Grasp a central idea

Latest answer — March 11, 2025

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, March 11, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1U.S.'s oldest continuous women's professional sports org.
  2. 5Sample sake, say
  3. 8___ salmon
  4. 14They're mined, all mined!
  5. 15Kissing on a park bench, e.g., for short
  6. 16"Fingers crossed!"
  7. 17Gives a thumbs-up
  8. 19Take to the sky
  9. 20Vex
  10. 21Pollen producer
  11. 23Texter's "I can't believe this"
  12. 24Made a scene?
  13. 26"I cannot ___ anybody anything; I can only make them think": Socrates
  14. 30"Hijack" actor Idris
  15. 32"Nope!"
  16. 34Middling mark
  17. 35Recruit successfully, as a reluctant participant
  18. 37Signs of spring
  19. 39At the moment
  20. 41Finger foods served on a toothpick, maybe
  21. 42"Taste the rainbow" candy
  22. 44Perplex
  23. 45Sunbather's goal
  24. 46First-person shooter video game franchise
  25. 4799% fat-free, say
  26. 48Jazz legend Shaw
  27. 50Gave it a go
  28. 52Surveillance device, informally
  29. 55Followed the leader
  30. 57Plenty o'
  31. 59Road sign with a unidirectional arrow
  32. 62Compliment on the green
  33. 64The Blenheim in England, for one
  34. 65"___ soon?"
  35. 66Spooky-sounding lake
  36. 67Reeks
  37. 68"Wowza!"
  38. 69Bears' lairs

Down

  1. 1Is nuts for
  2. 2Type of event run by the 1-Across
  3. 3Grasp a central idea
  4. 4Sailing, say
  5. 5Ian Fleming figure
  6. 6"I.e.," spelled out
  7. 7Frenchman who developed an anthrax vaccine
  8. 8Decorative pillowcase
  9. 9Make noticeable progress
  10. 10Offer a thought
  11. 11Hawaii's Mauna ___
  12. 12Fig. at a body shop
  13. 13A deer, a female deer
  14. 18Betray
  15. 22Like some temporary committees
  16. 25Common cooking oil
  17. 27Traditional Chinese medicine component ... in which a practitioner might 3-, 9- and 18-Down?
  18. 28Relinquishes
  19. 29Hermann who wrote "Siddhartha"
  20. 31One side of the political aisle, with "the"
  21. 33Functional
  22. 35Believer in Jah, familiarly
  23. 36Herr Schindler in "Schindler's List"
  24. 38"Roll Tide!" school, in brief
  25. 40Eudora ___, Pulitzer-winning author for "The Optimist's Daughter"
  26. 43Kia S.U.V.
  27. 49Sioux City native
  28. 51"A pain in the neck," e.g.
  29. 53Actor Sean of "Stranger Things"
  30. 54Aussie buds
  31. 56So-called "windows to the soul"
  32. 58Take in the paper?
  33. 59Photo ___
  34. 60Revolutionary Turner
  35. 61Horror director Roth
  36. 63Gear tooth

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. U.S.'s oldest continuous women's professional sports org. — Answer: LPGA
  2. 5. Sample sake, say — Answer: SIP
  3. 8. ___ salmon — Answer: SMOKED
  4. 14. They're mined, all mined! — Answer: ORES
  5. 15. Kissing on a park bench, e.g., for short — Answer: PDA
  6. 16. "Fingers crossed!" — Answer: HOPESO
  7. 17. Gives a thumbs-up — Answer: VOTESYES
  8. 19. Take to the sky — Answer: AVIATE
  9. 20. Vex — Answer: EATAT
  10. 21. Pollen producer — Answer: STAMEN
  11. 23. Texter's "I can't believe this" — Answer: SMH
  12. 24. Made a scene? — Answer: ACTED
  13. 26. "I cannot ___ anybody anything; I can only make them think": Socrates — Answer: TEACH
  14. 30. "Hijack" actor Idris — Answer: ELBA
  15. 32. "Nope!" — Answer: UHUH
  16. 34. Middling mark — Answer: CEE
  17. 35. Recruit successfully, as a reluctant participant — Answer: ROPEIN
  18. 37. Signs of spring — Answer: ROSEBUDS
  19. 39. At the moment — Answer: ASOFNOW
  20. 41. Finger foods served on a toothpick, maybe — Answer: CANAPES
  21. 42. "Taste the rainbow" candy — Answer: SKITTLES
  22. 44. Perplex — Answer: BEMUSE
  23. 45. Sunbather's goal — Answer: TAN
  24. 46. First-person shooter video game franchise — Answer: HALO
  25. 47. 99% fat-free, say — Answer: LEAN
  26. 48. Jazz legend Shaw — Answer: ARTIE
  27. 50. Gave it a go — Answer: TRIED
  28. 52. Surveillance device, informally — Answer: CAM
  29. 55. Followed the leader — Answer: OBEYED
  30. 57. Plenty o' — Answer: LOTSA
  31. 59. Road sign with a unidirectional arrow — Answer: ONEWAY
  32. 62. Compliment on the green — Answer: NICEPUTT
  33. 64. The Blenheim in England, for one — Answer: PALACE
  34. 65. "___ soon?" — Answer: TOO
  35. 66. Spooky-sounding lake — Answer: ERIE
  36. 67. Reeks — Answer: STINKS. Hint: This word describes a strong, unpleasant smell that can make you wrinkle your nose! 👃
  37. 68. "Wowza!" — Answer: OMG
  38. 69. Bears' lairs — Answer: DENS. Hint: These cozy hideaways shelter bears 🐻

