*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch

Latest answer — April 17, 2025

45 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Thursday, April 17, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1___ bowl (healthful dish)
  2. 5Cellular protein
  3. 10Give out
  4. 14Expels
  5. 15Mars with bars
  6. 16Cold-blooded kind of monster
  7. 17"And so ..."
  8. 18Common back-to-school purchases
  9. 20Bit of ballet wear
  10. 222013 movie co-starring Scarlett Johansson in which she is never seen
  11. 23"Going Back to Cali" rapper, 1998
  12. 25*Abigail Adams or Eleanor Roosevelt, informally
  13. 29*Red denizen of Sesame Street
  14. 30Advocates for
  15. 33Animal with luxurious fur
  16. 36Consumer protection agcy.
  17. 37Muse of memory
  18. 38See 64-Across
  19. 39*Hasty
  20. 40Become fixed
  21. 41Santa ___ (hot winds)
  22. 42What three is
  23. 44"Hmm, I don't think so"
  24. 45*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch
  25. 46Eliot protagonist
  26. 47*Pickle or asparagus unit
  27. 48Bog
  28. 49Placed in an air fryer instead of a microwave, say
  29. 51State with 1,350 miles of coastline (second-most after Alaska): Abbr.
  30. 52*Small, embedded program
  31. 54São ___, most populous city in the Southern Hemisphere
  32. 56Toward that place, quaintly
  33. 58Ancient Rome and Persia
  34. 61Own
  35. 62Comforts
  36. 63Almost half of Scandinavians
  37. 64What you can't see due to the 38-Across in this puzzle?

Down

  1. 1Help with a crime
  2. 2Apt name for a December baby
  3. 3Early investor
  4. 4Literally, "equal legs"
  5. 5Like many a plant in spring
  6. 6Draconian
  7. 7Large cask for beer or wine
  8. 8Crawl (along)
  9. 9What a bad assistant might be
  10. 10Teamwork inhibitor
  11. 11Word with cake or trail
  12. 12Spot dans la Seine
  13. 13Many Ph.D. students
  14. 19Some Halloween "transports"
  15. 21Plot problems
  16. 24ABC's first program broadcast in color, with "The"
  17. 26Refurbish, as an old piano
  18. 27What one may have to do to destroy a Death Star
  19. 28Original and influential
  20. 31Big name in soft drinks
  21. 32___ Presidenta, term of address for Mexico's leader beginning in 2024
  22. 33Wizard's weapon, maybe
  23. 34"___ the Doughnut," start of a children's book series
  24. 35Classic French sauce
  25. 36Horseshoe enthusiasts?
  26. 42Like one who might have to hoof it
  27. 43Aspire to
  28. 46John ___, author of "Annals of the Former World"
  29. 50Brand of oversize Lego bricks
  30. 53Veteran's affliction, in brief
  31. 55Yarn spinner
  32. 56Does a certain prank on, informally
  33. 57___-to
  34. 59Some M.I.T. grads, in brief
  35. 60The last one flew in 10/03

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. ___ bowl (healthful dish) — Answer: ACAI
  2. 5. Cellular protein — Answer: ACTIN
  3. 10. Give out — Answer: EMIT
  4. 14. Expels — Answer: BANS
  5. 15. Mars with bars — Answer: BRUNO
  6. 16. Cold-blooded kind of monster — Answer: GILA
  7. 17. "And so ..." — Answer: ERGO
  8. 18. Common back-to-school purchases — Answer: LUNCHBOXES
  9. 20. Bit of ballet wear — Answer: TOESHOE
  10. 22. 2013 movie co-starring Scarlett Johansson in which she is never seen — Answer: HER
  11. 23. "Going Back to Cali" rapper, 1998 — Answer: LLCOOLJ
  12. 25. *Abigail Adams or Eleanor Roosevelt, informally — Answer: LOTUS
  13. 29. *Red denizen of Sesame Street — Answer: ELM
  14. 30. Advocates for — Answer: ESPOUSES
  15. 33. Animal with luxurious fur — Answer: SABLE
  16. 36. Consumer protection agcy. — Answer: FTC
  17. 37. Muse of memory — Answer: MNEME
  18. 38. See 64-Across — Answer: TREES
  19. 39. *Hasty — Answer: ASH
  20. 40. Become fixed — Answer: SETIN
  21. 41. Santa ___ (hot winds) — Answer: ANAS
  22. 42. What three is — Answer: CROWD
  23. 44. "Hmm, I don't think so" — Answer: UHNO
  24. 45. *"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch — Answer: FIR
  25. 46. Eliot protagonist — Answer: MARNER
  26. 47. *Pickle or asparagus unit — Answer: PEAR
  27. 48. Bog — Answer: FEN
  28. 49. Placed in an air fryer instead of a microwave, say — Answer: CRISPED
  29. 51. State with 1,350 miles of coastline (second-most after Alaska): Abbr. — Answer: FLA
  30. 52. *Small, embedded program — Answer: APPLE
  31. 54. São ___, most populous city in the Southern Hemisphere — Answer: PAULO
  32. 56. Toward that place, quaintly — Answer: THITHER
  33. 58. Ancient Rome and Persia — Answer: EMPIRES
  34. 61. Own — Answer: POSSESS
  35. 62. Comforts — Answer: SOLACES. Hint: Gives someone reassurance or relief during a difficult moment 🤗
  36. 63. Almost half of Scandinavians — Answer: SWEDES
  37. 64. What you can't see due to the 38-Across in this puzzle? — Answer: FOREST

