Bit of writing from Joan Didion

Latest answer — October 14, 2025

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, October 14, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Awards for athletic achievements
  2. 6Drove like mad
  3. 10Outer arm muscles, for short
  4. 14Talent seeker
  5. 15Follow instructions
  6. 16Help for a stumped solver
  7. 17"In what season are the Olympics during leap years, sweetie?" "___"
  8. 19Home of the Taj Mahal
  9. 20President Lincoln, informally
  10. 21Carnival attractions
  11. 22Multiple-choice option akin to "None of the above"
  12. 23Heavily edit with beauty filters, as a photo, in modern lingo
  13. 25Fares and fees
  14. 26"Which 'Little Rascals' character has a cowlick, sugar?" "___"
  15. 30Head-turning spectacle
  16. 33Puts out in public
  17. 34Pitcher's stat, for short
  18. 35These are visible when you sport an updo
  19. 36"Got it"
  20. 38Say if you're attending, in brief
  21. 39Bird that can outrun the fastest human sprinters
  22. 40Stories passed down by word of mouth
  23. 41Makes more manageable
  24. 42"What are oils and watercolors examples of, dear?" "___"
  25. 46Watermelon leftovers
  26. 47"In all probability ..."
  27. 51Skewered dish served with peanut sauce
  28. 52Symbol of poison, often
  29. 54What happy tails do
  30. 55Without warranty
  31. 56"What do you call a close-fitting hat, doll?" "___"
  32. 58Mule or moccasin
  33. 59Cobra's tooth
  34. 60Order from the doc's office
  35. 61Keep up to date across multiple devices
  36. 62Run away
  37. 63Something a bloodhound picks up

Down

  1. 1Bit of writing from Joan Didion
  2. 2___ diver
  3. 3Apples, pears and quinces, botanically
  4. 4"Dee-lish!"
  5. 5Bacteria-free
  6. 6"Should've listened to me!"
  7. 7Instrument similar to a heckelphone
  8. 8Makes go "Vroom!"
  9. 9Appreciation for design
  10. 10"Oh, really?"
  11. 11Moral justification
  12. 12Waiting to be used
  13. 13One of seven in the Big Dipper
  14. 18Jazz lick
  15. 22___ and aahs
  16. 24Comic ___ (font)
  17. 25Indicator of a penalty, in soccer
  18. 27Casual farewell
  19. 28"A pox on thee!"
  20. 29Keeps talking and talking and talking
  21. 30Come off as
  22. 31Avoiding the limelight, say
  23. 32Quality of a scholar
  24. 36Award nominations, so to speak
  25. 37Pop singer Rita
  26. 38Poverty, symbolically
  27. 40Noble title on TV's "Bridgerton"
  28. 41Having no boundaries
  29. 43"I'll be right there"
  30. 44Room to relax in
  31. 45Savory South Asian rice cake
  32. 48Cognizant
  33. 49Yitzhak ___, two-time Israeli P.M.
  34. 50Country whose national soccer team is nicknamed the Pharaohs
  35. 51Back talk
  36. 52Circus clapper
  37. 53"Citizen ___"
  38. 56Someone you're super-tight with, in brief
  39. 57Secretly loop in, in a way

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Awards for athletic achievements — Answer: ESPYS
  2. 6. Drove like mad — Answer: TORE
  3. 10. Outer arm muscles, for short — Answer: TRIS
  4. 14. Talent seeker — Answer: SCOUT
  5. 15. Follow instructions — Answer: OBEY
  6. 16. Help for a stumped solver — Answer: HINT
  7. 17. "In what season are the Olympics during leap years, sweetie?" "___" — Answer: SUMMERLOVE
  8. 19. Home of the Taj Mahal — Answer: AGRA
  9. 20. President Lincoln, informally — Answer: ABE. Hint: Think of the familiar nickname often paired with “Honest” for the Great Emancipator. 🎩
  10. 21. Carnival attractions — Answer: RIDES
  11. 22. Multiple-choice option akin to "None of the above" — Answer: OTHER
  12. 23. Heavily edit with beauty filters, as a photo, in modern lingo — Answer: YASSIFY
  13. 25. Fares and fees — Answer: COSTS
  14. 26. "Which 'Little Rascals' character has a cowlick, sugar?" "___" — Answer: ALFALFAHONEY
  15. 30. Head-turning spectacle — Answer: SCENE
  16. 33. Puts out in public — Answer: AIRS
  17. 34. Pitcher's stat, for short — Answer: ERA
  18. 35. These are visible when you sport an updo — Answer: EARS
  19. 36. "Got it" — Answer: NOTED
  20. 38. Say if you're attending, in brief — Answer: RSVP
  21. 39. Bird that can outrun the fastest human sprinters — Answer: EMU
  22. 40. Stories passed down by word of mouth — Answer: LORE
  23. 41. Makes more manageable — Answer: EASES
  24. 42. "What are oils and watercolors examples of, dear?" "___" — Answer: MEDIADARLING
  25. 46. Watermelon leftovers — Answer: RINDS
  26. 47. "In all probability ..." — Answer: ODDSARE
  27. 51. Skewered dish served with peanut sauce — Answer: SATAY
  28. 52. Symbol of poison, often — Answer: SKULL
  29. 54. What happy tails do — Answer: WAG
  30. 55. Without warranty — Answer: ASIS
  31. 56. "What do you call a close-fitting hat, doll?" "___" — Answer: BEANIEBABY
  32. 58. Mule or moccasin — Answer: SHOE
  33. 59. Cobra's tooth — Answer: FANG
  34. 60. Order from the doc's office — Answer: SCRIP
  35. 61. Keep up to date across multiple devices — Answer: SYNC
  36. 62. Run away — Answer: FLEE. Hint: Make a quick escape from danger or trouble. 🏃
  37. 63. Something a bloodhound picks up — Answer: SCENT

