Friday, May 16, 2025
By August Lee-Kovach
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1One shooting for the stars?
- 10Carnival treat
- 15One-stop shopping spot
- 16Ancient Greek marketplace
- 17"Words fail me ..."
- 18___ Walcott, 1992 Literature Nobelist from St. Lucia
- 19The "1" of 3-1-4, say
- 20Stave (off)
- 21Place
- 22Second sight
- 23Who said "Where id is, there shall ego be"
- 25Chase, as some flies
- 27"You bet!"
- 29Cry from a captive
- 31Pool owner's problem
- 34Noted stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707-08
- 35___ Unseld, 1969 N.B.A. M.V.P.
- 36Mad scientist's creation
- 40Nonprofit grp. founded during W.W. II
- 41"Absolutamente!"
- 42"Roots" surname
- 43Decorative work with bricks
- 45Essential
- 47Like some stories and ships
- 48It might grab a bite to eat
- 50Capture ... or abandon
- 53Course finale
- 55Bias
- 56Bursting (with)
- 57Superfast puzzle solver, of a sort
- 58"Bravo, me!"
- 60Like a person getting a massage, usually
- 61Sarcastic reply when someone quotes "Star Trek"
- 62Given to fidgeting
- 63Big gain with no pain
Down
- 1Something said before a click
- 2River through Santa Fe National Forest
- 3Flabbergasted
- 4W.C.s
- 5Ballpark fig.
- 6Tennis's Graf
- 7Remains overhead, say
- 8She outwitted Sherlock in "A Scandal in Bohemia"
- 9Aid for a hypnotist
- 10Wee bits
- 11Certain hiring bias
- 12Announcer's call before a potential buzzer beater
- 13Unsigned athlete
- 14Its milk is a source of chhurpi (Nepalese cheese)
- 24___ vu
- 26"Check it out!"
- 27Soy : Spanish :: ___ : English:
- 28Actress Thompson of "Selma"
- 30Indications of passing time
- 31One whose voice is a muted trombone in "Peanuts"
- 32Tough draw
- 33It crawls around the web
- 34"Just so u know ..."
- 37Earth
- 38Radioactive element whose name is derived from the Greek for "unstable"
- 39Success in a game of Battleship
- 44Mary-Kate and Ashley
- 45They may grab a bite to eat
- 46Chaotic
- 49Top of a schedule, usually
- 50Only Catholic U.S. president besides J.F.K.
- 51Lit
- 52Cultural attraction in L.A., with "the"
- 54It's a long shot
- 56Move, informally
- 57Bookkeeper, for short
- 59Flee
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. One shooting for the stars? — Answer: SPACESHIP
- 10. Carnival treat — Answer: TAFFY
- 15. One-stop shopping spot — Answer: MEGASTORE
- 16. Ancient Greek marketplace — Answer: AGORA
- 17. "Words fail me ..." — Answer: ICANTEVEN
- 18. ___ Walcott, 1992 Literature Nobelist from St. Lucia — Answer: DEREK
- 19. The "1" of 3-1-4, say — Answer: LOSS
- 20. Stave (off) — Answer: FEND
- 21. Place — Answer: SITE
- 22. Second sight — Answer: ESP
- 23. Who said "Where id is, there shall ego be" — Answer: FREUD
- 25. Chase, as some flies — Answer: SHAG
- 27. "You bet!" — Answer: ITIS
- 29. Cry from a captive — Answer: LETMEGO
- 31. Pool owner's problem — Answer: ALGAE
- 34. Noted stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707-08 — Answer: FUJI
- 35. ___ Unseld, 1969 N.B.A. M.V.P. — Answer: WES
- 36. Mad scientist's creation — Answer: DOOMSDAYMACHINE
- 40. Nonprofit grp. founded during W.W. II — Answer: USO
- 41. "Absolutamente!" — Answer: SISI
- 42. "Roots" surname — Answer: KINTE
- 43. Decorative work with bricks — Answer: LEGOART
- 45. Essential — Answer: MUST
- 47. Like some stories and ships — Answer: TALL
- 48. It might grab a bite to eat — Answer: TALON
- 50. Capture ... or abandon — Answer: BAG
- 53. Course finale — Answer: TEST
- 55. Bias — Answer: TILT
- 56. Bursting (with) — Answer: RIFE
- 57. Superfast puzzle solver, of a sort — Answer: CUBER
- 58. "Bravo, me!" — Answer: INAILEDIT
- 60. Like a person getting a massage, usually — Answer: PRONE
- 61. Sarcastic reply when someone quotes "Star Trek" — Answer: NERDALERT
- 62. Given to fidgeting — Answer: ANTSY
- 63. Big gain with no pain — Answer: EASYMONEY
Down
- 1. Something said before a click — Answer: SMILE
- 2. River through Santa Fe National Forest — Answer: PECOS
- 3. Flabbergasted — Answer: AGASP
- 4. W.C.s — Answer: CANS
- 5. Ballpark fig. — Answer: EST
- 6. Tennis's Graf — Answer: STEFFI
- 7. Remains overhead, say — Answer: HOVERS
- 8. She outwitted Sherlock in "A Scandal in Bohemia" — Answer: IRENE
- 9. Aid for a hypnotist — Answer: PENDULUM
- 10. Wee bits — Answer: TADS
- 11. Certain hiring bias — Answer: AGEISM
- 12. Announcer's call before a potential buzzer beater — Answer: FORTHEWIN
- 13. Unsigned athlete — Answer: FREEAGENT
- 14. Its milk is a source of chhurpi (Nepalese cheese) — Answer: YAK
- 24. ___ vu — Answer: DEJA
- 26. "Check it out!" — Answer: GOSEE
- 27. Soy : Spanish :: ___ : English: — Answer: IAM
- 28. Actress Thompson of "Selma" — Answer: TESSA
- 30. Indications of passing time — Answer: TICKS
- 31. One whose voice is a muted trombone in "Peanuts" — Answer: ADULT
- 32. Tough draw — Answer: LOSEATURN
- 33. It crawls around the web — Answer: GOOGLEBOT
- 34. "Just so u know ..." — Answer: FYI
- 37. Earth — Answer: DIRT
- 38. Radioactive element whose name is derived from the Greek for "unstable" — Answer: ASTATINE
- 39. Success in a game of Battleship — Answer: HIT
- 44. Mary-Kate and Ashley — Answer: OLSENS
- 45. They may grab a bite to eat — Answer: MOLARS
- 46. Chaotic — Answer: UNTIDY
- 49. Top of a schedule, usually — Answer: LINEA
- 50. Only Catholic U.S. president besides J.F.K. — Answer: BIDEN
- 51. Lit — Answer: AFIRE
- 52. Cultural attraction in L.A., with "the" — Answer: GETTY
- 54. It's a long shot — Answer: TREY
- 56. Move, informally — Answer: RELO
- 57. Bookkeeper, for short — Answer: CPA
- 59. Flee — Answer: LAM
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, May 16, 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 May 16?” 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 May 16, 2025
The full solution for the May 16 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, May 16.
Hints for the May 16 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 16 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 May 16, 2025?
Every answer for the Friday, May 16, 2025 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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