Formal duds

Latest answer — September 05, 2025

38 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 05, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1One who tries to make a good impression
  2. 8Go with
  3. 14It has its X's and O's
  4. 15Manscapes, perhaps
  5. 16Money wasted on poor decision-making, jocularly
  6. 17Destroyed emotionally
  7. 18Greg ___, author of the 1994 science fiction novel "Permutation City"
  8. 19Ones who might be looking toward careers at museums
  9. 21Elated
  10. 22Goal of a squeeze bunt, for short
  11. 23:(
  12. 25Pro whose work might be shocking
  13. 28Alley ___
  14. 30Sched. placeholder
  15. 31Small semiaquatic mammal with 22 tentacles on its snout
  16. 35Condiment at an Asian fusion restaurant
  17. 36Ground-breaking invention?
  18. 37Big N.Y.S.E. news
  19. 38Formal duds
  20. 39Kyrgyz city on the ancient Silk Road
  21. 40What the "sans" refers to in Comic Sans
  22. 43Bang into
  23. 45Musical lead-in to beat
  24. 49"OK, don't accept my apology then!"
  25. 52Bird that can build tools and remember human faces
  26. 53Not family-friendly, in a way
  27. 54Logical inconsistency in a story
  28. 56Game with a 32-card deck
  29. 57Refreshers that can be served with green wedges
  30. 58Present
  31. 59Gently presses, as a gas pedal

Down

  1. 1Skirt
  2. 2Water brand whose logo shows the Alps
  3. 3Colorful fish with iridescent stripes
  4. 4Need for a demo, maybe
  5. 5Really small amount
  6. 6Belle ___, real-life 19th-century outlaw celebrated in film and TV
  7. 7Paragon
  8. 8"___ bien!" ("All right!," in Spanish)
  9. 9Sliding screen in a Japanese tearoom
  10. 10Bounce
  11. 11Excess of inventory
  12. 12Like canvas grocery bags
  13. 13Cookbook qty.
  14. 14Does some stretching?
  15. 20Constriction of the pupils
  16. 24Daniel ___ Kim of "Hawaii Five-0"
  17. 26Seriously harm
  18. 27"Come on, just once!"
  19. 29Topping dolloped on fresh Italian tomatoes, maybe
  20. 31Misses watching a bullfight?
  21. 32Word with human or second
  22. 33Spot for a speaker
  23. 34Young 31-Down
  24. 35Bold choice, perhaps?
  25. 36Lead-in to integration
  26. 41Not going anywhere
  27. 42Provided with, as anonymous tips
  28. 44Obama family member with credits as a TV writer
  29. 46Noted ring bearer
  30. 47Slugger Scott with eight Gold Gloves
  31. 48Has an unsettled Venmo request, say
  32. 50Cold one
  33. 51Monks' honorifics
  34. 53Jewish honorific
  35. 55Bit of concert merch

The answer to “Formal duds” in the New York Times crossword is TUX — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 5, 2025, a Friday puzzle, at 38-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.

“Formal duds” answer

TUX (3 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 TUX.

Why the answer is TUX

TUX is the 3-letter solution that fits "Formal duds" in the NYT Crossword crossword on September 5, 2025 (38-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does TUX mean?

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

(noun)

  • a tuxedo

When else has “Formal duds” 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.

September 5, 2025 (most recent) → TUX. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Formal duds”?

The answer is TUX, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 5, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Formal duds”?

3 letters: TUX.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 5, 2025 (a Friday puzzle), at 38-Across.

Can “Formal duds” 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 September 5, 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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