Bear with a message

Latest answer — December 18, 2025

27 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Thursday, December 18, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"We're the best!," e.g.
  2. 6Lengthy pitch
  3. 11Web access co.
  4. 14Mushroom in ramen
  5. 15Trunks
  6. 16Platoon sgt., e.g.
  7. 17Feats performed on knights' quests
  8. 19"Platoon" setting, for short
  9. 20___ tight
  10. 21Dig in
  11. 22Appropriate inappropriately
  12. 24Go off on
  13. 27Bear with a message
  14. 29"Colorful" Atlantic Coast Conference team
  15. 32Helpful
  16. 35Some radar blips
  17. 36Reveal private data of, in modern lingo
  18. 37Mama's mama
  19. 38Jake's love in "The Sun Also Rises"
  20. 40Bit of aerial arts equipment
  21. 41Word with ball or card
  22. 42Lake ___, body formerly known as Lac du Chat
  23. 43Botch
  24. 44Follow-up to an oath
  25. 48Fluid for a lighter
  26. 49Crosses off
  27. 52Get schooled
  28. 53Volleyball team count
  29. 54OK signal
  30. 56Off-line, online
  31. 57Point at the wrong person
  32. 62The time of one's life?
  33. 63He said "Every great film should seem new every time you see it"
  34. 64Smooth transition
  35. 65Visibly embarrassed
  36. 66Alley components
  37. 67Preserved, in a way

Down

  1. 1Some queens
  2. 2Live
  3. 3It comes from the heart
  4. 4Glide down a piste
  5. 5___ soldier
  6. 6Levels
  7. 7One versed in verse
  8. 8Agcy. that takes many forms
  9. 9Title for a J.D.
  10. 10Spirits
  11. 11"That's what she said" and others
  12. 12Beyond impressive, informally
  13. 13Ceremony
  14. 18One of several in a watch
  15. 23Caribbean music genre
  16. 25Rae of "Insecure"
  17. 26NaOH
  18. 27About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr.
  19. 28No longer relevant
  20. 30___ Nation (activist organization since 1990)
  21. 31Fair
  22. 32T.H. White's "The ___ and Future King"
  23. 33Knockoff version of a bejeweled Imperial egg, e.g.
  24. 34In a class by oneself
  25. 38___ Mawr
  26. 39Teeming (with)
  27. 40Greeting from Kermit
  28. 42Name that sounds like a computer guidebook
  29. 43Hosts, for short
  30. 45N.F.L. div.
  31. 46Lives
  32. 47Coming right up
  33. 50Eel, at a sushi bar
  34. 51"Ratatouille" topper
  35. 52Fabrication expert
  36. 53"I guess so"
  37. 55Barred from competing, for short
  38. 58Trail Blazers' grp.
  39. 59"Severance" actress Tullock
  40. 60Microdosing drug
  41. 61"Quit ___ yappin'!"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. "We're the best!," e.g. — Answer: BOAST
  2. 6. Lengthy pitch — Answer: SPIEL
  3. 11. Web access co. — Answer: ISP
  4. 14. Mushroom in ramen — Answer: ENOKI
  5. 15. Trunks — Answer: TORSI
  6. 16. Platoon sgt., e.g. — Answer: NCO
  7. 17. Feats performed on knights' quests — Answer: DARINGRESQQ
  8. 19. "Platoon" setting, for short — Answer: NAM
  9. 20. ___ tight — Answer: SIT
  10. 21. Dig in — Answer: EAT
  11. 22. Appropriate inappropriately — Answer: USURP
  12. 24. Go off on — Answer: RAILAT
  13. 27. Bear with a message — Answer: SMOKEY
  14. 29. "Colorful" Atlantic Coast Conference team — Answer: SYRAQQORANGE
  15. 32. Helpful — Answer: OFUSE
  16. 35. Some radar blips — Answer: UFOS
  17. 36. Reveal private data of, in modern lingo — Answer: DOX
  18. 37. Mama's mama — Answer: NANA
  19. 38. Jake's love in "The Sun Also Rises" — Answer: BRETT
  20. 40. Bit of aerial arts equipment — Answer: HOOP
  21. 41. Word with ball or card — Answer: CUE
  22. 42. Lake ___, body formerly known as Lac du Chat — Answer: ERIE
  23. 43. Botch — Answer: MISDO
  24. 44. Follow-up to an oath — Answer: EXQQMYFRENCH
  25. 48. Fluid for a lighter — Answer: BUTANE
  26. 49. Crosses off — Answer: XESOUT
  27. 52. Get schooled — Answer: LEARN
  28. 53. Volleyball team count — Answer: SIX
  29. 54. OK signal — Answer: NOD
  30. 56. Off-line, online — Answer: IRL
  31. 57. Point at the wrong person — Answer: UNJUSTLYAQQ
  32. 62. The time of one's life? — Answer: AGE
  33. 63. He said "Every great film should seem new every time you see it" — Answer: EBERT
  34. 64. Smooth transition — Answer: SEGUE
  35. 65. Visibly embarrassed — Answer: RED
  36. 66. Alley components — Answer: LANES
  37. 67. Preserved, in a way — Answer: DRIED

