Well-used pencil, say

Latest answer — October 29, 2025

65 Across

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, October 29, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1The "R" of REM
  2. 6States
  3. 10Little devil
  4. 13Bring down
  5. 14Milkshake ingredient that might get stuck in a straw
  6. 15"Whatever"
  7. 16Dracula's preferred way to eat wings?
  8. 19"When u coming?"
  9. 20Jocular suffix for "most"
  10. 21First aid stinger
  11. 22Cell centers
  12. 25Sebastian the ___, mascot of the Miami Hurricanes
  13. 26What makes Dracula frantically hop around?
  14. 30Clickable pic
  15. 31Eldest Corleone brother
  16. 32Felt something on your head?
  17. 35Food fight projectile
  18. 36Speedway sponsor
  19. 39Some unidentified visitors, for short
  20. 40Wrap up
  21. 42Well-rounded figure?
  22. 44Showed sudden interest, in a way
  23. 46Cry of victory
  24. 47When Dracula doesn't feel seen?
  25. 52Lead-in to second
  26. 53Like Satan, in the Bible
  27. 54Knob on an electric guitar
  28. 57A.F.L.-___
  29. 58"Despicable Me" antihero
  30. 61Get ready to attack Dracula and his pals?
  31. 64Like some jobs
  32. 65Well-used pencil, say
  33. 66Rains hard?
  34. 67Anti-traffic org.
  35. 68Sport whose athletes wear topknots
  36. 69Mythical luster?

Down

  1. 1Still red, say
  2. 2Not much
  3. 3Jupiter and Mars
  4. 4"In a way"
  5. 5Pick up on
  6. 6Loosens up
  7. 7Response to "Speak!"
  8. 8Cold-weather cryptid
  9. 9Neighborhood in Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London"
  10. 10Knock back a few
  11. 11Big bully
  12. 12Aquarium diagnostic
  13. 17World capital near the 60th parallel
  14. 18Enlighten
  15. 23"Sorry, that's incorrect"
  16. 24Restaurant chain acronym
  17. 26Word with still or shelf
  18. 27"New Jack City" co-star, 1991
  19. 28Spanish name found in "business"
  20. 29Fastener with an onomatopoeic name
  21. 33Bring up
  22. 34Pot grower?
  23. 36What contains a lot of darn stuff?
  24. 37The "Amigos" of film, e.g.
  25. 38Big name in magic
  26. 41Beer brand on "The Simpsons"
  27. 43Feminist sex educator Shere ___
  28. 44Pompous people
  29. 45Non-pharmacological component of a clinical trial
  30. 47Pristine, as land
  31. 48Veterans Day event
  32. 49Lake that's the "thumb" of New York's Finger Lakes
  33. 50Certain Ivy Leaguers
  34. 51Rags, e.g.
  35. 55What a bargain hunter hopes to pay
  36. 56Ides of March rebuke
  37. 59Depend (on)
  38. 60Old map inits.
  39. 62Sound of a good car engine
  40. 63Designation for the Toledo Mud Hens

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. The "R" of REM — Answer: RAPID
  2. 6. States — Answer: SAYS
  3. 10. Little devil — Answer: IMP. Hint: A tiny mischievous troublemaker from folklore. 😈
  4. 13. Bring down — Answer: ABASE
  5. 14. Milkshake ingredient that might get stuck in a straw — Answer: OREO
  6. 15. "Whatever" — Answer: MEH
  7. 16. Dracula's preferred way to eat wings? — Answer: RIGHTOFFTHEBAT
  8. 19. "When u coming?" — Answer: ETA
  9. 20. Jocular suffix for "most" — Answer: EST
  10. 21. First aid stinger — Answer: IODINE
  11. 22. Cell centers — Answer: NUCLEI
  12. 25. Sebastian the ___, mascot of the Miami Hurricanes — Answer: IBIS
  13. 26. What makes Dracula frantically hop around? — Answer: LIGHTONHISFEET
  14. 30. Clickable pic — Answer: ICON
  15. 31. Eldest Corleone brother — Answer: SONNY
  16. 32. Felt something on your head? — Answer: FEDORA
  17. 35. Food fight projectile — Answer: PEA
  18. 36. Speedway sponsor — Answer: STP
  19. 39. Some unidentified visitors, for short — Answer: ETS
  20. 40. Wrap up — Answer: END. Hint: Bring something to a close. 🎁
  21. 42. Well-rounded figure? — Answer: SPHERE
  22. 44. Showed sudden interest, in a way — Answer: SATUP
  23. 46. Cry of victory — Answer: IWIN
  24. 47. When Dracula doesn't feel seen? — Answer: UPONREFLECTION
  25. 52. Lead-in to second — Answer: NANO
  26. 53. Like Satan, in the Bible — Answer: FALLEN
  27. 54. Knob on an electric guitar — Answer: TREBLE
  28. 57. A.F.L.-___ — Answer: CIO
  29. 58. "Despicable Me" antihero — Answer: GRU
  30. 61. Get ready to attack Dracula and his pals? — Answer: RAISETHESTAKES
  31. 64. Like some jobs — Answer: ODD
  32. 65. Well-used pencil, say — Answer: STUB
  33. 66. Rains hard? — Answer: HAILS
  34. 67. Anti-traffic org. — Answer: DEA
  35. 68. Sport whose athletes wear topknots — Answer: SUMO
  36. 69. Mythical luster? — Answer: SATYR

