NYT Down Clues Answers October 09, 2025 - All 39 Vertical Solutions & Expert Hints
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Crossword has 39 Down clues. We have all the vertical answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Related Puzzles: September 09 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | Xwordhint Crossword Answers September_22 | April 15 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Down Clues
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 09, 2025 |
| Day of Week | Thursday |
| Total Down Clues | 39 clues |
| Direction | Vertical (Top to Bottom) |
| Difficulty | Easy |
All Down Clues - Complete List
Here are all 39 Down clues for today's puzzle. These go vertically from top to bottom.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Auto's opposite |
| 2 Down | 2. ___ Theater, where Ella Fitzgerald debuted on an Amateur Night in 1934 |
| 3 Down | 3. Many an item on a child's Christmas list |
| 4 Down | 4. High-protein bean |
| 5 Down | 5. Common lunchbox item, informally |
| 6 Down | 6. Classic car based in Lansing, Mich. |
| 7 Down | 7. Send out |
| 8 Down | 8. Fogy |
| 9 Down | 9. Hail Mary's path |
| 10 Down | 10. Clear (of) |
| 11 Down | 11. "True, unfortunately" |
| 12 Down | 12. Dolly Parton and others |
| 13 Down | 13. Plastic explosive used in many demolitions |
| 14 Down | 18. Discipline |
| 15 Down | 22. Statement from a witness |
| 16 Down | 25. Tiny torment |
| 17 Down | 26. Opposite of "Me too" |
| 18 Down | 27. Source of some nondairy milk |
| 19 Down | 28. Way to go |
| 20 Down | 30. Some ancient Italians |
| 21 Down | 33. O.E.D. part: Abbr. |
| 22 Down | 35. Annual breast cancer awareness observance |
| 23 Down | 36. "All right, already!" |
| 24 Down | 37. Equivalent of five carats |
| 25 Down | 38. Straight poker? |
| 26 Down | 39. Heroine of Verdi's "Il Trovatore" |
| 27 Down | 41. Overshadows |
| 28 Down | 42. Direct deposit, in brief |
| 29 Down | 43. Break the Hippocratic oath, say |
| 30 Down | 45. The old you? |
| 31 Down | 46. Fictional character who says "I am a brain …. The rest of me is a mere appendix" |
| 32 Down | 47. Allow, as cookies |
| 33 Down | 48. Cutesy name for a certain leviathan |
| 34 Down | 50. Circuit switcher |
| 35 Down | 54. ___ hair (iconic 1970s style) |
| 36 Down | 56. PC discourse? |
| 37 Down | 57. Prefix with cortex |
| 38 Down | 59. Rapper ___ Baby |
| 39 Down | 60. Grp. whose activities produce long lines |
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 12 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 07 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 22 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 21 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
Complete Down Solutions:
1 Down: "1. Auto's opposite"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: M____L
- Similar words: manual of arms
- Opposite of: automatic
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a small handbook
- This is Down clue number 1
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
MANUAL
2 Down: "2. ___ Theater, where Ella Fitzgerald debuted on an Amateur Night in 1934"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A____O
- Similar words: Phoebus Apollo, Phoebus
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 2
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
APOLLO
3 Down: "3. Many an item on a child's Christmas list"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: N____Y
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 3
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NEWTOY
4 Down: "4. High-protein bean"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S__A
- Similar words: Glycine max, soy
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 4
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SOYA
5 Down: "5. Common lunchbox item, informally"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'J'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 5
