A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls

Latest answer — August 12, 2025

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 12, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Take to the slopes
  2. 4Abolitionist Tubman
  3. 11Shade of gray or blond
  4. 14"That's rough!"
  5. 15Quantities
  6. 16Dubai's country, for short
  7. 17Pales in comparison
  8. 20Greeting in Oahu
  9. 21French article
  10. 22Countrified
  11. 23After the buzzer
  12. 24Typical People cover subject, informally
  13. 26Pharmacy bottlefuls, informally
  14. 27Edible Christmas ornament
  15. 30Planet with the most moons (274)
  16. 33Not out of the ordinary
  17. 37Container for oranges
  18. 38Certain significant others, informally
  19. 412016 Disney movie
  20. 42King, in Latin
  21. 43Visual features of a 27-Across
  22. 46U.S. soldiers
  23. 47Blown away
  24. 49___ cart (type of food stand)
  25. 50University in western Pennsylvania, familiarly
  26. 51Chicana, for example
  27. 54Bad news for vegetation
  28. 551990s-'00s sitcom starring Brandy
  29. 56Rapper ___ Wayne
  30. 57Conscience-stricken
  31. 61He/___
  32. 62Time to look ahead
  33. 63Birds phonetically suggested by a feature of 17-, 27- and 51-Across
  34. 64Fútbol cheer
  35. 65___ Moines
  36. 66Prepared to pray
  37. 67Partner of "ty"

Down

  1. 1L.A.'s region
  2. 2Eucalyptus eater
  3. 3"Otherwise ..."
  4. 4"Serves you right!"
  5. 5"Te ___" ("I love you," in Spanish)
  6. 6Like some R's and oats
  7. 7"As I was saying before I was so ___ interrupted ..."
  8. 8Shortly
  9. 9And the like, for short
  10. 10Russian ruler of old
  11. 11Lorde who wrote "Sister Outsider"
  12. 12Partner of soup
  13. 13What the Beyoncé title "6 Inch" refers to
  14. 18Online publication of Vox Media
  15. 19Tres o cuatro
  16. 24"Have I Got News for You" channel
  17. 25Prohibit
  18. 28Greek war god
  19. 29Chances at awards, informally
  20. 30Like this: ESMCLDRBA
  21. 31"Has our broadcast started?"
  22. 32People living abroad for financial reasons
  23. 34Business selling trick coins and marked decks
  24. 35Law professor played by Kerry Washington in 2016's "Confirmation"
  25. 36Things alphabetized in telephone books
  26. 38Raisin ___
  27. 39Sneaker brand
  28. 40A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls
  29. 44"No worries"
  30. 45He or I, but not she
  31. 48Like, informally
  32. 50Dessert with a shell
  33. 52Casual conversation
  34. 53Cones' counterparts in the eye
  35. 58Follower of Attila
  36. 59Great serve
  37. 60Opposite of bien

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Take to the slopes — Answer: SKI
  2. 4. Abolitionist Tubman — Answer: HARRIET
  3. 11. Shade of gray or blond — Answer: ASH
  4. 14. "That's rough!" — Answer: OOF
  5. 15. Quantities — Answer: AMOUNTS
  6. 16. Dubai's country, for short — Answer: UAE
  7. 17. Pales in comparison — Answer: CANTHOLDACANDLE
  8. 20. Greeting in Oahu — Answer: ALOHA
  9. 21. French article — Answer: LES. Hint: This French definite article means “the” when referring to more than one thing. 🇫🇷
  10. 22. Countrified — Answer: RURAL
  11. 23. After the buzzer — Answer: LATE
  12. 24. Typical People cover subject, informally — Answer: CELEB
  13. 26. Pharmacy bottlefuls, informally — Answer: MEDS
  14. 27. Edible Christmas ornament — Answer: CANDYCANE
  15. 30. Planet with the most moons (274) — Answer: SATURN
  16. 33. Not out of the ordinary — Answer: NORMAL
  17. 37. Container for oranges — Answer: CRATE
  18. 38. Certain significant others, informally — Answer: BFS
  19. 41. 2016 Disney movie — Answer: MOANA
  20. 42. King, in Latin — Answer: REX. Hint: Think of the ancient Roman word for a monarch. 👑
  21. 43. Visual features of a 27-Across — Answer: STRIPES
  22. 46. U.S. soldiers — Answer: GIS
  23. 47. Blown away — Answer: AWED. Hint: Left speechless by something impressive 😮
  24. 49. ___ cart (type of food stand) — Answer: HALAL
  25. 50. University in western Pennsylvania, familiarly — Answer: PITT
  26. 51. Chicana, for example — Answer: MEXICANAMERICAN
  27. 54. Bad news for vegetation — Answer: BLIGHT
  28. 55. 1990s-'00s sitcom starring Brandy — Answer: MOESHA
  29. 56. Rapper ___ Wayne — Answer: LIL
  30. 57. Conscience-stricken — Answer: ASHAMED
  31. 61. He/___ — Answer: HIM
  32. 62. Time to look ahead — Answer: EVE
  33. 63. Birds phonetically suggested by a feature of 17-, 27- and 51-Across — Answer: TOUCANS
  34. 64. Fútbol cheer — Answer: OLE. Hint: A spirited Spanish-language shout from the stands celebrates a great play. ⚽
  35. 65. ___ Moines — Answer: DES
  36. 66. Prepared to pray — Answer: KNELT
  37. 67. Partner of "ty" — Answer: PLS

