"Get Smart" bad guys

Latest answer — December 17, 2025

40 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, December 17, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Lock combinations?
  2. 6___ League
  3. 10Single instruction
  4. 14Enemy W.W. II vessel
  5. 15Turner of old movies
  6. 16Powerful impulse
  7. 17Group of grumps sitting around kvetching?
  8. 19Elmer's nemesis
  9. 20Meeting, casually
  10. 21A smartphone has lots of these
  11. 22Centerpiece of "The Hobbit"
  12. 23Community property pronoun
  13. 25Like barked orders
  14. 26Ali vs. Frazier, e.g.?
  15. 34Genre for GloRilla
  16. 35Official mandate
  17. 36Fellow fighter
  18. 37Brand once known as "Standard Oil Company of Indiana"
  19. 39Mardi Gras day, in brief
  20. 40Works on a muffler, say
  21. 41Welcome figure on Wall Street, unwelcome figure in a china shop
  22. 42See 50-Down
  23. 44To and ___
  24. 45Welcome sight on a whale-watching cruise?
  25. 48Poindexter
  26. 49TV freebie of a sort
  27. 50Easter Island's country
  28. 52Dark-skinned fruit
  29. 55Pieces of advice
  30. 59Primordial substance
  31. 60Painstakingly explain something ... or a hint to 17-, 26- and 45-Across
  32. 62Takes a tour of
  33. 63Compassionate
  34. 64Terra ___
  35. 65Does the math, in a way
  36. 66Pot grower?
  37. 67H, on the N.Y.S.E.

Down

  1. 1Tarot suit associated with the element of water
  2. 2Yamaha product
  3. 3What makes a stud become studious?
  4. 4Fully get
  5. 5Hog's home
  6. 6"That's a real shame"
  7. 7Steakhouse order
  8. 8Marchers in sidewalk cracks
  9. 9Howl at the moon
  10. 10Chevy S.U.V.
  11. 11Authentic
  12. 12Ones from platypuses have leathery shells
  13. 13Fly by night ... or by day
  14. 18Compact holder
  15. 22Neighbor of Ont.
  16. 24Red carpet hairstyle, perhaps
  17. 25Jost's longtime "Weekend Update" co-anchor
  18. 26Food you might eat wearing a bib
  19. 27Overplay for the audience
  20. 28Was the bigger person, say
  21. 29Follow, as advice
  22. 30Have faith in
  23. 31Canines, e.g.
  24. 32Mega-
  25. 33Big name in chicken or boxing
  26. 381990s comedy inspired by "Emma"
  27. 40"Get Smart" bad guys
  28. 42Suffix with beat or neat
  29. 43Throw off
  30. 46Stick in the ground?
  31. 47Just about anything on a string
  32. 50With 42-Across, the Mafia
  33. 51Cultivated, in a way
  34. 52Start a turn in Twister
  35. 53Time to do without
  36. 54Gary's ___ Towne Tavern (rival bar on "Cheers")
  37. 56Minuscule amount
  38. 57Short stroke
  39. 58Batting avg., e.g.
  40. 60Rocksteady relative
  41. 61"___ bin ein Berliner"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Lock combinations? — Answer: COIFS
  2. 6. ___ League — Answer: ARAB
  3. 10. Single instruction — Answer: STEP
  4. 14. Enemy W.W. II vessel — Answer: UBOAT
  5. 15. Turner of old movies — Answer: LANA
  6. 16. Powerful impulse — Answer: URGE
  7. 17. Group of grumps sitting around kvetching? — Answer: POUTYPARTY
  8. 19. Elmer's nemesis — Answer: BUGS
  9. 20. Meeting, casually — Answer: SESH
  10. 21. A smartphone has lots of these — Answer: USES
  11. 22. Centerpiece of "The Hobbit" — Answer: QUEST
  12. 23. Community property pronoun — Answer: OUR
  13. 25. Like barked orders — Answer: CURT
  14. 26. Ali vs. Frazier, e.g.? — Answer: CHAMPSATTHEBOUT
  15. 34. Genre for GloRilla — Answer: RAP. Hint: Think of a rhythmic style often associated with hip-hop artists! 🎤
  16. 35. Official mandate — Answer: DECREE
  17. 36. Fellow fighter — Answer: ALLY
  18. 37. Brand once known as "Standard Oil Company of Indiana" — Answer: AMOCO
  19. 39. Mardi Gras day, in brief — Answer: TUE
  20. 40. Works on a muffler, say — Answer: KNITS
  21. 41. Welcome figure on Wall Street, unwelcome figure in a china shop — Answer: BULL
  22. 42. See 50-Down — Answer: NOSTRA
  23. 44. To and ___ — Answer: FRO
  24. 45. Welcome sight on a whale-watching cruise? — Answer: SPOUTINTHEOCEAN
  25. 48. Poindexter — Answer: GEEK
  26. 49. TV freebie of a sort — Answer: PSA
  27. 50. Easter Island's country — Answer: CHILE
  28. 52. Dark-skinned fruit — Answer: SLOE
  29. 55. Pieces of advice — Answer: TIPS
  30. 59. Primordial substance — Answer: OOZE
  31. 60. Painstakingly explain something ... or a hint to 17-, 26- and 45-Across — Answer: SPELLITOUT
  32. 62. Takes a tour of — Answer: SEES
  33. 63. Compassionate — Answer: KIND
  34. 64. Terra ___ — Answer: COTTA
  35. 65. Does the math, in a way — Answer: ADDS
  36. 66. Pot grower? — Answer: ANTE
  37. 67. H, on the N.Y.S.E. — Answer: HYATT

