NYT Down Crossword November 21, 2025 - Master All 37 Top-to-Bottom Clues
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: December 23 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | Todays Across Crossword NYT October 04 | October 31 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | November 21, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Friday |
| Total Down Clues | 37 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Tricky |
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. Old-time charity |
| 2 Down | 2. Word with good or raw |
| 3 Down | 3. A host of |
| 4 Down | 4. Hits up online, in a way |
| 5 Down | 5. Crept cautiously |
| 6 Down | 6. Some memory aids |
| 7 Down | 7. ___-a-thon |
| 8 Down | 8. Senescent |
| 9 Down | 9. It may bring out the kid in you |
| 10 Down | 10. Height or width, e.g. |
| 11 Down | 11. Sydney Adamu portrayer on "The Bear" |
| 12 Down | 12. Peeved |
| 13 Down | 13. Brief blowup |
| 14 Down | 15. "Tomb Raider" heroine |
| 15 Down | 22. Camel and fawn |
| 16 Down | 23. Lodge rental |
| 17 Down | 24. Barbecuer's aid |
| 18 Down | 25. Sitarist's composition |
| 19 Down | 26. Totally done with |
| 20 Down | 27. Flirtatious |
| 21 Down | 28. Nose woes |
| 22 Down | 32. Azerbaijan neighbor |
| 23 Down | 33. Find fault with, informally |
| 24 Down | 35. Lead-in to a clarification |
| 25 Down | 36. Riveted |
| 26 Down | 38. Word often printed in red |
| 27 Down | 39. "Fellow traveler," in Russian |
| 28 Down | 41. Certain marketing deluge |
| 29 Down | 42. Tony's cousins |
| 30 Down | 43. Moral virtue |
| 31 Down | 44. Anne's best friend in "Anne of Green Gables" |
| 32 Down | 47. ___ monster |
| 33 Down | 48. Real hoot |
| 34 Down | 49. Ain't proper? |
| 35 Down | 50. They have five eyes and communicate by dancing |
| 36 Down | 53. Break ground, in a way |
| 37 Down | 54. Japanese ogre |
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:
- August 08 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 10 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- December 23 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Todays Across Crossword NYT October 04
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Old-time charity"
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
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: money or goods contributed to the poor
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ALMS
2 Down: "2. Word with good or raw"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: D__L
- Similar words: make do, mess
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a particular instance of buying or selling
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DEAL
3 Down: "3. A host of"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: M__Y
- Opposite of: few
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MANY
4 Down: "4. Hits up online, in a way"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IMS
5 Down: "5. Crept cautiously"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: T_____D
- Similar words: tiptoe, tip
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: walk on one's toes
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TIPTOED
6 Down: "6. Some memory aids"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 11 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 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CHEATSHEETS
7 Down: "7. ___-a-thon"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: R__D
- Similar words: register, translate
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: something that is read
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
READ
8 Down: "8. Senescent"
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: former, sure-enough
- Opposite of: young
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: past times (especially in the phrase `in days of old')
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OLD
9 Down: "9. It may bring out the kid in you"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: C______N
- Similar words: C-section, cesarian
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CESAREAN
10 Down: "10. Height or width, e.g."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: M____C
- Similar words: metrical, measured
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a function of a topological space that gives
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
METRIC
11 Down: "11. Sydney Adamu portrayer on "The Bear""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: A________I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AYOEDEBIRI
12 Down: "12. Peeved"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C___S
- Similar words: interbreeding, hybridise
- Opposite of: uncross
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CROSS
13 Down: "13. Brief blowup"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: S___O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SETTO
14 Down: "15. "Tomb Raider" heroine"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: C___T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a small farm worked by a crofter
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CROFT
15 Down: "22. Camel and fawn"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T__S
- Similar words: suntan, sunburn
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TANS
16 Down: "23. Lodge rental"
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: ski
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SKIS
17 Down: "24. Barbecuer's aid"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 11 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: F_________R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
FIRESTARTER
18 Down: "25. Sitarist's composition"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: R__A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RAGA
19 Down: "26. Totally done with"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: O__R
- Similar words: o'er, terminated
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OVER
20 Down: "27. Flirtatious"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 10 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: C________R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
COMEHITHER
21 Down: "28. Nose woes"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C___S
- Similar words: frigidness, low temperature
- Opposite of: hotness
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
COLDS
22 Down: "32. Azerbaijan neighbor"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: I__N
- Similar words: Persia
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IRAN
23 Down: "33. Find fault with, informally"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: D__G
- Similar words: dingdong, dong
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a ringing sound
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DING
24 Down: "35. Lead-in to a clarification"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: H______Y
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HERESWHY
25 Down: "36. Riveted"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: R__T
- Similar words: rhapsodic, rapturous
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: feeling great rapture or delight
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RAPT
26 Down: "38. Word often printed in red"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S__E
- Similar words: sales agreement, cut-rate sale
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a particular instance of selling
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SALE
27 Down: "39. "Fellow traveler," in Russian"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: S_____K
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a Russian artificial satellite
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SPUTNIK
28 Down: "41. Certain marketing deluge"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: E____T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EBLAST
29 Down: "42. Tony's cousins"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 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 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OBIES
30 Down: "43. Moral virtue"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: E___C
- Similar words: moral principle, ethical code
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ETHIC
31 Down: "44. Anne's best friend in "Anne of Green Gables""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: D___A
- Similar words: Princess Diana
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DIANA
32 Down: "47. ___ monster"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: G__A
- Similar words: Gila River
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GILA
33 Down: "48. Real hoot"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: R__T
- Similar words: drunken revelry, rioting
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a public act of violence by an unruly mob
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RIOT
34 Down: "49. Ain't proper?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: I__T
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ISNT
35 Down: "50. They have five eyes and communicate by dancing"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B__S
- Similar words: make up, equal
- Opposite of: differ
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BEES
36 Down: "53. Break ground, in a way"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HOE
37 Down: "54. Japanese ogre"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'I'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ONI
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.