeme international d'unites
  • Similar words include: secant, s, Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEC

Remember this word for future puzzles!

23D: "33. Commoner"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that one of the common people
  • Similar words include: plebeian
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PLEB

Remember this word for future puzzles!

24D: "34. Norway's capital"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the capital and largest city of norway; the country's main port; located at the head of a fjord on norway's southern coast
  • Similar words include: capital of Norway, Christiania
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OSLO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

25D: "37. Two lengths of a pool"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the upper side of the thighs of a seated person
  • Similar words include: lick, overlap, swosh
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LAP

Remember this word for future puzzles!

26D: "39. What a punch line may end"

4 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
  • Similar words include: jocularity, caper, trick
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: JOKE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

27D: "40. Part of a drill assembly or comedy routine"

3 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a small piece or quantity of something
  • Similar words include: routine, mo, moment
  • Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: BIT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

28D: "41. "Frozen" snowman"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

29D: "44. Seafood with claws"

7 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that flesh of a lobster
  • Pattern: _______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: LOBSTER

Remember this word for future puzzles!

30D: "46. Jeter in the Baseball Hall of Fame"

5 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

31D: "48. Rushing yards, e.g., informally"

4 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

32D: "49. "Well, dang it!""

6 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

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

Remember this word for future puzzles!

33D: "50. Slightly out of tune"

6 letters 💭 Category: Common Word

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that of the blackest black; similar to the color of jet or coal
  • Similar words include: resiny, sooty, coal-black
  • Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PITCHY

Remember this word for future puzzles!

34D: "53. Put into law"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that order by virtue of superior authority; decree
  • Similar words include: ordain, act out, reenact
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ENACT

Remember this word for future puzzles!

35D: "54. Move smoothly to another topic"

5 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that the act of changing smoothly from one state or situation to another
  • Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SEGUE

Remember this word for future puzzles!

36D: "55. Without a date"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a male deer, especially an adult male red deer
  • Similar words include: rat, denounce, spy
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: STAG

Remember this word for future puzzles!

37D: "56. River past Cincinnati"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a midwestern state in north central united states in the great lakes region
  • Similar words include: Ohio River, OH, Buckeye State
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: OHIO

Remember this word for future puzzles!

38D: "57. Lima's land"

4 letters 💭 Category: General Knowledge

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that a republic in western south america; achieved independence from spain in 1821; was the heart of the inca empire from the 12th to 16th centuries
  • Similar words include: Republic of Peru
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: PERU

Remember this word for future puzzles!

39D: "59. Tiny canine pest"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that any wingless bloodsucking parasitic insect noted for ability to leap
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: FLEA

Remember this word for future puzzles!

40D: "60. Drove over the legal limit"

4 letters 💭 Category: Wordplay

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that move faster
  • Similar words include: zip, speed, accelerate
  • Opposite of: linger, decelerate
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: SPED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

41D: "62. Ticked (off)"

4 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that place on a tee
  • Similar words include: tee up, tee
  • Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: TEED

Remember this word for future puzzles!

42D: "64. Peculiar"

3 letters 💭 Category: Proper Noun

Solving Hints:

  • Think of something that not divisible by two
  • Similar words include: unmated, left, peculiar
  • Opposite of: even
Click to reveal answer (spoiler alert!)
Answer: ODD

Remember this word for future puzzles!

43D: "65. The Falcons, on a scoreboard"

3 letters 💭 Category: Abbreviation

Solving Hints:

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

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

35 Across Clues
43 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: December 29, 2025 at 04:35 AM

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