In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across

Latest answer — August 07, 2025

36 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 07, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Speeding check
  2. 5Vocally
  3. 10Source for some bubbly
  4. 14Where the Magi journeyed from
  5. 15"Over my dead body!"
  6. 16One may be in default
  7. 17Mixtures in copier cartridges
  8. 19Target of an exfoliator
  9. 20Birthplace of Madeleine Albright and Vaclav Havel
  10. 21Drink made with an artisanal flourish, maybe
  11. 22Begins dealing with
  12. 25Chatted online, in brief
  13. 27Risk-___
  14. 29Sporting great who said "Tennis uses the language of life"
  15. 30School that's a rival of 37-Down
  16. 31P.R. piece?
  17. 35Stat used to calculate a QB's passer rating
  18. 36In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across
  19. 39Org. that monitors on-air obscenity
  20. 41Matter in a neon sign
  21. 42Subjects of some European fishing bans
  22. 45Start of a lovelorn soliloquy
  23. 47Bridges in Baghdad cross it
  24. 49Some fishing gear
  25. 53Level in a social hierarchy
  26. 54Street urchin
  27. 55Less merry
  28. 57Abbr. standing in for co-authors
  29. 58Investigate in detail
  30. 62Pitchfork point
  31. 63Rivian competitor
  32. 64Gemstone found in hot springs
  33. 65Org. promoting sober motoring
  34. 66Half-___ (desultory)
  35. 67Winter sports venue

Down

  1. 1Be up
  2. 2What arrives in the film "Arrival"
  3. 3Dash display in some cars
  4. 4Tax ___
  5. 5Tourist destination outside of Delhi
  6. 6Nighttime sound?
  7. 7Classical performance space
  8. 8One with diplomatic plates in N.Y.C.
  9. 9"Mesa para ___" (request at a Spanish restaurant)
  10. 10Wool source
  11. 11Futures experts?
  12. 12Most pucker-inducing
  13. 13"Gimme!"
  14. 18Culture vulture's concerns
  15. 21Financial center of West Africa
  16. 22Kind of "fever" that's not actually a fever, and is typically caused by pollen
  17. 23Director DuVernay
  18. 24It's needed to stay calm
  19. 26Rankles no end
  20. 28Prose postscript
  21. 32___ Hagen, Tony-winning actress and theater practitioner
  22. 33Trains for the Chicago White Sox?
  23. 34Dreamily named rock group?
  24. 37School that's a rival of 30-Across, informally
  25. 38Part of a jouster's protection
  26. 39Thinks nothing of
  27. 40European land where much of "Game of Thrones" was filmed
  28. 43On fire
  29. 44Seattle-to-Mount Rainier dir.
  30. 46On its way, in a way
  31. 48Drink that might turn your tongue blue
  32. 50Fiends of folklore
  33. 51Useless leftovers
  34. 52Fur once favored by Russian royalty
  35. 56Baseball Hall-of-Famer Guerrero, to fans
  36. 58Org. that might sponsor a read-a-thon, in brief
  37. 59Mani-pedi brand
  38. 60Grammy, in the U.K.
  39. 61Creature on the state flags of Michigan and Idaho

The answer to “In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across” in the New York Times crossword is FRUITLESSLY — a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 7, 2025, a Thursday puzzle, at 36-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.

“In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across” answer

FRUITLESSLY (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 FRUITLESSLY.

Why the answer is FRUITLESSLY

FRUITLESSLY is the 11-letter solution that fits "In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across" in the NYT Crossword crossword on August 7, 2025 (36-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across” 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.

August 7, 2025 (most recent) → FRUITLESSLY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across”?

The answer is FRUITLESSLY, a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on August 7, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across”?

11 letters: FRUITLESSLY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on August 7, 2025 (a Thursday puzzle), at 36-Across.

Can “In vain ... or how to read the answers to 17-, 25-, 49- and 58-Across” 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 August 7, 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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