"Fighting" Big Ten team

Latest answer — April 25, 2025

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, April 25, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Cold War alliance
  2. 11Quick shots
  3. 15"It's just me here"
  4. 16Sch. that joined the Big Ten in 2024
  5. 17Booked it
  6. 18Certain diagnostic technique
  7. 19Skinny
  8. 20Mind
  9. 21Inits. in eight-bit gaming
  10. 22Ready for use
  11. 24R&B; singer Ella ___
  12. 26Lean sirloin cut
  13. 29Positive thinker's word
  14. 30Lead-in to -verse
  15. 31Certain swimming event
  16. 34Passage in a mystery novel?
  17. 38Like nine U.S. presidents while in office
  18. 39Daytime ___
  19. 40___ Toretto, female protagonist of the "Fast and the Furious" films
  20. 41[Oy!]
  21. 44Number that stands for letters, in brief
  22. 45You may find it hard to swallow
  23. 46Language in which the first five counting numbers are nung, song, sam, si, ha
  24. 48Some makeshift percussion instruments
  25. 49Prepares for a marathon, in a way
  26. 55Wyndham alternative
  27. 56Award-winning actress for "The Bear"
  28. 57Urban irritant
  29. 58Entered with heavy, awkward steps
  30. 59Doth possess
  31. 60Things feared in the 80s and 90s?

Down

  1. 1She "learned" Arabic in December 2015
  2. 2Home to the Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  3. 3They often have sliding doors
  4. 4"Fighting" Big Ten team
  5. 5Skip over
  6. 6Stops briefly to rest
  7. 7Ran through some laundry, say
  8. 8___ saltado (traditional Peruvian dish)
  9. 9Commensurate (with)
  10. 10Formally give
  11. 11"Hang on!"
  12. 12Light touch from a decorator?
  13. 13Like foods recommended for an upset stomach
  14. 14Measurer of passing time
  15. 23Styles of music
  16. 24Primary
  17. 25"... plus all the rest"
  18. 27"Baby ___ You" (Shirelles hit)
  19. 28Actor Dev of "Lion"
  20. 29Jon M. ___, director of 2024's "Wicked"
  21. 30An Olympian might pretend to take a bite out of it
  22. 32Turkey's Cape Baba is its westernmost point
  23. 33___ big
  24. 35[What is it this time?!]
  25. 36Tell-all Reddit sesh
  26. 37Fell apart in spectacular fashion
  27. 42"My child is on the honor roll" and others
  28. 43Not go to bed
  29. 44Foolish sort
  30. 45Common component of a date
  31. 47Certain phone pop-up
  32. 48Swanky
  33. 50Setting for "Gladiator"
  34. 51Leche drinker
  35. 52Work that debuted at the Cairo opera house in 1871
  36. 53Annoying plumbing problem
  37. 54Producers of stains

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Cold War alliance — Answer: SOVIETBLOC
  2. 11. Quick shots — Answer: JABS
  3. 15. "It's just me here" — Answer: IMALLALONE
  4. 16. Sch. that joined the Big Ten in 2024 — Answer: UCLA
  5. 17. Booked it — Answer: RANLIKEMAD
  6. 18. Certain diagnostic technique — Answer: SCAN
  7. 19. Skinny — Answer: INSIDEDOPE
  8. 20. Mind — Answer: TEND
  9. 21. Inits. in eight-bit gaming — Answer: NES
  10. 22. Ready for use — Answer: ATHAND
  11. 24. R&B; singer Ella ___ — Answer: MAI
  12. 26. Lean sirloin cut — Answer: TIPROAST
  13. 29. Positive thinker's word — Answer: CAN
  14. 30. Lead-in to -verse — Answer: META
  15. 31. Certain swimming event — Answer: RELAY
  16. 34. Passage in a mystery novel? — Answer: HIDDENSTAIRCASE
  17. 38. Like nine U.S. presidents while in office — Answer: UNWED
  18. 39. Daytime ___ — Answer: EMMY
  19. 40. ___ Toretto, female protagonist of the "Fast and the Furious" films — Answer: MIA
  20. 41. [Oy!] — Answer: HEADSLAP
  21. 44. Number that stands for letters, in brief — Answer: GPA
  22. 45. You may find it hard to swallow — Answer: CAPLET
  23. 46. Language in which the first five counting numbers are nung, song, sam, si, ha — Answer: LAO
  24. 48. Some makeshift percussion instruments — Answer: POTS
  25. 49. Prepares for a marathon, in a way — Answer: CARBOLOADS
  26. 55. Wyndham alternative — Answer: OMNI
  27. 56. Award-winning actress for "The Bear" — Answer: AYOEDEBIRI
  28. 57. Urban irritant — Answer: SMOG
  29. 58. Entered with heavy, awkward steps — Answer: LUMBEREDIN
  30. 59. Doth possess — Answer: HATH
  31. 60. Things feared in the 80s and 90s? — Answer: SPEEDTRAPS

