Words before a date

Latest answer — December 16, 2025

54 Down

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NYT Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, December 16, 2025 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Library acquisition
  2. 5Insta and Snap
  3. 9Start
  4. 14Roughly equivalent (to)
  5. 15Homie
  6. 16Maine-to-Florida hwy.
  7. 17What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard
  8. 18Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps
  9. 20Hockey feints
  10. 22Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe
  11. 23Prefix with cache or tag
  12. 24Person in hot pants?
  13. 26Name on a prestigious award
  14. 28It may be blond or pale
  15. 31Disgusting
  16. 33C-suite types
  17. 36Last stop before security, often
  18. 38Words of communal support
  19. 39Texter's "Then again ..."
  20. 40Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film
  21. 42Orchestra-tuning instrument
  22. 43Negligent
  23. 45Turnabout, they say
  24. 47Tiny amount
  25. 48Pay taxes via the internet
  26. 49Air traveler's info
  27. 50Drinks served at fountains
  28. 52Govt. IDs
  29. 54Down Under land: Abbr.
  30. 56Computer acronym since the 1960s
  31. 58Inventor Nikola
  32. 62The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one
  33. 65Couple, in gossip
  34. 66"Aw, shucks!"
  35. 67Decorative pitcher
  36. 68Wacky
  37. 69Lords' lands
  38. 70Tells (on)
  39. 71After 1-Across, shelf accessories ... or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases?

Down

  1. 1Genesis or Yes
  2. 2Many a character in "The Grapes of Wrath"
  3. 3Barnyard sound
  4. 4Prepare to be knighted
  5. 5Epitome of simplicity
  6. 6Genre for Genesis or Yes, informally
  7. 7Lead (the way)
  8. 8Glossy finishes
  9. 9Active and enthusiastic sort
  10. 10Approx.
  11. 11Easily found on the internet, say
  12. 12Memo heading
  13. 13Grammy-winning R&B; artist whose stage name is said to have been inspired by "The Matrix"
  14. 19Golden Age studio known for many Astaire/Rogers films
  15. 21You might heave a big one
  16. 25Places
  17. 27Mike in "Breaking Bad," for example
  18. 28Cancel, as a space launch
  19. 29Procrastinator's mantra
  20. 30What someone seeking validation might need
  21. 32Shallow boat with a square stern
  22. 34Neighbor of a Slovene
  23. 35"Take it easy!"
  24. 37Brother to Groucho
  25. 38Mournful cries
  26. 41One in a box at the theater?
  27. 44Tranquilizes
  28. 46Penalty in Monopoly
  29. 48Artist known for his "impossible staircases"
  30. 51Symbol of divine authority in hieroglyphics
  31. 53Grab control of
  32. 54Words before a date
  33. 55Tentative greeting
  34. 57The Hawkeye State
  35. 59Show extreme fandom for, in slang
  36. 60Give temporarily
  37. 61Ryan and Adams of Hollywood
  38. 63Whistle blower or flag thrower
  39. 64Hosp. hot spots

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Library acquisition — Answer: BOOK
  2. 5. Insta and Snap — Answer: APPS
  3. 9. Start — Answer: BEGIN
  4. 14. Roughly equivalent (to) — Answer: AKIN
  5. 15. Homie — Answer: BRAH
  6. 16. Maine-to-Florida hwy. — Answer: USONE
  7. 17. What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard — Answer: NINE
  8. 18. Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps — Answer: COVERSTORY
  9. 20. Hockey feints — Answer: DEKES. Hint: Think of slick moves on the ice that can leave defenders in the dust! 🏒
  10. 22. Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe — Answer: GEEKY
  11. 23. Prefix with cache or tag — Answer: GEO
  12. 24. Person in hot pants? — Answer: LIAR
  13. 26. Name on a prestigious award — Answer: NOBEL
  14. 28. It may be blond or pale — Answer: ALE
  15. 31. Disgusting — Answer: GROSS
  16. 33. C-suite types — Answer: EXECS
  17. 36. Last stop before security, often — Answer: BAGCHECK
  18. 38. Words of communal support — Answer: WECARE
  19. 39. Texter's "Then again ..." — Answer: OTOH. Hint: This shorthand introduces a contrasting point of view. 💬
  20. 40. Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film — Answer: AKIRA
  21. 42. Orchestra-tuning instrument — Answer: OBOE
  22. 43. Negligent — Answer: REMISS
  23. 45. Turnabout, they say — Answer: FAIRPLAY
  24. 47. Tiny amount — Answer: TRACE
  25. 48. Pay taxes via the internet — Answer: EFILE
  26. 49. Air traveler's info — Answer: ETA
  27. 50. Drinks served at fountains — Answer: SODAS
  28. 52. Govt. IDs — Answer: SSNS
  29. 54. Down Under land: Abbr. — Answer: AUS
  30. 56. Computer acronym since the 1960s — Answer: ASCII
  31. 58. Inventor Nikola — Answer: TESLA
  32. 62. The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one — Answer: SMARTPHONE
  33. 65. Couple, in gossip — Answer: ITEM
  34. 66. "Aw, shucks!" — Answer: OHGEE
  35. 67. Decorative pitcher — Answer: EWER
  36. 68. Wacky — Answer: ZANY
  37. 69. Lords' lands — Answer: FIEFS
  38. 70. Tells (on) — Answer: RATS
  39. 71. After 1-Across, shelf accessories ... or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases? — Answer: ENDS

