Protects oneself, possum-style

Latest answer — October 04, 2025

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 04, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Field of unknowns
  2. 8Lead role in the highest-grossing film of 1985
  3. 13Scrapes from a motorcycle fall
  4. 15It "lies just halfway between rashness and cowardice," per Miguel de Cervantes
  5. 16"Marvelous" TV character played by Rachel Brosnahan
  6. 18Facedown
  7. 19Shrink back
  8. 20Place for eggs
  9. 22Muttonhead
  10. 23Cousin of a springbok
  11. 24Outdoor apparel company with mountains in its logo
  12. 26Delight
  13. 27Vulcans, for one
  14. 28Christmas carol contraction
  15. 29Actress Lily of "Killers of the Flower Moon"
  16. 30Slow-but-steady advancements
  17. 31Get a Lyft, say
  18. 32Short greetings
  19. 35They may stop the presses
  20. 36Henry ___, founder of Time, Life and Sports Illustrated
  21. 37Initial challenge
  22. 38Knock one out of the park
  23. 39With, en français
  24. 40Org. offering jumps
  25. 41Vittorio who directed "Bicycle Thieves"
  26. 42Buck the establishment
  27. 44Split
  28. 46Remains to be seen?
  29. 47Certain expectant parents
  30. 48Stopped vacillating
  31. 497-Eleven and Circle K, informally

Down

  1. 1Focus of an airplane battle, maybe
  2. 2Legendary rock singer?
  3. 3Containers that are often red
  4. 4Halley of Halley's comet
  5. 5Cornrow, e.g.
  6. 6Skate park fixture
  7. 7Mount for Quixote's squire
  8. 8Award won four times in the W.N.B.A. by A'ja Wilson
  9. 9Assistance for short drivers?
  10. 10Walk with exaggerated motions
  11. 11___ Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker
  12. 12California town thought (incorrectly) to be named from a backward "bakery" sign
  13. 14Type of argument with conflicting accounts
  14. 17Result of sleeping in, say
  15. 21Moves along quickly, as a horse
  16. 24Protects oneself, possum-style
  17. 25Fumble around in the dark
  18. 27Home of Banff National Park
  19. 29Wonder Woman portrayer
  20. 30Brouhaha
  21. 31"Welsh" dish with melted cheese
  22. 32Cuban container
  23. 33Water cooler?
  24. 34Colorful shawls
  25. 35"Are you done guessing?"
  26. 36Get bested by
  27. 37Grain with a nutty flavor
  28. 38Safe job?
  29. 41Netflix offerings until 2023
  30. 43Source of some flashbacks
  31. 45Sucker, for short

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Field of unknowns — Answer: ALGEBRA
  2. 8. Lead role in the highest-grossing film of 1985 — Answer: MCFLY
  3. 13. Scrapes from a motorcycle fall — Answer: ROADRASH
  4. 15. It "lies just halfway between rashness and cowardice," per Miguel de Cervantes — Answer: VALOR
  5. 16. "Marvelous" TV character played by Rachel Brosnahan — Answer: MRSMAISEL
  6. 18. Facedown — Answer: PRONE
  7. 19. Shrink back — Answer: RECOIL
  8. 20. Place for eggs — Answer: SAC
  9. 22. Muttonhead — Answer: LUNK
  10. 23. Cousin of a springbok — Answer: ELAND
  11. 24. Outdoor apparel company with mountains in its logo — Answer: PATAGONIA
  12. 26. Delight — Answer: SEND
  13. 27. Vulcans, for one — Answer: ALIENRACE
  14. 28. Christmas carol contraction — Answer: TIS
  15. 29. Actress Lily of "Killers of the Flower Moon" — Answer: GLADSTONE
  16. 30. Slow-but-steady advancements — Answer: BABYSTEPS
  17. 31. Get a Lyft, say — Answer: RIDESHARE
  18. 32. Short greetings — Answer: HIS. Hint: Think of the simplest ways to say hello! 👋
  19. 35. They may stop the presses — Answer: GAGORDERS
  20. 36. Henry ___, founder of Time, Life and Sports Illustrated — Answer: LUCE
  21. 37. Initial challenge — Answer: FIRSTTEST
  22. 38. Knock one out of the park — Answer: HOMER
  23. 39. With, en français — Answer: AVEC
  24. 40. Org. offering jumps — Answer: AAA
  25. 41. Vittorio who directed "Bicycle Thieves" — Answer: DESICA
  26. 42. Buck the establishment — Answer: REBEL
  27. 44. Split — Answer: DIVVIEDUP
  28. 46. Remains to be seen? — Answer: RUINS
  29. 47. Certain expectant parents — Answer: DADSTOBE
  30. 48. Stopped vacillating — Answer: OPTED
  31. 49. 7-Eleven and Circle K, informally — Answer: CSTORES

