*Motion of receding waves

Latest answer — September 16, 2025

31 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 16, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Relatives, informally
  2. 4Carved bit of jewelry
  3. 9Figure out
  4. 14Pub pintful
  5. 15___ Dictionary (crowdsourced online reference)
  6. 16Frog's sound
  7. 17*High-status American Express offering
  8. 19Cause of food poisoning, for short
  9. 20Thin and graceful
  10. 21Revolutionary Trotsky
  11. 23Barbie's boyfriend
  12. 24"Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" singer
  13. 25*Task for a locksmith
  14. 28Science fiction princess
  15. 30Destiny
  16. 31*Motion of receding waves
  17. 35Office paper fastener
  18. 37Spanish article
  19. 38Miss Havisham's ward in "Great Expectations"
  20. 42Lennon's love
  21. 43Japanese soup flavoring
  22. 45*Bottom of the ocean
  23. 47Drinking aids
  24. 51"At Last" singer James
  25. 52*Product of meat scraps that, despite its name, is dairy-free
  26. 54Not bad, but not great
  27. 58Donkey
  28. 59Monk's hood
  29. 60Theater employee
  30. 61Shade akin to cream
  31. 63Train conductor's cry ... or a hint to each word in the answers to the starred clues
  32. 66Strung along
  33. 67Rock with a crystal-filled cavity
  34. 68Hwy.
  35. 69Highly skilled
  36. 70Opposite of delete
  37. 71Floppy part of a beagle

Down

  1. 1Story with a moral
  2. 2Bold poker bet
  3. 3Substantial
  4. 4Long, green veggie
  5. 5Curved path
  6. 6Wall St. credential
  7. 7Premature
  8. 8Next to bat
  9. 9Aromas
  10. 10Elf's foe
  11. 11A shopper, not a buyer, informally
  12. 12Fashion house named for its founder, Signor Garavani
  13. 13Scraping (by)
  14. 18Sidewalk writing medium
  15. 22Non's opposite
  16. 25Soul and Sorento
  17. 26Sunrise direction
  18. 27Cable inits. for cinephiles
  19. 29Farm mother
  20. 31Mooch, as a cigarette
  21. 32Licorice-flavored spice
  22. 33Rejected
  23. 34"___ Just Not That Into You" (2009 film)
  24. 36___ favor
  25. 39Levi's alternative
  26. 40Behind
  27. 41Rear, in the boat
  28. 44Chicago airport code
  29. 46Rodeo rope
  30. 48Southern drawl, for example
  31. 49Owl's question?
  32. 50Waste that's been flushed
  33. 52"Se ___ español"
  34. 53Actress Pompeo of "Grey's Anatomy"
  35. 55Chicago airport
  36. 56Sealy competitor
  37. 57Big Mac meal with a Coke, e.g.
  38. 60Ride from an airport, maybe
  39. 62Republicans, for short
  40. 64Place to park
  41. 65Citrus drink suffix

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Relatives, informally — Answer: FAM
  2. 4. Carved bit of jewelry — Answer: CAMEO
  3. 9. Figure out — Answer: SOLVE
  4. 14. Pub pintful — Answer: ALE
  5. 15. ___ Dictionary (crowdsourced online reference) — Answer: URBAN
  6. 16. Frog's sound — Answer: CROAK
  7. 17. *High-status American Express offering — Answer: BLACKCARD
  8. 19. Cause of food poisoning, for short — Answer: ECOLI
  9. 20. Thin and graceful — Answer: LITHE
  10. 21. Revolutionary Trotsky — Answer: LEON
  11. 23. Barbie's boyfriend — Answer: KEN. Hint: He's the charming companion often seen alongside a popular doll! 💖
  12. 24. "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" singer — Answer: ENYA
  13. 25. *Task for a locksmith — Answer: KEYCUTTING
  14. 28. Science fiction princess — Answer: LEIA
  15. 30. Destiny — Answer: KISMET
  16. 31. *Motion of receding waves — Answer: BACKWASH
  17. 35. Office paper fastener — Answer: CLIP
  18. 37. Spanish article — Answer: UNA
  19. 38. Miss Havisham's ward in "Great Expectations" — Answer: ESTELLA
  20. 42. Lennon's love — Answer: ONO
  21. 43. Japanese soup flavoring — Answer: MISO
  22. 45. *Bottom of the ocean — Answer: SEAFLOOR
  23. 47. Drinking aids — Answer: STRAWS
  24. 51. "At Last" singer James — Answer: ETTA
  25. 52. *Product of meat scraps that, despite its name, is dairy-free — Answer: HEADCHEESE
  26. 54. Not bad, but not great — Answer: SOSO
  27. 58. Donkey — Answer: ASS. Hint: This animal is often known for its stubbornness and is a common character in fables! 🐴
  28. 59. Monk's hood — Answer: COWL
  29. 60. Theater employee — Answer: USHER
  30. 61. Shade akin to cream — Answer: BEIGE
  31. 63. Train conductor's cry ... or a hint to each word in the answers to the starred clues — Answer: ALLABOARD
  32. 66. Strung along — Answer: LEDON
  33. 67. Rock with a crystal-filled cavity — Answer: GEODE
  34. 68. Hwy. — Answer: RTE
  35. 69. Highly skilled — Answer: ADEPT
  36. 70. Opposite of delete — Answer: ENTER
  37. 71. Floppy part of a beagle — Answer: EAR

