Contest

Latest answer — December 26, 2025

10 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, December 26, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Dawdler
  2. 9Cuts short
  3. 15Typical sight in a bank robbery cartoon
  4. 16Kitsch
  5. 17Doing some theater work
  6. 18Cracked wheat used in tabbouleh
  7. 19One whose beauty is on the inside
  8. 20Whole kit and caboodle
  9. 22___-Latin (like some modern coinages)
  10. 23Plant that's toxic to cats
  11. 24Some babysitters
  12. 25A cold one is unexpected (and usually unappreciated)
  13. 26Since Jan. 1, on a pay stub
  14. 27Tuesday, in French
  15. 28Song commonly performed outdoors
  16. 29Food that can be prepared de canasta
  17. 30___ Tuesday (end of the pre-Lenten season)
  18. 31One toeing the line?
  19. 35Individually
  20. 36Editorialize
  21. 37Overly self-assertive
  22. 38Like a good sponge cake
  23. 39Down Under bird that scientists are working to "de-extinct"
  24. 42Singular, with or without its first letter
  25. 43Origin story family in DC Comics
  26. 44Facility
  27. 45Certain care provider, for short
  28. 46Re-fresh?
  29. 47It might be marked with an X
  30. 48Linked (with)
  31. 50Drive
  32. 52Harden and become resistant to change
  33. 53Life partner, perhaps?
  34. 54Old coin with a picture of Generalissimo Franco
  35. 55Treated with respect

Down

  1. 1How a supervillain might brag
  2. 2Flip
  3. 3Waiting for support, maybe
  4. 4Like untended plots
  5. 5Funeral ___
  6. 6Broad band?
  7. 7Royal Australian Air Force insignia
  8. 8Competition that combines speed with balance
  9. 9Professor Dumbledore
  10. 10Contest
  11. 11Bevy : quail :: parliament : ___
  12. 12The world's end, in Norse mythology
  13. 13Mr. or Ms. Right
  14. 14Baby sitter?
  15. 21Half of a classic rum cocktail's name
  16. 24Component of a nautilus shell
  17. 25Eric who wrote and illustrated "Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me"
  18. 27Stick by a fireplace
  19. 28Mantra
  20. 29Nearby things
  21. 30Like the pope's guards
  22. 31Area on which to eat or play cards
  23. 32"You can absolutely count on me"
  24. 33Figure in sci-fi's "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," e.g.
  25. 34Great illustrations
  26. 38Connected
  27. 39Sister of Moses
  28. 40Worth considering
  29. 41Made up
  30. 43Nation dubbed the "cradle of mankind"
  31. 44"Understood?"
  32. 46Big break
  33. 47Stack (up)
  34. 49Casting need
  35. 51Short diner order

The answer to “Contest” in the New York Times crossword is BOUT — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 26, 2025, a Friday puzzle, at 10-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include ARGUE. 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.

“Contest” answer

BOUT (4 letters) — most recent; also seen as ARGUE

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 BOUT.

Why the answer is BOUT

BOUT is the 4-letter solution that fits "Contest" in the NYT Crossword crossword on December 26, 2025 (10-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does BOUT mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of BOUT is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • a short period of intense activity of a specified kind
  • a curve in the side of a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument

Other answers for “Contest”

New York Times has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides BOUT, it has also been ARGUE. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Contest”?

The answer is BOUT, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 26, 2025. Other answers for this clue include ARGUE.

How many letters is the answer to “Contest”?

4 letters: BOUT. Earlier fills for this clue have also been ARGUE (5).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on December 26, 2025 (a Friday puzzle), at 10-Down. Earlier appearances: July 18, 2025 → ARGUE.

Can “Contest” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides BOUT, New York Times has also used ARGUE for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

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

The full grid for December 26, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

New York Times Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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