Down

  1. 1. Focus of an airplane battle, maybe — Answer: ARMREST
  2. 2. Legendary rock singer? — Answer: LORELEI
  3. 3. Containers that are often red — Answer: GASCANS
  4. 4. Halley of Halley's comet — Answer: EDMOND
  5. 5. Cornrow, e.g. — Answer: BRAID
  6. 6. Skate park fixture — Answer: RAIL
  7. 7. Mount for Quixote's squire — Answer: ASS
  8. 8. Award won four times in the W.N.B.A. by A'ja Wilson — Answer: MVP
  9. 9. Assistance for short drivers? — Answer: CARLOANS
  10. 10. Walk with exaggerated motions — Answer: FLOUNCE
  11. 11. ___ Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker — Answer: LONNIE
  12. 12. California town thought (incorrectly) to be named from a backward "bakery" sign — Answer: YREKA
  13. 14. Type of argument with conflicting accounts — Answer: HESAIDSHESAID
  14. 17. Result of sleeping in, say — Answer: LATESTART
  15. 21. Moves along quickly, as a horse — Answer: CANTERS
  16. 24. Protects oneself, possum-style — Answer: PLAYSDEAD
  17. 25. Fumble around in the dark — Answer: GROPE
  18. 27. Home of Banff National Park — Answer: ALBERTA
  19. 29. Wonder Woman portrayer — Answer: GADOT
  20. 30. Brouhaha — Answer: BIGSCENE
  21. 31. "Welsh" dish with melted cheese — Answer: RAREBIT
  22. 32. Cuban container — Answer: HUMIDOR
  23. 33. Water cooler? — Answer: ICECUBE
  24. 34. Colorful shawls — Answer: SERAPES
  25. 35. "Are you done guessing?" — Answer: GIVEUP
  26. 36. Get bested by — Answer: LOSETO
  27. 37. Grain with a nutty flavor — Answer: FARRO
  28. 38. Safe job? — Answer: HEIST
  29. 41. Netflix offerings until 2023 — Answer: DVDS
  30. 43. Source of some flashbacks — Answer: LSD
  31. 45. Sucker, for short — Answer: VAC

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Protects oneself, possum-style” in the New York Times crossword is PLAYSDEAD — a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 4, 2025, a Saturday puzzle, at 24-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.

“Protects oneself, possum-style” answer

PLAYSDEAD (9 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 PLAYSDEAD.

Why the answer is PLAYSDEAD

PLAYSDEAD is the 9-letter solution that fits "Protects oneself, possum-style" in the NYT Crossword crossword on October 4, 2025 (24-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Protects oneself, possum-style” 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.

October 4, 2025 (most recent) → PLAYSDEAD. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on October 4, 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 October 4, 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 Saturday 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 “Protects oneself, possum-style”?

The answer is PLAYSDEAD, a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 4, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Protects oneself, possum-style”?

9 letters: PLAYSDEAD.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 4, 2025 (a Saturday puzzle), at 24-Down.

Can “Protects oneself, possum-style” 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 October 4, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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