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
PBJ
6 Down: "6. Classic car based in Lansing, Mich."
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'O'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 6
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
REO
7 Down: "7. Send out"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I___E
- Similar words: takings, subject
- Opposite of: recall
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 7
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ISSUE
8 Down: "8. Fogy"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: G____R
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a man who is (usually) old and/or eccentric
- This is Down clue number 8
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GEEZER
9 Down: "9. Hail Mary's path"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'C'
- Similar words: arch, discharge
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 9
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ARC
10 Down: "10. Clear (of)"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'D'
- Similar words: free, disembarrass
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: relieve from
- This is Down clue number 10
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RID
11 Down: "11. "True, unfortunately""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A______O
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 11
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AFRAIDSO
12 Down: "12. Dolly Parton and others"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B_____S
- Similar words: blond, blonde
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a person with fair skin and hair
- This is Down clue number 12
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
BLONDES
13 Down: "13. Plastic explosive used in many demolitions"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'X'
- Word pattern: S____X
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 13
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
SEMTEX
14 Down: "18. Discipline"
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: arena, orbit
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 14
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
AREA
15 Down: "22. Statement from a witness"
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 15
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IDO
16 Down: "25. Tiny torment"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: I__H
- Similar words: urge, itching
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 16
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ITCH
17 Down: "26. Opposite of "Me too""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: N__I
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 17
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NORI
18 Down: "27. Source of some nondairy milk"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: A____D
- Similar words: sweet almond, Prunus dulcis
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 18
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ALMOND
19 Down: "28. Way to go"
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: route
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
- This is Down clue number 19
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ROAD
20 Down: "30. Some ancient Italians"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L____S
- Similar words: Latin
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: any dialect of the language of ancient Rome
- This is Down clue number 20
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LATINS
21 Down: "33. O.E.D. part: Abbr."
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 21
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ENG
22 Down: "35. Annual breast cancer awareness observance"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 8 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: N______Y
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 22
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NOBRADAY
23 Down: "36. "All right, already!""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: O__K
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 23
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
OKOK
24 Down: "37. Equivalent of five carats"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: G__M
- Similar words: Hans C. J. Gram, gramme
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 24
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
GRAM
25 Down: "38. Straight poker?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: T__E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: prong on a fork or pitchfork or antler
- This is Down clue number 25
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TINE
26 Down: "39. Heroine of Verdi's "Il Trovatore""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 7 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: L_____A
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 26
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LEONORA
27 Down: "41. Overshadows"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D____S
- Similar words: dwarf, overshadow
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a person who is markedly small
- This is Down clue number 27
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DWARFS
28 Down: "42. Direct deposit, in brief"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a newt in its terrestrial stage of development
- This is Down clue number 28
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
EFT
29 Down: "43. Break the Hippocratic oath, say"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: D____M
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 29
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
DOHARM
30 Down: "45. The old you?"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'U'
- Word pattern: T__U
- Similar words: grand, yard
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
- This is Down clue number 30
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
THOU
31 Down: "46. Fictional character who says "I am a brain …. The rest of me is a mere appendix""
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: H____S
- Similar words: Arthur Holmes, Sherlock Holmes
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: a fictitious detective in stories by A. Conan Doyle
- This is Down clue number 31
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
HOLMES
32 Down: "47. Allow, as cookies"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E____E
- Opposite of: disable
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: render capable or able for some task
- This is Down clue number 32
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
ENABLE
33 Down: "48. Cutesy name for a certain leviathan"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 6 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N____E
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 33
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NESSIE
34 Down: "50. Circuit switcher"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 5 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: R___Y
- Similar words: relay race
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 34
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
RELAY
35 Down: "54. ___ hair (iconic 1970s style)"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 4 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 35
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
CHER
36 Down: "56. PC discourse?"
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 36
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
IMS
37 Down: "57. Prefix with cortex"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'O'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- Definition: (used as a combining form) recent or new
- This is Down clue number 37
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
NEO
38 Down: "59. Rapper ___ Baby"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'L'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 38
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
LIL
39 Down: "60. Grp. whose activities produce long lines"
Helpful hints for this Down clue:
- This word has 3 letters going top to bottom
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'A'
- This is an abbreviation or acronym
- This is Down clue number 39
Answer: Click to reveal the Down answer
TSA
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 39 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.