Down

  1. 1. Is nuts for — Answer: LOVES
  2. 2. Type of event run by the 1-Across — Answer: PROAM
  3. 3. Grasp a central idea — Answer: GETTHEPOINT
  4. 4. Sailing, say — Answer: ASEA
  5. 5. Ian Fleming figure — Answer: SPY
  6. 6. "I.e.," spelled out — Answer: IDEST
  7. 7. Frenchman who developed an anthrax vaccine — Answer: PASTEUR
  8. 8. Decorative pillowcase — Answer: SHAM. Hint: This cozy cover adds a touch of style to your bedding! 🛏️
  9. 9. Make noticeable progress — Answer: MOVETHENEEDLE
  10. 10. Offer a thought — Answer: OPINE
  11. 11. Hawaii's Mauna ___ — Answer: KEA
  12. 12. Fig. at a body shop — Answer: EST
  13. 13. A deer, a female deer — Answer: DOE
  14. 18. Betray — Answer: STABINTHEBACK
  15. 22. Like some temporary committees — Answer: ADHOC
  16. 25. Common cooking oil — Answer: CANOLA
  17. 27. Traditional Chinese medicine component ... in which a practitioner might 3-, 9- and 18-Down? — Answer: ACUPUNCTURE
  18. 28. Relinquishes — Answer: CEDES
  19. 29. Hermann who wrote "Siddhartha" — Answer: HESSE
  20. 31. One side of the political aisle, with "the" — Answer: LEFT
  21. 33. Functional — Answer: USABLE
  22. 35. Believer in Jah, familiarly — Answer: RASTA
  23. 36. Herr Schindler in "Schindler's List" — Answer: OSKAR
  24. 38. "Roll Tide!" school, in brief — Answer: BAMA
  25. 40. Eudora ___, Pulitzer-winning author for "The Optimist's Daughter" — Answer: WELTY
  26. 43. Kia S.U.V. — Answer: SORENTO
  27. 49. Sioux City native — Answer: IOWAN
  28. 51. "A pain in the neck," e.g. — Answer: IDIOM
  29. 53. Actor Sean of "Stranger Things" — Answer: ASTIN
  30. 54. Aussie buds — Answer: MATES
  31. 56. So-called "windows to the soul" — Answer: EYES
  32. 58. Take in the paper? — Answer: OPED
  33. 59. Photo ___ — Answer: OPS. Hint: Think about the behind-the-scenes magic of capturing moments! 📸
  34. 60. Revolutionary Turner — Answer: NAT
  35. 61. Horror director Roth — Answer: ELI
  36. 63. Gear tooth — Answer: COG. Hint: Think of a small wheel that helps things turn smoothly! ⚙️

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Grasp a central idea” in the New York Times crossword is GETTHEPOINT — a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 11, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 3-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.

“Grasp a central idea” answer

GETTHEPOINT (11 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 GETTHEPOINT.

Why the answer is GETTHEPOINT

GETTHEPOINT is the 11-letter solution that fits "Grasp a central idea" in the NYT Crossword crossword on March 11, 2025 (3-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Grasp a central idea” 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.

March 11, 2025 (most recent) → GETTHEPOINT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on March 11, 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 March 11, 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 “Grasp a central idea”?

The answer is GETTHEPOINT, a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 11, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Grasp a central idea”?

11 letters: GETTHEPOINT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on March 11, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 3-Down.

Can “Grasp a central idea” 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 March 11, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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