Success against all odds

Crossword Answer — February 12, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

By Philip Koski

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Mineral that shimmers
  2. 5Bat around, as a kitten might
  3. 10Composer Stravinsky
  4. 14Like much graffiti: Abbr.
  5. 15Belittle
  6. 16Emperor named an enemy of the state in A.D. 68
  7. 17Not admit
  8. 18Aboveboard
  9. 19Neighbor of Indonesia, on a Risk board
  10. 20The
  11. 23Knocked off
  12. 24City that was a rival of ancient Sparta
  13. 25Big mo. for eggnog sales
  14. 26Cover story?
  15. 29Lee who directed "Gemini Man"
  16. 30Talks frankly
  17. 36Screen play?
  18. 37Singsong refrain
  19. 38Heating pad target
  20. 39Lead-in to -gram or -graph
  21. 40Pep rally cry
  22. 41Cousin of Inc.
  23. 43Doll who debuted in swim trunks
  24. 44Success against all odds
  25. 48Either of two for Mozart's Queen of the Night
  26. 49"Take THAT!"
  27. 52Flowing slowly
  28. 53"Should that happen ..."
  29. 57Builders of 25,000+ miles of roads in South America
  30. 59TV's DeGeneres
  31. 60With 63-Across, where some journalism is located ... or how to interpret the ends of 20-, 30- and 44-Across vis-à-vis the shaded squares
  32. 63See 60-Across
  33. 65Exhaustion from work
  34. 66Without much hope
  35. 67Green sauces
  36. 68Features of coins which make them harder to counterfeit

Down

  1. 1Road safety org.
  2. 2"___ to Know" (1999 Marc Anthony hit)
  3. 3Tells private things
  4. 4"How will we ever get out of this mess?"
  5. 5Satirist Michael
  6. 6Drive for, maybe
  7. 7___ gap
  8. 8It's east of the Urals
  9. 9Half of octo-
  10. 10Presidential seal, for one
  11. 11Lizard mascot with a Cockney accent
  12. 12Some campus grilling events?
  13. 13Spanish Steps locale
  14. 21Small cut
  15. 22Where a wedge may be used
  16. 26Not to go
  17. 27___ flash
  18. 28When to wave the white flag
  19. 30Guideline, in brief
  20. 31Big ___ (longtime Red Sox nickname)
  21. 32Some looks into space
  22. 33___ cap
  23. 34Sole one-named Best Actress Oscar winner
  24. 35Wee
  25. 40One leg curl, e.g.
  26. 42CBS drama for 15 seasons
  27. 45Realms
  28. 46Ka ___ (southernmost point in the U.S.)
  29. 47Sign of a hound's happiness
  30. 49Kind of lettuce
  31. 50Top
  32. 51Shade in a barren landscape
  33. 54Undependable sort
  34. 55Gives up the goods?
  35. 56"Above us ___ sky" ("Imagine" lyric)
  36. 58Pesky little brat
  37. 59Observed
  38. 61Pop music's Wham! or Erasure
  39. 62Email signs
  40. 63Inexpensive beer, informally
  41. 64Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala ___

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Mineral that shimmers — Answer: MICA
  2. 5. Bat around, as a kitten might — Answer: PAWAT
  3. 10. Composer Stravinsky — Answer: IGOR
  4. 14. Like much graffiti: Abbr. — Answer: ANON
  5. 15. Belittle — Answer: ABASE
  6. 16. Emperor named an enemy of the state in A.D. 68 — Answer: NERO
  7. 17. Not admit — Answer: DENY
  8. 18. Aboveboard — Answer: LEGIT
  9. 19. Neighbor of Indonesia, on a Risk board — Answer: SIAM
  10. 20. The — Answer: DEFINITEARTICLE
  11. 23. Knocked off — Answer: DIDIN
  12. 24. City that was a rival of ancient Sparta — Answer: ARGOS
  13. 25. Big mo. for eggnog sales — Answer: DEC
  14. 26. Cover story? — Answer: FIB
  15. 29. Lee who directed "Gemini Man" — Answer: ANG
  16. 30. Talks frankly — Answer: SPEAKSONESPIECE
  17. 36. Screen play? — Answer: PASS
  18. 37. Singsong refrain — Answer: TRALA
  19. 38. Heating pad target — Answer: ACHE
  20. 39. Lead-in to -gram or -graph — Answer: EPI
  21. 40. Pep rally cry — Answer: RAH
  22. 41. Cousin of Inc. — Answer: LLC
  23. 43. Doll who debuted in swim trunks — Answer: KEN
  24. 44. Success against all odds — Answer: CINDERELLASTORY
  25. 48. Either of two for Mozart's Queen of the Night — Answer: OPERAARIA
  26. 49. "Take THAT!" — Answer: BOOM
  27. 52. Flowing slowly — Answer: SEEPY
  28. 53. "Should that happen ..." — Answer: IFSO
  29. 57. Builders of 25,000+ miles of roads in South America — Answer: INCAS
  30. 59. TV's DeGeneres — Answer: ELLEN
  31. 60. With 63-Across, where some journalism is located ... or how to interpret the ends of 20-, 30- and 44-Across vis-à-vis the shaded squares — Answer: BEHINDA
  32. 63. See 60-Across — Answer: PAYWALL
  33. 65. Exhaustion from work — Answer: BURNOUT
  34. 66. Without much hope — Answer: BLEAKLY
  35. 67. Green sauces — Answer: PESTOS
  36. 68. Features of coins which make them harder to counterfeit — Answer: RIDGES