Down

  1. 1. Story with a moral — Answer: FABLE
  2. 2. Bold poker bet — Answer: ALLIN
  3. 3. Substantial — Answer: MEATY
  4. 4. Long, green veggie — Answer: CUKE
  5. 5. Curved path — Answer: ARC
  6. 6. Wall St. credential — Answer: MBA
  7. 7. Premature — Answer: EARLY
  8. 8. Next to bat — Answer: ONDECK
  9. 9. Aromas — Answer: SCENTS
  10. 10. Elf's foe — Answer: ORC
  11. 11. A shopper, not a buyer, informally — Answer: LOOKIELOO
  12. 12. Fashion house named for its founder, Signor Garavani — Answer: VALENTINO
  13. 13. Scraping (by) — Answer: EKING
  14. 18. Sidewalk writing medium — Answer: CHALK
  15. 22. Non's opposite — Answer: OUI
  16. 25. Soul and Sorento — Answer: KIAS
  17. 26. Sunrise direction — Answer: EAST
  18. 27. Cable inits. for cinephiles — Answer: TMC
  19. 29. Farm mother — Answer: EWE
  20. 31. Mooch, as a cigarette — Answer: BUM
  21. 32. Licorice-flavored spice — Answer: ANISESEED
  22. 33. Rejected — Answer: CASTASIDE
  23. 34. "___ Just Not That Into You" (2009 film) — Answer: HES. Hint: The missing word is the contraction used when referring to a male person. 🎬
  24. 36. ___ favor — Answer: POR. Hint: Sometimes, it's good to do something sweet for a buddy! 🍭
  25. 39. Levi's alternative — Answer: LEES
  26. 40. Behind — Answer: LATE
  27. 41. Rear, in the boat — Answer: AFT
  28. 44. Chicago airport code — Answer: ORD. Hint: This airport's code stands for the city famous for deep-dish pizza! 🍕
  29. 46. Rodeo rope — Answer: LASSO. Hint: A cowboy might swing this loop to catch a runaway steer 🤠
  30. 48. Southern drawl, for example — Answer: ACCENT
  31. 49. Owl's question? — Answer: WHO. Hint: Think of the simple question this nighttime bird might ask when identifying someone. 🦉
  32. 50. Waste that's been flushed — Answer: SEWAGE
  33. 52. "Se ___ español" — Answer: HABLA
  34. 53. Actress Pompeo of "Grey's Anatomy" — Answer: ELLEN
  35. 55. Chicago airport — Answer: OHARE
  36. 56. Sealy competitor — Answer: SERTA
  37. 57. Big Mac meal with a Coke, e.g. — Answer: ORDER
  38. 60. Ride from an airport, maybe — Answer: UBER
  39. 62. Republicans, for short — Answer: GOP
  40. 64. Place to park — Answer: LOT. Hint: A common spot where cars take a break while you run errands 🚗
  41. 65. Citrus drink suffix — Answer: ADE

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “*Motion of receding waves” in the New York Times crossword is BACKWASH — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 16, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 31-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.

“*Motion of receding waves” answer

BACKWASH (8 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 BACKWASH.

Why the answer is BACKWASH

BACKWASH is the 8-letter solution that fits "*Motion of receding waves" in the NYT Crossword crossword on September 16, 2025 (31-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “*Motion of receding waves” 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 16, 2025 (most recent) → BACKWASH. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on September 16, 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 September 16, 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 “*Motion of receding waves”?

The answer is BACKWASH, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 16, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “*Motion of receding waves”?

8 letters: BACKWASH.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 16, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 31-Across.

Can “*Motion of receding waves” 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 16, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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