Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across

Latest answer — September 24, 2025

20 Across

22 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, September 24, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Light touches
  2. 5Domino features
  3. 9Maine-to-Spain direction
  4. 13Frequently
  5. 14MacDowell of "Groundhog Day"
  6. 16Start of a new deal
  7. 17Participate in a blindside on "Survivor," say
  8. 18Dance craze named for a Southern city
  9. 20Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across
  10. 22Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across
  11. 23Cannonball Adderley's musical instrument, informally
  12. 24Lead-in to struck or luck
  13. 26Fashionable time to arrive, it's said
  14. 27"Odyssey" figure with many suitors
  15. 30Carry a debt
  16. 32Business magnate
  17. 35A hawk carrying a dove in its talons, in Book 15 of the "Odyssey"
  18. 36Affectionate sign-off
  19. 37Like thrifted goods
  20. 38What's heard exactly twice in a lifetime?
  21. 40The Emerald Isle
  22. 41Tabs with psychedelic properties
  23. 42Hang in the balance
  24. 43Soft volleyball hits
  25. 44Jazz genre for Cannonball Adderley
  26. 45Worked to learn
  27. 48James of "The Godfather"
  28. 50Thailand, once
  29. 51A.L. West team, on scoreboards
  30. 54With 57-Across, gesture depicted by this puzzle's circled letters
  31. 57See 54-Across
  32. 59Taunt that may follow a failed gullibility test
  33. 61Bit of merchandise
  34. 62___ impasse
  35. 63Put off for now
  36. 64Situated above
  37. 65Witty remark
  38. 66Craft store item
  39. 67"Hey!"

Down

  1. 1Viola of "The Woman King"
  2. 2"So long, Oahu!"
  3. 3Wrinkle smoother
  4. 4Part of a flight
  5. 5Clothing chain that began as a surf shop
  6. 6Like some tutoring and eldercare
  7. 7Smooching on a park bench, e.g., for short
  8. 8One who's given many instructions nowadays
  9. 9G.P.A. enhancer
  10. 10Neutralizing serum
  11. 11Masonry
  12. 12100 C-notes
  13. 15Stately shade provider
  14. 192011 Peace Nobelist ___ Johnson Sirleaf
  15. 21Word aptly hidden in "unspoiled enclave"
  16. 25Lightheaded sorts?
  17. 27Capsule
  18. 28[Shocking!]
  19. 29Least-populous Canadian province: Abbr.
  20. 31Ones paying or receiving alimony
  21. 32Future amaryllis, e.g.
  22. 33Colleague
  23. 34Colorful ring-tailed mammals of Asia
  24. 38Spy novelist Deighton
  25. 39Most-populous Canadian province: Abbr.
  26. 40Festival at the end of Ramadan, informally
  27. 42Like the scent of some air fresheners
  28. 43Floor model, often
  29. 46Swiss cough drop brand
  30. 47Squealed: Var.
  31. 49Word with double or free
  32. 51Hurdles for future J.D.s
  33. 52Nestlé bars filled with tiny bubbles
  34. 53Skillful
  35. 54Key of Mozart's Symphony No. 6: Abbr.
  36. 55Squealer
  37. 56Thick piece
  38. 58Cashless deal
  39. 60U.K. award

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Light touches — Answer: DABS
  2. 5. Domino features — Answer: PIPS
  3. 9. Maine-to-Spain direction — Answer: EAST
  4. 13. Frequently — Answer: ALOT
  5. 14. MacDowell of "Groundhog Day" — Answer: ANDIE
  6. 16. Start of a new deal — Answer: ANTE
  7. 17. Participate in a blindside on "Survivor," say — Answer: VOTE
  8. 18. Dance craze named for a Southern city — Answer: CHARLESTON
  9. 20. Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across — Answer: IHOPESO
  10. 22. Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across — Answer: IMLYING
  11. 23. Cannonball Adderley's musical instrument, informally — Answer: SAX
  12. 24. Lead-in to struck or luck — Answer: DUMB
  13. 26. Fashionable time to arrive, it's said — Answer: LATE
  14. 27. "Odyssey" figure with many suitors — Answer: PENELOPE
  15. 30. Carry a debt — Answer: OWE. Hint: What you do when a favor or payment is still hanging around 💸
  16. 32. Business magnate — Answer: BARON
  17. 35. A hawk carrying a dove in its talons, in Book 15 of the "Odyssey" — Answer: OMEN
  18. 36. Affectionate sign-off — Answer: XOX
  19. 37. Like thrifted goods — Answer: USED
  20. 38. What's heard exactly twice in a lifetime? — Answer: LONGI
  21. 40. The Emerald Isle — Answer: EIRE
  22. 41. Tabs with psychedelic properties — Answer: LSD
  23. 42. Hang in the balance — Answer: PEND
  24. 43. Soft volleyball hits — Answer: DINKS
  25. 44. Jazz genre for Cannonball Adderley — Answer: BOP
  26. 45. Worked to learn — Answer: INTERNED
  27. 48. James of "The Godfather" — Answer: CAAN
  28. 50. Thailand, once — Answer: SIAM
  29. 51. A.L. West team, on scoreboards — Answer: LAA
  30. 54. With 57-Across, gesture depicted by this puzzle's circled letters — Answer: FINGERS
  31. 57. See 54-Across — Answer: CROSSED
  32. 59. Taunt that may follow a failed gullibility test — Answer: MADEYALOOK
  33. 61. Bit of merchandise — Answer: WARE
  34. 62. ___ impasse — Answer: ATAN
  35. 63. Put off for now — Answer: TABLE
  36. 64. Situated above — Answer: ATOP
  37. 65. Witty remark — Answer: JEST
  38. 66. Craft store item — Answer: BEAD
  39. 67. "Hey!" — Answer: PSST