Down

  1. 1. Still red, say — Answer: RARE
  2. 2. Not much — Answer: ABIT
  3. 3. Jupiter and Mars — Answer: PAGANGODS
  4. 4. "In a way" — Answer: ISH
  5. 5. Pick up on — Answer: DETECT
  6. 6. Loosens up — Answer: SOFTENS
  7. 7. Response to "Speak!" — Answer: ARF
  8. 8. Cold-weather cryptid — Answer: YETI
  9. 9. Neighborhood in Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" — Answer: SOHO
  10. 10. Knock back a few — Answer: IMBIBE
  11. 11. Big bully — Answer: MEANIE
  12. 12. Aquarium diagnostic — Answer: PHTEST
  13. 17. World capital near the 60th parallel — Answer: OSLO
  14. 18. Enlighten — Answer: EDIFY
  15. 23. "Sorry, that's incorrect" — Answer: UHNO
  16. 24. Restaurant chain acronym — Answer: IHOP
  17. 26. Word with still or shelf — Answer: LIFE
  18. 27. "New Jack City" co-star, 1991 — Answer: ICET
  19. 28. Spanish name found in "business" — Answer: INES
  20. 29. Fastener with an onomatopoeic name — Answer: SNAP
  21. 33. Bring up — Answer: REAR
  22. 34. Pot grower? — Answer: ANTE
  23. 36. What contains a lot of darn stuff? — Answer: SEWINGKIT
  24. 37. The "Amigos" of film, e.g. — Answer: TRIO
  25. 38. Big name in magic — Answer: PENN
  26. 41. Beer brand on "The Simpsons" — Answer: DUFF
  27. 43. Feminist sex educator Shere ___ — Answer: HITE
  28. 44. Pompous people — Answer: SNOBS
  29. 45. Non-pharmacological component of a clinical trial — Answer: PLACEBO
  30. 47. Pristine, as land — Answer: UNTROD
  31. 48. Veterans Day event — Answer: PARADE
  32. 49. Lake that's the "thumb" of New York's Finger Lakes — Answer: ONEIDA
  33. 50. Certain Ivy Leaguers — Answer: ELIS
  34. 51. Rags, e.g. — Answer: CLOTHS
  35. 55. What a bargain hunter hopes to pay — Answer: LESS
  36. 56. Ides of March rebuke — Answer: ETTU
  37. 59. Depend (on) — Answer: RELY. Hint: Count on someone or something to come through when you need it most 🤝
  38. 60. Old map inits. — Answer: USSR
  39. 62. Sound of a good car engine — Answer: HUM
  40. 63. Designation for the Toledo Mud Hens — Answer: AAA

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Well-used pencil, say” in the New York Times crossword is STUB — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 29, 2025, a Wednesday puzzle, at 65-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.

“Well-used pencil, say” answer

STUB (4 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 STUB.

Why the answer is STUB

STUB is the 4-letter solution that fits "Well-used pencil, say" in the NYT Crossword crossword on October 29, 2025 (65-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Well-used pencil, say” 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 29, 2025 (most recent) → STUB. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on October 29, 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 29, 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 “Well-used pencil, say”?

The answer is STUB, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 29, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Well-used pencil, say”?

4 letters: STUB.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 29, 2025 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 65-Across.

Can “Well-used pencil, say” 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 29, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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