Down

  1. 1. Genesis or Yes — Answer: BAND
  2. 2. Many a character in "The Grapes of Wrath" — Answer: OKIE
  3. 3. Barnyard sound — Answer: OINK
  4. 4. Prepare to be knighted — Answer: KNEEL
  5. 5. Epitome of simplicity — Answer: ABC
  6. 6. Genre for Genesis or Yes, informally — Answer: PROGROCK
  7. 7. Lead (the way) — Answer: PAVE
  8. 8. Glossy finishes — Answer: SHEENS
  9. 9. Active and enthusiastic sort — Answer: BUSYBEE
  10. 10. Approx. — Answer: EST. Hint: Think about how we denote time zones and locations! ⏰
  11. 11. Easily found on the internet, say — Answer: GOOGLEABLE
  12. 12. Memo heading — Answer: INRE
  13. 13. Grammy-winning R&B; artist whose stage name is said to have been inspired by "The Matrix" — Answer: NEYO
  14. 19. Golden Age studio known for many Astaire/Rogers films — Answer: RKO
  15. 21. You might heave a big one — Answer: SIGH
  16. 25. Places — Answer: AREAS
  17. 27. Mike in "Breaking Bad," for example — Answer: EXCOP
  18. 28. Cancel, as a space launch — Answer: ABORT
  19. 29. Procrastinator's mantra — Answer: LATER
  20. 30. What someone seeking validation might need — Answer: EGOMASSAGE
  21. 32. Shallow boat with a square stern — Answer: SKIFF
  22. 34. Neighbor of a Slovene — Answer: CROAT
  23. 35. "Take it easy!" — Answer: SEEYA
  24. 37. Brother to Groucho — Answer: CHICO
  25. 38. Mournful cries — Answer: WAILS
  26. 41. One in a box at the theater? — Answer: RAISINET
  27. 44. Tranquilizes — Answer: SEDATES
  28. 46. Penalty in Monopoly — Answer: RENT
  29. 48. Artist known for his "impossible staircases" — Answer: ESCHER
  30. 51. Symbol of divine authority in hieroglyphics — Answer: ASP
  31. 53. Grab control of — Answer: SEIZE
  32. 54. Words before a date — Answer: ASOF
  33. 55. Tentative greeting — Answer: UMHI
  34. 57. The Hawkeye State — Answer: IOWA
  35. 59. Show extreme fandom for, in slang — Answer: STAN
  36. 60. Give temporarily — Answer: LEND
  37. 61. Ryan and Adams of Hollywood — Answer: AMYS
  38. 63. Whistle blower or flag thrower — Answer: REF
  39. 64. Hosp. hot spots — Answer: ERS

Recent NYT Crossword Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Words before a date” in the New York Times crossword is ASOF — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 16, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 54-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.

“Words before a date” answer

ASOF (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 ASOF.

Why the answer is ASOF

ASOF is the 4-letter solution that fits "Words before a date" in the NYT Crossword crossword on December 16, 2025 (54-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Words before a date” 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.

December 16, 2025 (most recent) → ASOF. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on December 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 December 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 “Words before a date”?

The answer is ASOF, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 16, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Words before a date”?

4 letters: ASOF.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times crossword on December 16, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 54-Down.

Can “Words before a date” 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 December 16, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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