Down

  1. 1. Viola of "The Woman King" — Answer: DAVIS
  2. 2. "So long, Oahu!" — Answer: ALOHA
  3. 3. Wrinkle smoother — Answer: BOTOX
  4. 4. Part of a flight — Answer: STEP
  5. 5. Clothing chain that began as a surf shop — Answer: PACSUN
  6. 6. Like some tutoring and eldercare — Answer: INHOME
  7. 7. Smooching on a park bench, e.g., for short — Answer: PDA
  8. 8. One who's given many instructions nowadays — Answer: SIRI
  9. 9. G.P.A. enhancer — Answer: EASYA
  10. 10. Neutralizing serum — Answer: ANTITOXIN
  11. 11. Masonry — Answer: STONEWORK
  12. 12. 100 C-notes — Answer: TENG
  13. 15. Stately shade provider — Answer: ELM
  14. 19. 2011 Peace Nobelist ___ Johnson Sirleaf — Answer: ELLEN
  15. 21. Word aptly hidden in "unspoiled enclave" — Answer: EDEN
  16. 25. Lightheaded sorts? — Answer: BLONDES
  17. 27. Capsule — Answer: POD
  18. 28. [Shocking!] — Answer: OMG
  19. 29. Least-populous Canadian province: Abbr. — Answer: PEI
  20. 31. Ones paying or receiving alimony — Answer: EXES
  21. 32. Future amaryllis, e.g. — Answer: BULB
  22. 33. Colleague — Answer: ASSOCIATE
  23. 34. Colorful ring-tailed mammals of Asia — Answer: REDPANDAS
  24. 38. Spy novelist Deighton — Answer: LEN
  25. 39. Most-populous Canadian province: Abbr. — Answer: ONT
  26. 40. Festival at the end of Ramadan, informally — Answer: EID
  27. 42. Like the scent of some air fresheners — Answer: PINEY
  28. 43. Floor model, often — Answer: DEMO
  29. 46. Swiss cough drop brand — Answer: RICOLA
  30. 47. Squealed: Var. — Answer: NARKED
  31. 49. Word with double or free — Answer: AGENT
  32. 51. Hurdles for future J.D.s — Answer: LSATS
  33. 52. Nestlé bars filled with tiny bubbles — Answer: AEROS
  34. 53. Skillful — Answer: ADEPT
  35. 54. Key of Mozart's Symphony No. 6: Abbr. — Answer: FMAJ
  36. 55. Squealer — Answer: RAT
  37. 56. Thick piece — Answer: SLAB
  38. 58. Cashless deal — Answer: SWAP
  39. 60. U.K. award — Answer: OBE

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across” in the New York Times crossword is IHOPESO — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 24, 2025, a Wednesday puzzle, at 20-Across. Other answers we've seen for this clue include IMLYING. 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.

“Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across” answer

IHOPESO (7 letters) — most recent; also seen as IMLYING

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 IHOPESO.

Why the answer is IHOPESO

IHOPESO is the 7-letter solution that fits "Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across" in the NYT Crossword crossword on September 24, 2025 (20-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

Other answers for “Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across”

New York Times has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides IHOPESO, it has also been IMLYING. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on September 24, 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 24, 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 “Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across”?

The answer is IHOPESO, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 24, 2025. Other answers for this clue include IMLYING.

How many letters is the answer to “Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across”?

7 letters: IHOPESO. Earlier fills for this clue have also been IMLYING (7).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on September 24, 2025 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 20-Across. Earlier appearances: September 24, 2025 → IMLYING.

Can “Possible meaning of 54-/57-Across” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides IHOPESO, New York Times has also used IMLYING for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?

The full grid for September 24, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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