Down

  1. 1. Some queens — Answer: BEDS
  2. 2. Live — Answer: ONAIR. Hint: This describes a broadcast happening right now. 📡
  3. 3. It comes from the heart — Answer: AORTA. Hint: This large artery delivers blood throughout the body, a vital pathway! ❤️
  4. 4. Glide down a piste — Answer: SKI
  5. 5. ___ soldier — Answer: TIN
  6. 6. Levels — Answer: STRATA
  7. 7. One versed in verse — Answer: POET
  8. 8. Agcy. that takes many forms — Answer: IRS
  9. 9. Title for a J.D. — Answer: ESQ
  10. 10. Spirits — Answer: LIQUORS
  11. 11. "That's what she said" and others — Answer: INNUENDOS
  12. 12. Beyond impressive, informally — Answer: SCARYGOOD
  13. 13. Ceremony — Answer: POMP
  14. 18. One of several in a watch — Answer: GEAR
  15. 23. Caribbean music genre — Answer: SKA
  16. 25. Rae of "Insecure" — Answer: ISSA
  17. 26. NaOH — Answer: LYE
  18. 27. About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr. — Answer: SQFT
  19. 28. No longer relevant — Answer: MOOT. Hint: Describes an issue that no longer has practical importance. 🤷
  20. 30. ___ Nation (activist organization since 1990) — Answer: QUEER
  21. 31. Fair — Answer: EXPO
  22. 32. T.H. White's "The ___ and Future King" — Answer: ONCE
  23. 33. Knockoff version of a bejeweled Imperial egg, e.g. — Answer: FAUXBERGE
  24. 34. In a class by oneself — Answer: UNEQUALED
  25. 38. ___ Mawr — Answer: BRYN
  26. 39. Teeming (with) — Answer: RIFE
  27. 40. Greeting from Kermit — Answer: HIHO
  28. 42. Name that sounds like a computer guidebook — Answer: EMANUEL
  29. 43. Hosts, for short — Answer: MCS
  30. 45. N.F.L. div. — Answer: QTR
  31. 46. Lives — Answer: EXISTS
  32. 47. Coming right up — Answer: NEXT
  33. 50. Eel, at a sushi bar — Answer: UNAGI
  34. 51. "Ratatouille" topper — Answer: TOQUE
  35. 52. Fabrication expert — Answer: LIAR
  36. 53. "I guess so" — Answer: SURE
  37. 55. Barred from competing, for short — Answer: DQED
  38. 58. Trail Blazers' grp. — Answer: NBA
  39. 59. "Severance" actress Tullock — Answer: JEN
  40. 60. Microdosing drug — Answer: LSD
  41. 61. "Quit ___ yappin'!" — Answer: YER

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Bear with a message” in the New York Times crossword is SMOKEY — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 18, 2025, a Thursday puzzle, at 27-Across. 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.

“Bear with a message” answer

SMOKEY (6 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 SMOKEY.

Why the answer is SMOKEY

SMOKEY is the 6-letter solution that fits "Bear with a message" in the NYT Crossword crossword on December 18, 2025 (27-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Bear with a message” 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.

December 18, 2025 (most recent) → SMOKEY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on December 18, 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 December 18, 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 Thursday 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 “Bear with a message”?

The answer is SMOKEY, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 18, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Bear with a message”?

6 letters: SMOKEY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on December 18, 2025 (a Thursday puzzle), at 27-Across.

Can “Bear with a message” 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 December 18, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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