Down

  1. 1. Bit of writing from Joan Didion — Answer: ESSAY
  2. 2. ___ diver — Answer: SCUBA
  3. 3. Apples, pears and quinces, botanically — Answer: POMES
  4. 4. "Dee-lish!" — Answer: YUM. Hint: When something tastes great, it might evoke this quick expression of delight! 😋
  5. 5. Bacteria-free — Answer: STERILE
  6. 6. "Should've listened to me!" — Answer: TOLDYA
  7. 7. Instrument similar to a heckelphone — Answer: OBOE
  8. 8. Makes go "Vroom!" — Answer: REVS
  9. 9. Appreciation for design — Answer: EYE
  10. 10. "Oh, really?" — Answer: THATSO
  11. 11. Moral justification — Answer: RIGHTNESS
  12. 12. Waiting to be used — Answer: INRESERVE
  13. 13. One of seven in the Big Dipper — Answer: STAR
  14. 18. Jazz lick — Answer: RIFF
  15. 22. ___ and aahs — Answer: OOHS
  16. 24. Comic ___ (font) — Answer: SANS
  17. 25. Indicator of a penalty, in soccer — Answer: CARD
  18. 27. Casual farewell — Answer: LATER
  19. 28. "A pox on thee!" — Answer: FIE
  20. 29. Keeps talking and talking and talking — Answer: YAPS
  21. 30. Come off as — Answer: SEEM. Hint: Give the impression of being a certain way to others. 👀
  22. 31. Avoiding the limelight, say — Answer: CAMERASHY
  23. 32. Quality of a scholar — Answer: ERUDITION
  24. 36. Award nominations, so to speak — Answer: NODS
  25. 37. Pop singer Rita — Answer: ORA. Hint: This singer's name sounds like the first part of a common phrase for a time of day! 🌅
  26. 38. Poverty, symbolically — Answer: RAGS
  27. 40. Noble title on TV's "Bridgerton" — Answer: LADY
  28. 41. Having no boundaries — Answer: ENDLESS
  29. 43. "I'll be right there" — Answer: INASEC
  30. 44. Room to relax in — Answer: LOUNGE
  31. 45. Savory South Asian rice cake — Answer: IDLI
  32. 48. Cognizant — Answer: AWARE
  33. 49. Yitzhak ___, two-time Israeli P.M. — Answer: RABIN
  34. 50. Country whose national soccer team is nicknamed the Pharaohs — Answer: EGYPT
  35. 51. Back talk — Answer: SASS. Hint: Sometimes a little attitude can spice up a conversation! 😏
  36. 52. Circus clapper — Answer: SEAL
  37. 53. "Citizen ___" — Answer: KANE
  38. 56. Someone you're super-tight with, in brief — Answer: BFF
  39. 57. Secretly loop in, in a way — Answer: BCC

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Bit of writing from Joan Didion” in the New York Times crossword is ESSAY — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 14, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 1-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.

“Bit of writing from Joan Didion” answer

ESSAY (5 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 ESSAY.

Why the answer is ESSAY

ESSAY is the 5-letter solution that fits "Bit of writing from Joan Didion" in the NYT Crossword crossword on October 14, 2025 (1-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Bit of writing from Joan Didion” 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.

October 14, 2025 (most recent) → ESSAY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on October 14, 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 October 14, 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 “Bit of writing from Joan Didion”?

The answer is ESSAY, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 14, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Bit of writing from Joan Didion”?

5 letters: ESSAY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 14, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 1-Down.

Can “Bit of writing from Joan Didion” 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 October 14, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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