Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor

Crossword Answer — March 14, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Friday, March 14, 2025

By Brandon Koppy

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Charlie Chaplin persona
  2. 6Total
  3. 13Knight shtick?
  4. 14Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor
  5. 15Wonderland directive
  6. 16Hurdles before some touchdowns
  7. 17Adds to a thread
  8. 18Subjected to a waiting game, militarily
  9. 20___-ran
  10. 21Question to one's best friend, maybe
  11. 24Frasier's brother on "Frasier"
  12. 25Where hips do lie
  13. 29Big orbiter
  14. 31Rock band with the 1990s hits "Fly" and "Every Morning"
  15. 32Upton Sinclair novel that inspired the film "There Will Be Blood"
  16. 33Knotting (up)
  17. 35Trade on
  18. 36Very hot day
  19. 39They might be written off
  20. 42Journeys of escape
  21. 43Singer Washington or Shore
  22. 44Bench press?
  23. 48Words of comparison
  24. 51Assert without proof
  25. 52___ Locks, connection between Lake Superior and Lake Huron
  26. 53Not learn one's lesson?
  27. 55Places for scheming
  28. 57Fruit-flavored pop
  29. 58Stop by
  30. 59Laundry service, e.g.
  31. 60Film collectibles

Down

  1. 1Network on which "Gossip Girl" aired
  2. 2Exterminator's target
  3. 3Snack made with celery sticks, peanut butter and raisins
  4. 4Band-Aid applier, perhaps
  5. 5Buying opportunity for select customers
  6. 6Completing a video game as fast as possible, say
  7. 7Beyond comprehension
  8. 8QB stat: Abbr.
  9. 9Wandering sort
  10. 10It comes down hard
  11. 11They're small and plucked
  12. 12Philippine money
  13. 14Beehive State flower
  14. 16Classic pickup lines, familiarly
  15. 19Remark from a celebrity look-alike
  16. 22"Some rise by ___, and some by virtue fall": Shak.
  17. 23She-bear, in Spain
  18. 26Coolly disregard
  19. 27Loosen
  20. 28Tanners' stock
  21. 29Glam
  22. 30Some epizoa
  23. 31Isaac Newton or Elton John, but not Olivia Newton-John
  24. 34Gentleman's agreement
  25. 37Tear with gusto
  26. 38French wine designation
  27. 40Truffula forest logger in "The Lorax"
  28. 41Foreign title with a tilde
  29. 43Stops working
  30. 45Disney's ___ of Arendelle
  31. 46Pinkish orange
  32. 47They're entertaining
  33. 48Española, por ejemplo
  34. 49Not read thoroughly
  35. 50Variable in the Schrödinger equation
  36. 54Hit TV series with three spinoffs
  37. 56Suffix with oct-

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Charlie Chaplin persona — Answer: TRAMP
  2. 6. Total — Answer: SMASHUP
  3. 13. Knight shtick? — Answer: HONOR
  4. 14. Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor — Answer: SPITTAKE
  5. 15. Wonderland directive — Answer: EATME
  6. 16. Hurdles before some touchdowns — Answer: REENTRIES
  7. 17. Adds to a thread — Answer: CCS
  8. 18. Subjected to a waiting game, militarily — Answer: SIEGED
  9. 20. ___-ran — Answer: ALSO
  10. 21. Question to one's best friend, maybe — Answer: WHOSAGOODBOY
  11. 24. Frasier's brother on "Frasier" — Answer: NILES
  12. 25. Where hips do lie — Answer: ROSEBED
  13. 29. Big orbiter — Answer: PLANET
  14. 31. Rock band with the 1990s hits "Fly" and "Every Morning" — Answer: SUGARRAY
  15. 32. Upton Sinclair novel that inspired the film "There Will Be Blood" — Answer: OIL
  16. 33. Knotting (up) — Answer: TYING
  17. 35. Trade on — Answer: USE
  18. 36. Very hot day — Answer: SCORCHER
  19. 39. They might be written off — Answer: LOSSES
  20. 42. Journeys of escape — Answer: HEGIRAS
  21. 43. Singer Washington or Shore — Answer: DINAH
  22. 44. Bench press? — Answer: PUTMEINCOACH
  23. 48. Words of comparison — Answer: ISTO
  24. 51. Assert without proof — Answer: ALLEGE
  25. 52. ___ Locks, connection between Lake Superior and Lake Huron — Answer: SOO
  26. 53. Not learn one's lesson? — Answer: SKIPCLASS
  27. 55. Places for scheming — Answer: LAIRS
  28. 57. Fruit-flavored pop — Answer: LIMESODA
  29. 58. Stop by — Answer: ENDAT
  30. 59. Laundry service, e.g. — Answer: AMENITY
  31. 60. Film collectibles — Answer: REELS

