"Why not?!"

Crossword Answer — May 10, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Saturday, May 10, 2025

By Shaun Phillips

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Budget
  2. 6Unappetizing food
  3. 10Hard-to-define quality
  4. 13"For ___?"
  5. 14Integrated, as an approach
  6. 15Apt name for a NASCAR driver?
  7. 16Sad remark at a carnival ring toss booth
  8. 17Pioneer in musical Impressionism, despite rejecting the term
  9. 20Baby blue, perhaps
  10. 21"I'm off!"
  11. 22Ribs, e.g.
  12. 23Didn't make it through the late show, say
  13. 26Was outstanding?
  14. 27Wants, and then some
  15. 28Massachusetts' Cape ___
  16. 29Some dragonflies
  17. 30"I was stuck in traffic," perhaps
  18. 31They might have a job for you
  19. 33Where Ferrari is "RACE," in brief
  20. 34Sent up the wall
  21. 35Deep defenses
  22. 36Comes out with
  23. 37Demand
  24. 38Mediterranean plant named for its brightly colored flowers
  25. 40Committed in front of witnesses
  26. 41Wine found in "tasting"
  27. 42Go into overdrive
  28. 43Decide not to toss
  29. 44Museums, galleries, etc.
  30. 45Trips
  31. 46Tops

Down

  1. 1Like American bacon, but not Canadian bacon
  2. 2Acts like a scaredy-cat?
  3. 3Perfume compound
  4. 4In
  5. 5Donor grp.
  6. 6Bases
  7. 7"Mary Poppins" tune that begins "With tuppence for paper and strings / You can have your own set of wings"
  8. 8Rolled ___
  9. 9Devious scheme
  10. 10Manufactured wooden sheet
  11. 11Person who's entitled?
  12. 12First contact
  13. 17Team for which Sandy Koufax pitched for all of his 12 M.L.B. seasons
  14. 18Some pillars of the community
  15. 19One side in an 1899-1902 war
  16. 21Some works of Wordsworth
  17. 23Nature's alternative, in a classic debate
  18. 24Shoved down the throat of
  19. 25Fine-grained rock that can be easily cut in any direction
  20. 27George ___, voted "Coach of the Century" by the International Swimming Hall of Fame
  21. 29Because of
  22. 32Some camping excursions
  23. 33Natives of Scandinavia
  24. 35Center of town, on signs
  25. 37Convenience stores
  26. 38Benefit
  27. 39One with a login and password
  28. 40"Why not?!"
  29. 42Someone will pay for this

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Budget — Answer: CHEAP
  2. 6. Unappetizing food — Answer: GLOP
  3. 10. Hard-to-define quality — Answer: CHARISMA
  4. 13. "For ___?" — Answer: REAL
  5. 14. Integrated, as an approach — Answer: HOLISTIC
  6. 15. Apt name for a NASCAR driver? — Answer: OTTO
  7. 16. Sad remark at a carnival ring toss booth — Answer: IMISSED
  8. 17. Pioneer in musical Impressionism, despite rejecting the term — Answer: DEBUSSY
  9. 20. Baby blue, perhaps — Answer: PEEPER
  10. 21. "I'm off!" — Answer: SOLONG
  11. 22. Ribs, e.g. — Answer: BONES
  12. 23. Didn't make it through the late show, say — Answer: NODDEDOFF
  13. 26. Was outstanding? — Answer: OWED
  14. 27. Wants, and then some — Answer: HUNGERSFOR
  15. 28. Massachusetts' Cape ___ — Answer: ANN
  16. 29. Some dragonflies — Answer: DARNERS
  17. 30. "I was stuck in traffic," perhaps — Answer: LIE
  18. 31. They might have a job for you — Answer: RECRUITERS
  19. 33. Where Ferrari is "RACE," in brief — Answer: NYSE
  20. 34. Sent up the wall — Answer: DROVENUTS
  21. 35. Deep defenses — Answer: MOATS
  22. 36. Comes out with — Answer: UTTERS
  23. 37. Demand — Answer: MARKET
  24. 38. Mediterranean plant named for its brightly colored flowers — Answer: SUNROSE
  25. 40. Committed in front of witnesses — Answer: SAIDIDO
  26. 41. Wine found in "tasting" — Answer: ASTI
  27. 42. Go into overdrive — Answer: TURNITON
  28. 43. Decide not to toss — Answer: KEEP
  29. 44. Museums, galleries, etc. — Answer: ARTSCENE
  30. 45. Trips — Answer: ERRS
  31. 46. Tops — Answer: BESTS

Down

  1. 1. Like American bacon, but not Canadian bacon — Answer: CRISPED
  2. 2. Acts like a scaredy-cat? — Answer: HISSES
  3. 3. Perfume compound — Answer: ESTER
  4. 4. In — Answer: AMID
  5. 5. Donor grp. — Answer: PAC
  6. 6. Bases — Answer: GROUNDS
  7. 7. "Mary Poppins" tune that begins "With tuppence for paper and strings / You can have your own set of wings" — Answer: LETSGOFLYAKITE
  8. 8. Rolled ___ — Answer: OATS
  9. 9. Devious scheme — Answer: PLOY
  10. 10. Manufactured wooden sheet — Answer: CHIPBOARD
  11. 11. Person who's entitled? — Answer: HOMEOWNER
  12. 12. First contact — Answer: ALIENENCOUNTER
  13. 17. Team for which Sandy Koufax pitched for all of his 12 M.L.B. seasons — Answer: DODGERS
  14. 18. Some pillars of the community — Answer: ELDERS
  15. 19. One side in an 1899-1902 war — Answer: BOERS
  16. 21. Some works of Wordsworth — Answer: SONNETS
  17. 23. Nature's alternative, in a classic debate — Answer: NURTURE
  18. 24. Shoved down the throat of — Answer: FOISTEDON
  19. 25. Fine-grained rock that can be easily cut in any direction — Answer: FREESTONE
  20. 27. George ___, voted "Coach of the Century" by the International Swimming Hall of Fame — Answer: HAINES
  21. 29. Because of — Answer: DUETO
  22. 32. Some camping excursions — Answer: RVTRIPS
  23. 33. Natives of Scandinavia — Answer: NORDICS
  24. 35. Center of town, on signs — Answer: MAINST
  25. 37. Convenience stores — Answer: MARTS
  26. 38. Benefit — Answer: SAKE
  27. 39. One with a login and password — Answer: USER
  28. 40. "Why not?!" — Answer: SURE
  29. 42. Someone will pay for this — Answer: TAB

The answer to “"Why not?!"” in the New York Times crossword is SURE — a 4-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on May 10, 2025, a Saturday puzzle, at 40-Down. 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.

“"Why not?!"” answer

SURE (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 SURE.

Why the answer is SURE

SURE is the 4-letter solution that fits ""Why not?!"" in the NYT Crossword crossword on May 10, 2025 (40-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “"Why not?!"” 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.

May 10, 2025 (this puzzle) → SURE. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on May 10, 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 May 10, 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 Saturday 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 “"Why not?!"”?

The answer is SURE, a 4-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on May 10, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “"Why not?!"”?

4 letters: SURE.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on May 10, 2025 (a Saturday puzzle), at 40-Down.

Can “"Why not?!"” 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 May 10, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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