Friday NYT Down Solutions December 12, 2025 - Every Vertical Clue Decoded with Hints
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 37 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: NYT Across Today November 03 2025 | March 21 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | November 10 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | December 12, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Friday |
| Total Down Clues | 37 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Easy |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 37 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Stone |
| 2 Down | 2. Vaudeville highlight |
| 3 Down | 3. Pulitzer-winning journalist Applebaum |
| 4 Down | 4. You might pull one out for a guest |
| 5 Down | 5. With 38-Across, one way to sit |
| 6 Down | 6. Feel gross |
| 7 Down | 7. "Gross" |
| 8 Down | 8. Playwright who wrote "You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'" |
| 9 Down | 9. "Tell Mama" singer James |
| 10 Down | 10. Rocky road ingredient? |
| 11 Down | 11. Distinction for a classic underground work |
| 12 Down | 12. Bind |
| 13 Down | 13. Sticks a fork in |
| 14 Down | 15. Part of NOW |
| 15 Down | 21. "Fiddlesticks!" |
| 16 Down | 23. Disney princess in New Orleans |
| 17 Down | 24. Workshop debris |
| 18 Down | 26. Possible need for entry |
| 19 Down | 27. Each |
| 20 Down | 28. Colleague who might be solutions-oriented? |
| 21 Down | 29. Tropical plants said to bring good fortune |
| 22 Down | 32. "That's the truth" |
| 23 Down | 33. Kid's parent |
| 24 Down | 34. Hagfish lookalikes |
| 25 Down | 36. Company whose logo has a hidden arrow between its fourth and fifth letters |
| 26 Down | 39. Performance that isn't prerecorded |
| 27 Down | 40. Word from the Greek for "folded paper" |
| 28 Down | 43. Butcher shop buys |
| 29 Down | 44. Pleasing to the palate |
| 30 Down | 45. "Buss It" rapper ___ Banks |
| 31 Down | 48. Way |
| 32 Down | 49. Arm of the Dept. of Labor |
| 33 Down | 51. Part of a cabinet |
| 34 Down | 52. French 101 verb |
| 35 Down | 55. Whitehouse in D.C., e.g.: Abbr. |
| 36 Down | 56. Physics unit equivalent to roughly 624 gigaelectronvolts |
| 37 Down | 57. Thoroughly evaluate |
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:
- March 16 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 23 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 09 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Stone"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: pock, Inferno
- Opposite of: Heaven
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a sizeable hole (usually in the ground)
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PIT
2 Down: "2. Vaudeville highlight"
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
- Definition: a short theatrical episode
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SKIT
3 Down: "3. Pulitzer-winning journalist Applebaum"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A__E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ANNE
4 Down: "4. You might pull one out for a guest"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S_____D
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SOFABED
5 Down: "5. With 38-Across, one way to sit"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C________S
- Similar words: mark, cross
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a marking that consists of lines that cross each other
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CRISSCROSS
6 Down: "6. Feel gross"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'L'
- Similar words: garlic, trouble
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: aromatic bulb used as seasoning
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AIL
7 Down: "7. "Gross""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'H'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
UGH
8 Down: "8. Playwright who wrote "You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'W'
- Word pattern: S__W
- Similar words: Josh Billings, G. B. Shaw
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SHAW
9 Down: "9. "Tell Mama" singer James"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: E__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ETTA
10 Down: "10. Rocky road ingredient?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A_____T
- Similar words: mineral pitch
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ASPHALT
11 Down: "11. Distinction for a classic underground work"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C________S
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CULTSTATUS
12 Down: "12. Bind"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: T___P
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TIEUP
13 Down: "13. Sticks a fork in"
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: shot, thrust
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a sudden sharp feeling
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
STABS
14 Down: "15. Part of NOW"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: W___N
- Similar words: adult female, char
- Opposite of: man
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
WOMEN
15 Down: "21. "Fiddlesticks!""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S___T
- Similar words: scud, pullulate
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a new branch
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SHOOT
16 Down: "23. Disney princess in New Orleans"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: T___A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TIANA
17 Down: "24. Workshop debris"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S_____T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: fine particles of wood made by sawing wood
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SAWDUST
18 Down: "26. Possible need for entry"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: V__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
VISA
19 Down: "27. Each"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 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 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
APOP
20 Down: "28. Colleague who might be solutions-oriented?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: L________R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LABPARTNER
21 Down: "29. Tropical plants said to bring good fortune"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 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 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MONEYTREES
22 Down: "32. "That's the truth""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: F___S
- Similar words: fact
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FACTS
23 Down: "33. Kid's parent"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: G__T
- Similar words: laughingstock, caprine animal
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GOAT
24 Down: "34. Hagfish lookalikes"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
- Similar words: eel
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EELS
25 Down: "36. Company whose logo has a hidden arrow between its fourth and fifth letters"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'X'
- Word pattern: F___X
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FEDEX
26 Down: "39. Performance that isn't prerecorded"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: L_____T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LIVESET
27 Down: "40. Word from the Greek for "folded paper""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: D_____A
- Similar words: sheepskin
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DIPLOMA
28 Down: "43. Butcher shop buys"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L___S
- Similar words: pubes, lumbus
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LOINS
29 Down: "44. Pleasing to the palate"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S___D
- Similar words: flavourous, flavorful
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: full of flavor
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SAPID
30 Down: "45. "Buss It" rapper ___ Banks"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: E___A
- Similar words: true heath
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: any plant of the genus Erica
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ERICA
31 Down: "48. Way"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: P__H
- Similar words: track, course
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a course of conduct
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PATH
32 Down: "49. Arm of the Dept. of Labor"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: O__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OSHA
33 Down: "51. Part of a cabinet"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'B'
- Word pattern: K__B
- Similar words: thickening, pommel
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a circular rounded projection or protuberance
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
KNOB
34 Down: "52. French 101 verb"
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
- This is Down clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ETRE
35 Down: "55. Whitehouse in D.C., e.g.: Abbr."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SEN
36 Down: "56. Physics unit equivalent to roughly 624 gigaelectronvolts"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'G'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ERG
37 Down: "57. Thoroughly evaluate"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'T'
- Similar words: veterinarian, veterinary
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a doctor who practices veterinary medicine
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
VET
Expert Strategies for Solving Down Clues
Master the vertical clues with these professional tips:
Why Start with Down Clues?
- Down clues often reveal key letters for intersecting words
- Vertical patterns can unlock difficult sections
- Many prefixes and suffixes run vertically
- Down answers often help solve Across clues
Down Clue Patterns to Recognize
- Fill-in-the-blank clues: These are usually the easiest Down entries
- Prefixes and suffixes: Common word parts often run vertically
- Abbreviations: Look for clues with "Abbr." or shortened forms
- Plural indicators: Words ending in 'S' are common in Down
- Pop culture references: Names and titles often appear vertically
Time-Saving Down Techniques
| Technique | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Scan all Down first | Get a mental map of the vertical flow |
| Fill short Down words | 3-4 letter words are often prefixes or connectors |
| Use crossing letters | Across letters help confirm Down answers |
| Look for themes | Related Down answers often share a theme |
Frequently Asked Questions About Down Clues
What are Down clues in crossword puzzles?
Down clues are the vertical entries in a crossword puzzle that read from top to bottom. They're numbered and correspond to specific columns in the grid.
Should I solve Down or Across clues first?
Many solvers alternate between Down and Across clues to build momentum. Down clues can help unlock difficult sections by providing key intersecting letters. The best approach is to solve the clues you find easiest first, regardless of direction.
How many Down clues are in today's puzzle?
Today's NYT crossword has 37 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.