Down

  1. 1. Road safety org. — Answer: MADD
  2. 2. "___ to Know" (1999 Marc Anthony hit) — Answer: INEED
  3. 3. Tells private things — Answer: CONFIDESIN
  4. 4. "How will we ever get out of this mess?" — Answer: ANYIDEAS
  5. 5. Satirist Michael — Answer: PALIN
  6. 6. Drive for, maybe — Answer: ABET
  7. 7. ___ gap — Answer: WAGE
  8. 8. It's east of the Urals — Answer: ASIA
  9. 9. Half of octo- — Answer: TETRA
  10. 10. Presidential seal, for one — Answer: INSIGNIA
  11. 11. Lizard mascot with a Cockney accent — Answer: GEICOGECKO
  12. 12. Some campus grilling events? — Answer: ORALS
  13. 13. Spanish Steps locale — Answer: ROME
  14. 21. Small cut — Answer: NICK
  15. 22. Where a wedge may be used — Answer: TRAP
  16. 26. Not to go — Answer: FORHERE
  17. 27. ___ flash — Answer: INA
  18. 28. When to wave the white flag — Answer: BELLLAP
  19. 30. Guideline, in brief — Answer: SPEC
  20. 31. Big ___ (longtime Red Sox nickname) — Answer: PAPI
  21. 32. Some looks into space — Answer: STARES
  22. 33. ___ cap — Answer: SALARY
  23. 34. Sole one-named Best Actress Oscar winner — Answer: CHER
  24. 35. Wee — Answer: EENY
  25. 40. One leg curl, e.g. — Answer: REP
  26. 42. CBS drama for 15 seasons — Answer: CSI
  27. 45. Realms — Answer: DOMAINS
  28. 46. Ka ___ (southernmost point in the U.S.) — Answer: LAE
  29. 47. Sign of a hound's happiness — Answer: TAILWAG
  30. 49. Kind of lettuce — Answer: BIBB
  31. 50. Top — Answer: ONEUP
  32. 51. Shade in a barren landscape — Answer: OCHRE
  33. 54. Undependable sort — Answer: FLAKE
  34. 55. Gives up the goods? — Answer: SELLS
  35. 56. "Above us ___ sky" ("Imagine" lyric) — Answer: ONLY
  36. 58. Pesky little brat — Answer: SNOT
  37. 59. Observed — Answer: EYED
  38. 61. Pop music's Wham! or Erasure — Answer: DUO
  39. 62. Email signs — Answer: ATS
  40. 63. Inexpensive beer, informally — Answer: PBR
  41. 64. Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala ___ — Answer: ALI

The answer to “Success against all odds” in the New York Times crossword is CINDERELLASTORY — a 15-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on February 12, 2025, a Wednesday puzzle, at 44-Across. If it's the entry standing between you and a clean grid, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, plus links to the day's other clues if more than one square is giving you trouble.

“Success against all odds” answer

CINDERELLASTORY (15 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 CINDERELLASTORY.

Why the answer is CINDERELLASTORY

CINDERELLASTORY is the 15-letter solution that fits "Success against all odds" in the NYT Crossword crossword on February 12, 2025 (44-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Success against all odds” 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 before, and what the answer was each time — handy if you landed here from a puzzle on another date.

February 12, 2025 (this puzzle) → CINDERELLASTORY. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on February 12, 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 February 12, 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 “Success against all odds”?

The answer is CINDERELLASTORY, a 15-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on February 12, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Success against all odds”?

15 letters: CINDERELLASTORY.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on February 12, 2025 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 44-Across.

Can “Success against all odds” 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 February 12, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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