Down

  1. 1. Network on which "Gossip Girl" aired — Answer: THECW
  2. 2. Exterminator's target — Answer: ROACH
  3. 3. Snack made with celery sticks, peanut butter and raisins — Answer: ANTSONALOG
  4. 4. Band-Aid applier, perhaps — Answer: MOM
  5. 5. Buying opportunity for select customers — Answer: PRESALE
  6. 6. Completing a video game as fast as possible, say — Answer: SPEEDRUN
  7. 7. Beyond comprehension — Answer: MINDBOGGLING
  8. 8. QB stat: Abbr. — Answer: ATT
  9. 9. Wandering sort — Answer: STRAYER
  10. 10. It comes down hard — Answer: HAIL
  11. 11. They're small and plucked — Answer: UKES
  12. 12. Philippine money — Answer: PESO
  13. 14. Beehive State flower — Answer: SEGO
  14. 16. Classic pickup lines, familiarly — Answer: REOS
  15. 19. Remark from a celebrity look-alike — Answer: IGETTHATALOT
  16. 22. "Some rise by ___, and some by virtue fall": Shak. — Answer: SIN
  17. 23. She-bear, in Spain — Answer: OSA
  18. 26. Coolly disregard — Answer: BRUSHASIDE
  19. 27. Loosen — Answer: EASE
  20. 28. Tanners' stock — Answer: DYES
  21. 29. Glam — Answer: POSH
  22. 30. Some epizoa — Answer: LICE
  23. 31. Isaac Newton or Elton John, but not Olivia Newton-John — Answer: SIR
  24. 34. Gentleman's agreement — Answer: YESMLADY
  25. 37. Tear with gusto — Answer: RIPOPEN
  26. 38. French wine designation — Answer: CRU
  27. 40. Truffula forest logger in "The Lorax" — Answer: ONCELER
  28. 41. Foreign title with a tilde — Answer: SAO
  29. 43. Stops working — Answer: DIES
  30. 45. Disney's ___ of Arendelle — Answer: ELSA
  31. 46. Pinkish orange — Answer: CORAL
  32. 47. They're entertaining — Answer: HOSTS
  33. 48. Española, por ejemplo — Answer: ISLA
  34. 49. Not read thoroughly — Answer: SKIM
  35. 50. Variable in the Schrödinger equation — Answer: TIME
  36. 54. Hit TV series with three spinoffs — Answer: CSI
  37. 56. Suffix with oct- — Answer: ANE

The answer to “Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor” in the New York Times crossword is SPITTAKE — a 8-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on March 14, 2025, a Friday puzzle, at 14-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.

“Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor” answer

SPITTAKE (8 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 SPITTAKE.

Why the answer is SPITTAKE

SPITTAKE is the 8-letter solution that fits "Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor" in the NYT Crossword crossword on March 14, 2025 (14-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor” 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.

March 14, 2025 (this puzzle) → SPITTAKE. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on March 14, 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 March 14, 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 Friday 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 “Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor”?

The answer is SPITTAKE, a 8-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on March 14, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor”?

8 letters: SPITTAKE.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on March 14, 2025 (a Friday puzzle), at 14-Across.

Can “Reaction to an unexpected bit of humor” 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 March 14, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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