Down

  1. 1. Tarot suit associated with the element of water — Answer: CUPS
  2. 2. Yamaha product — Answer: OBOE
  3. 3. What makes a stud become studious? — Answer: IOUS
  4. 4. Fully get — Answer: FATHOM
  5. 5. Hog's home — Answer: STY
  6. 6. "That's a real shame" — Answer: ALAS
  7. 7. Steakhouse order — Answer: RARE
  8. 8. Marchers in sidewalk cracks — Answer: ANTS
  9. 9. Howl at the moon — Answer: BAY
  10. 10. Chevy S.U.V. — Answer: SUBURBAN
  11. 11. Authentic — Answer: TRUETOLIFE
  12. 12. Ones from platypuses have leathery shells — Answer: EGGS
  13. 13. Fly by night ... or by day — Answer: PEST
  14. 18. Compact holder — Answer: PURSE
  15. 22. Neighbor of Ont. — Answer: QUE
  16. 24. Red carpet hairstyle, perhaps — Answer: UPDO
  17. 25. Jost's longtime "Weekend Update" co-anchor — Answer: CHE
  18. 26. Food you might eat wearing a bib — Answer: CRABS
  19. 27. Overplay for the audience — Answer: HAMUP
  20. 28. Was the bigger person, say — Answer: APOLOGIZED
  21. 29. Follow, as advice — Answer: ACTON
  22. 30. Have faith in — Answer: TRUST
  23. 31. Canines, e.g. — Answer: TEETH
  24. 32. Mega- — Answer: ULTRA
  25. 33. Big name in chicken or boxing — Answer: TYSON
  26. 38. 1990s comedy inspired by "Emma" — Answer: CLUELESS
  27. 40. "Get Smart" bad guys — Answer: KAOS
  28. 42. Suffix with beat or neat — Answer: NIK
  29. 43. Throw off — Answer: REPEL
  30. 46. Stick in the ground? — Answer: TEE
  31. 47. Just about anything on a string — Answer: CATTOY
  32. 50. With 42-Across, the Mafia — Answer: COSA
  33. 51. Cultivated, in a way — Answer: HOED
  34. 52. Start a turn in Twister — Answer: SPIN
  35. 53. Time to do without — Answer: LENT
  36. 54. Gary's ___ Towne Tavern (rival bar on "Cheers") — Answer: OLDE
  37. 56. Minuscule amount — Answer: IOTA
  38. 57. Short stroke — Answer: PUTT
  39. 58. Batting avg., e.g. — Answer: STAT
  40. 60. Rocksteady relative — Answer: SKA
  41. 61. "___ bin ein Berliner" — Answer: ICH

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “"Get Smart" bad guys” in the New York Times crossword is KAOS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 17, 2025, a Wednesday puzzle, at 40-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.

“"Get Smart" bad guys” answer

KAOS (4 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 KAOS.

Why the answer is KAOS

KAOS is the 4-letter solution that fits ""Get Smart" bad guys" in the NYT Crossword crossword on December 17, 2025 (40-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “"Get Smart" bad guys” 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 17, 2025 (most recent) → KAOS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on December 17, 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 17, 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 Wednesday 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 “"Get Smart" bad guys”?

The answer is KAOS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 17, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “"Get Smart" bad guys”?

4 letters: KAOS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on December 17, 2025 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 40-Down.

Can “"Get Smart" bad guys” 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 17, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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