Down

  1. 1. She "learned" Arabic in December 2015 — Answer: SIRI
  2. 2. Home to the Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Answer: OMAN
  3. 3. They often have sliding doors — Answer: VANS
  4. 4. "Fighting" Big Ten team — Answer: ILLINI
  5. 5. Skip over — Answer: ELIDE
  6. 6. Stops briefly to rest — Answer: TAKESTEN
  7. 7. Ran through some laundry, say — Answer: BLED
  8. 8. ___ saltado (traditional Peruvian dish) — Answer: LOMO
  9. 9. Commensurate (with) — Answer: ONAPAR
  10. 10. Formally give — Answer: CEDETO
  11. 11. "Hang on!" — Answer: JUSTASEC
  12. 12. Light touch from a decorator? — Answer: ACCENTLAMP
  13. 13. Like foods recommended for an upset stomach — Answer: BLAND
  14. 14. Measurer of passing time — Answer: SAND
  15. 23. Styles of music — Answer: HARRY
  16. 24. Primary — Answer: MAIN. Hint: Think of what comes first or is most important! 🥇
  17. 25. "... plus all the rest" — Answer: ANDWHATNOT
  18. 27. "Baby ___ You" (Shirelles hit) — Answer: ITS
  19. 28. Actor Dev of "Lion" — Answer: PATEL
  20. 29. Jon M. ___, director of 2024's "Wicked" — Answer: CHU
  21. 30. An Olympian might pretend to take a bite out of it — Answer: MEDAL
  22. 32. Turkey's Cape Baba is its westernmost point — Answer: ASIA
  23. 33. ___ big — Answer: YEA
  24. 35. [What is it this time?!] — Answer: DEEPSIGH
  25. 36. Tell-all Reddit sesh — Answer: AMA
  26. 37. Fell apart in spectacular fashion — Answer: IMPLODED
  27. 42. "My child is on the honor roll" and others — Answer: DECALS
  28. 43. Not go to bed — Answer: STAYUP
  29. 44. Foolish sort — Answer: GOOBER
  30. 45. Common component of a date — Answer: COMMA
  31. 47. Certain phone pop-up — Answer: ALERT
  32. 48. Swanky — Answer: POSH. Hint: A fancy, upscale way to describe something with serious style. ✨
  33. 50. Setting for "Gladiator" — Answer: ROME
  34. 51. Leche drinker — Answer: BEBE
  35. 52. Work that debuted at the Cairo opera house in 1871 — Answer: AIDA
  36. 53. Annoying plumbing problem — Answer: DRIP
  37. 54. Producers of stains — Answer: SINS

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “"Fighting" Big Ten team” in the New York Times crossword is ILLINI — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 25, 2025, a Friday puzzle, at 4-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.

“"Fighting" Big Ten team” answer

ILLINI (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 ILLINI.

Why the answer is ILLINI

ILLINI is the 6-letter solution that fits ""Fighting" Big Ten team" in the NYT Crossword crossword on April 25, 2025 (4-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “"Fighting" Big Ten team” 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.

April 25, 2025 (most recent) → ILLINI. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on April 25, 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 April 25, 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 Friday 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 “"Fighting" Big Ten team”?

The answer is ILLINI, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 25, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “"Fighting" Big Ten team”?

6 letters: ILLINI.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on April 25, 2025 (a Friday puzzle), at 4-Down.

Can “"Fighting" Big Ten team” 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 April 25, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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