Down

  1. 1. L.A.'s region — Answer: SOCAL. Hint: This sunny area is known for its laid-back vibe and palm trees! 🌴
  2. 2. Eucalyptus eater — Answer: KOALA. Hint: Think of the sleepy Australian marsupial famous for lounging in trees and munching gum leaves. 🐨
  3. 3. "Otherwise ..." — Answer: IFNOT. Hint: This phrase introduces an alternative when the previous condition doesn’t hold. 🔄
  4. 4. "Serves you right!" — Answer: HAHA
  5. 5. "Te ___" ("I love you," in Spanish) — Answer: AMO
  6. 6. Like some R's and oats — Answer: ROLLED
  7. 7. "As I was saying before I was so ___ interrupted ..." — Answer: RUDELY
  8. 8. Shortly — Answer: INASEC
  9. 9. And the like, for short — Answer: ETC
  10. 10. Russian ruler of old — Answer: TSAR
  11. 11. Lorde who wrote "Sister Outsider" — Answer: AUDRE
  12. 12. Partner of soup — Answer: SALAD
  13. 13. What the Beyoncé title "6 Inch" refers to — Answer: HEELS
  14. 18. Online publication of Vox Media — Answer: THECUT
  15. 19. Tres o cuatro — Answer: NUMERO
  16. 24. "Have I Got News for You" channel — Answer: CNN
  17. 25. Prohibit — Answer: BAN. Hint: Put an official stop to something 🚫
  18. 28. Greek war god — Answer: ARES. Hint: This deity is often depicted with a helmet and spear, embodying the spirit of battle. ⚔️
  19. 29. Chances at awards, informally — Answer: NOMS
  20. 30. Like this: ESMCLDRBA — Answer: SCRAMBLED
  21. 31. "Has our broadcast started?" — Answer: AREWELIVE
  22. 32. People living abroad for financial reasons — Answer: TAXEXILES
  23. 34. Business selling trick coins and marked decks — Answer: MAGICSHOP
  24. 35. Law professor played by Kerry Washington in 2016's "Confirmation" — Answer: ANITAHILL
  25. 36. Things alphabetized in telephone books — Answer: LASTNAMES
  26. 38. Raisin ___ — Answer: BRAN
  27. 39. Sneaker brand — Answer: FILA
  28. 40. A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls — Answer: SPAM
  29. 44. "No worries" — Answer: THATSOK
  30. 45. He or I, but not she — Answer: ELEMENT
  31. 48. Like, informally — Answer: DIG
  32. 50. Dessert with a shell — Answer: PIE
  33. 52. Casual conversation — Answer: CHAT
  34. 53. Cones' counterparts in the eye — Answer: RODS
  35. 58. Follower of Attila — Answer: HUN
  36. 59. Great serve — Answer: ACE
  37. 60. Opposite of bien — Answer: MAL

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls” in the New York Times crossword is SPAM — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 12, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 40-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls” answer

SPAM (4 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is SPAM.

Why the answer is SPAM

SPAM is the 4-letter solution that fits "A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls" in the NYT Crossword crossword on August 12, 2025 (40-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls” appeared?

New York Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 12, 2025 (most recent) → SPAM. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on August 12, 2025

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full New York Times answer list for August 12, 2025 is on that day's grid page, and today's live NYT Crossword answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the NYT Crossword

The New York Times crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the most famous daily puzzle in the United States. It runs a 15×15 grid Monday through Saturday and a larger 21×21 grid on Sunday, and its difficulty deliberately ramps through the week: Monday is the most approachable, Saturday the toughest, with Thursday often reserved for a trick or twist like rebus squares. This page covers a Tuesday puzzle. A straight-definition entry is the kind of solid mid-grid answer that anchors the trickier crossings around it. Because the NYT reuses short, crossing-friendly words regularly, seeing them once makes them easier to spot next time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls”?

The answer is SPAM, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 12, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls”?

4 letters: SPAM.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 12, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 40-Down.

Can “A dispiritingly large percentage of phone calls” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for August 12, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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