Down

  1. 1. Help with a crime — Answer: ABET
  2. 2. Apt name for a December baby — Answer: CAROL
  3. 3. Early investor — Answer: ANGEL
  4. 4. Literally, "equal legs" — Answer: ISOSCELES
  5. 5. Like many a plant in spring — Answer: ABLOOM
  6. 6. Draconian — Answer: CRUEL. Hint: Think of someone who might not be very nice when enforcing rules! 😈
  7. 7. Large cask for beer or wine — Answer: TUN
  8. 8. Crawl (along) — Answer: INCH
  9. 9. What a bad assistant might be — Answer: NOHELP
  10. 10. Teamwork inhibitor — Answer: EGO
  11. 11. Word with cake or trail — Answer: MIX
  12. 12. Spot dans la Seine — Answer: ILE
  13. 13. Many Ph.D. students — Answer: TAS
  14. 19. Some Halloween "transports" — Answer: BROOMS
  15. 21. Plot problems — Answer: HOLES
  16. 24. ABC's first program broadcast in color, with "The" — Answer: JETSONS
  17. 26. Refurbish, as an old piano — Answer: TUNEUP
  18. 27. What one may have to do to destroy a Death Star — Answer: USETHEFORCE
  19. 28. Original and influential — Answer: SEMINAL
  20. 31. Big name in soft drinks — Answer: SCHWEPPES
  21. 32. ___ Presidenta, term of address for Mexico's leader beginning in 2024 — Answer: SENORA
  22. 33. Wizard's weapon, maybe — Answer: STAFF
  23. 34. "___ the Doughnut," start of a children's book series — Answer: ARNIE
  24. 35. Classic French sauce — Answer: BEARNAISE
  25. 36. Horseshoe enthusiasts? — Answer: FARRIERS
  26. 42. Like one who might have to hoof it — Answer: CARLESS
  27. 43. Aspire to — Answer: DREAMOF
  28. 46. John ___, author of "Annals of the Former World" — Answer: MCPHEE
  29. 50. Brand of oversize Lego bricks — Answer: DUPLO
  30. 53. Veteran's affliction, in brief — Answer: PTSD
  31. 55. Yarn spinner — Answer: LIAR
  32. 56. Does a certain prank on, informally — Answer: TPS
  33. 57. ___-to — Answer: HOW
  34. 59. Some M.I.T. grads, in brief — Answer: EES
  35. 60. The last one flew in 10/03 — Answer: SST

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch” in the New York Times crossword is FIR — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 17, 2025, a Thursday puzzle, at 45-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.

“*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch” answer

FIR (3 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 FIR.

Why the answer is FIR

FIR is the 3-letter solution that fits "*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch" in the NYT Crossword crossword on April 17, 2025 (45-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch” 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.

April 17, 2025 (most recent) → FIR. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on April 17, 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 April 17, 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 Thursday 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 “*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch”?

The answer is FIR, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on April 17, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch”?

3 letters: FIR.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on April 17, 2025 (a Thursday puzzle), at 45-Across.

Can “*"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a ___ to be kindled": Plutarch” 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 April 17, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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