Friday, February 21, 2025
By Colin Adams
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Bachelorette party activity
- 11Sea of ___, body of water at one end of the Kerch Strait
- 15Classic milk accompaniment
- 16Rarest of all state birds
- 17A few hours for doing whatever
- 18Sue at Chicago's Field Museum, e.g.
- 19For instance
- 20Made an impression?
- 21Jewelry designer Picasso
- 23State
- 24Bold bit of ink
- 25Utterly defeated, as n00bs
- 27Elbows for a chef?
- 28Appearances
- 29Comedian Glaser
- 30Pioneer in subscription TV
- 31Chip in, in a way
- 32Villeneuve who directed "Dune"
- 33Suggest
- 34"Fortunate Son" subject, informally
- 35Word with actor or mail
- 36Tips off
- 37Dumpster-dive, for example
- 39Gun support
- 40Ancient Greek city known for its ornate columns
- 41Caves
- 42"Curiously strong" mint
- 43Love letters
- 4450 Cent piece?
- 47Toy shovel holder
- 48Where stars are born
- 51___ Lewis, first recipient of the James Beard Living Legend Award
- 52"Help me get the answer"
- 53Politician's platform
- 54Some October lawn decorations
Down
- 1Amazon nuisances
- 2Mozart's "Der Hölle Rache," for one
- 3Pixar character described as "nothing less than the finest chef in France"
- 4Lead-in to cake in Southern cuisine
- 5Musical units
- 6Spent
- 7Pot grower's activity?
- 8"Just yankin' your chain, that's all"
- 9Donut, in soccer
- 10Frozen, flexible first-aid items
- 11Part of a rack
- 12Rhyming trajectory for success
- 13Sort who might go for all the bells and whistles?
- 14Annoyances
- 22Berry in a Playa Bowl
- 23Claudia Harrison's role on "The Crown"
- 24Going backward, in skateboarding slang
- 25Cocktail served with an umbrella
- 26Cocktail served with an olive
- 27Chop chop!
- 28Did some personal grooming
- 29Negative vote in a stable?
- 32"Stop! Think of the consequences!"
- 33Explorers' aids
- 35Part of a Caesarean boast
- 36Subtly flirts with
- 38Instruments whose players read alto clef
- 39What pogonophobia is the fear of
- 41Square
- 43Stalk
- 44Its name in Botswana is the same as the word for "money"
- 45Teen trouble
- 46Four-footed friends
- 49Game with numbered cards
- 50Soup with rice noodles
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Bachelorette party activity — Answer: BARHOPPING
- 11. Sea of ___, body of water at one end of the Kerch Strait — Answer: AZOV
- 15. Classic milk accompaniment — Answer: OREOCOOKIE
- 16. Rarest of all state birds — Answer: NENE
- 17. A few hours for doing whatever — Answer: TIMETOKILL
- 18. Sue at Chicago's Field Museum, e.g. — Answer: TREX
- 19. For instance — Answer: SAY
- 20. Made an impression? — Answer: APED
- 21. Jewelry designer Picasso — Answer: PALOMA
- 23. State — Answer: AVER
- 24. Bold bit of ink — Answer: FACETAT
- 25. Utterly defeated, as n00bs — Answer: PWNED
- 27. Elbows for a chef? — Answer: MACARONI
- 28. Appearances — Answer: MIENS
- 29. Comedian Glaser — Answer: NIKKI
- 30. Pioneer in subscription TV — Answer: HBO
- 31. Chip in, in a way — Answer: ANTE
- 32. Villeneuve who directed "Dune" — Answer: DENIS
- 33. Suggest — Answer: MEAN
- 34. "Fortunate Son" subject, informally — Answer: NAM
- 35. Word with actor or mail — Answer: VOICE
- 36. Tips off — Answer: WARNS
- 37. Dumpster-dive, for example — Answer: SCAVENGE
- 39. Gun support — Answer: BIPOD
- 40. Ancient Greek city known for its ornate columns — Answer: CORINTH
- 41. Caves — Answer: DENS
- 42. "Curiously strong" mint — Answer: ALTOID
- 43. Love letters — Answer: SWAK
- 44. 50 Cent piece? — Answer: RAP
- 47. Toy shovel holder — Answer: PAIL
- 48. Where stars are born — Answer: OUTERSPACE
- 51. ___ Lewis, first recipient of the James Beard Living Legend Award — Answer: EDNA
- 52. "Help me get the answer" — Answer: INEEDAHINT
- 53. Politician's platform — Answer: DAIS
- 54. Some October lawn decorations — Answer: TOMBSTONES
Down
- 1. Amazon nuisances — Answer: BOTS
- 2. Mozart's "Der Hölle Rache," for one — Answer: ARIA
- 3. Pixar character described as "nothing less than the finest chef in France" — Answer: REMY
- 4. Lead-in to cake in Southern cuisine — Answer: HOE
- 5. Musical units — Answer: OCTAVES
- 6. Spent — Answer: POOPED
- 7. Pot grower's activity? — Answer: POKER
- 8. "Just yankin' your chain, that's all" — Answer: IKID
- 9. Donut, in soccer — Answer: NIL
- 10. Frozen, flexible first-aid items — Answer: GELPACKS
- 11. Part of a rack — Answer: ANTLER
- 12. Rhyming trajectory for success — Answer: ZEROTOHERO
- 13. Sort who might go for all the bells and whistles? — Answer: ONEMANBAND
- 14. Annoyances — Answer: VEXATIONS
- 22. Berry in a Playa Bowl — Answer: ACAI
- 23. Claudia Harrison's role on "The Crown" — Answer: ANNE
- 24. Going backward, in skateboarding slang — Answer: FAKIE
- 25. Cocktail served with an umbrella — Answer: PINACOLADA
- 26. Cocktail served with an olive — Answer: WETMARTINI
- 27. Chop chop! — Answer: MINCE
- 28. Did some personal grooming — Answer: MANSCAPED
- 29. Negative vote in a stable? — Answer: NEIGH
- 32. "Stop! Think of the consequences!" — Answer: DONTDOIT
- 33. Explorers' aids — Answer: MAPS
- 35. Part of a Caesarean boast — Answer: VENI
- 36. Subtly flirts with — Answer: WINKSAT
- 38. Instruments whose players read alto clef — Answer: VIOLAS
- 39. What pogonophobia is the fear of — Answer: BEARDS
- 41. Square — Answer: DWEEB
- 43. Stalk — Answer: STEM
- 44. Its name in Botswana is the same as the word for "money" — Answer: RAIN
- 45. Teen trouble — Answer: ACNE
- 46. Four-footed friends — Answer: PETS
- 49. Game with numbered cards — Answer: UNO
- 50. Soup with rice noodles — Answer: PHO
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, February 21, 2025 — every solution for that day's 15×15 (21×21 on Sunday) puzzle, listed at the top of this page. Whether you're catching up on a puzzle you missed, settling a “what was the answer on February 21?” question, or checking a grid you finished that day, the complete clue-by-clue solution is right here. Looking for today's puzzle instead? Head to our live NYT Crossword answers page.
NYT Crossword answers for February 21, 2025
The full solution for the February 21 NYT Crossword is shown above, laid out clue by clue — every Across answer followed by every Down answer, exactly as that day's grid read. Each answer is listed separately, so you can check just the clue you were stuck on and leave the rest. This is the confirmed grid as published on Friday, February 21.
Hints for the February 21 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The February 21 puzzle fell on a Friday, and with the New York Times crossword that matters: the grid gets harder as the week goes on, from an easy Monday to a fiendish Saturday, with a large themed puzzle on Sunday. So a Friday grid tells you how much misdirection to expect — and if a clue that day seemed to make no sense, the weekday is usually the reason. Use the hints for the trickiest clues, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.
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Frequently asked questions
What were the NYT Crossword answers on February 21, 2025?
Every answer for the Friday, February 21, 2025 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.
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