Wednesday, May 21, 2025
By Ilana Levene and Scott Hogan
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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Word with chocolate or computer
- 5Thompson or Stone of 2021's "Cruella"
- 9Fragment
- 14Sci-fi novel with giant sandworms
- 15Help for a faltering business
- 16Type of hunter-gatherer diet
- 17"Smile for the photo, dude!"
- 19Able to bend smoothly
- 20Fragment
- 21Mythological instruments of vengeance
- 22Contractor's pipe material, for short
- 24"Work on your enunciation, bro!"
- 26Omen
- 28Little bit of work
- 29"The most beautiful deception of all," per Debussy
- 30Tedious work
- 31Much social media humor
- 33"That is messed up, girl!"
- 39___ and foremost
- 40Origin crossers
- 42Marshland
- 45Org. whose officers train at Camp Peary
- 46Cause to jump, say
- 49"Protect the quarterback, buddy!"
- 52Pupil's place
- 53Best way to sing
- 54What "sostenuto" means in music
- 56Cuba ___ (drink)
- 57"That's unbelievable, love!"
- 60Diarist Nin
- 61Leave out
- 62Finger
- 63Seems to point to
- 64"Damned if ___ ..."
- 65Put on a schedule
Down
- 1Atlanta-based govt. agency
- 2"Come again?"
- 3How some funds are held
- 4What old paint might do
- 5Smallest three-syllable number
- 6Tin lizzie
- 7Language in which "Kia ora" means "Hello"
- 8Director Lee
- 9Goes for the expensive option, say
- 10Sticky, as a situation
- 11Nissan sedan
- 12Try again
- 13"That ___ ring a bell"
- 18One of two on a record
- 21Physicist Enrico
- 22Afterthought's afterthought: Abbr.
- 23Plug-in Chevy
- 25Geese formations
- 27Cry near quittin' time
- 31Colorado summer hrs.
- 32Classic cookie cutter shape
- 34Something feigned by Ferris Bueller to get out of school
- 35Shoshone, e.g.
- 36Biblical birthright barterer
- 37Not from within
- 38Depend (on)
- 41"Get it?"
- 42Forensics HQ in Quantico, Va.
- 43Cause of some turbulent weather
- 44"That's halfway decent!"
- 46Like a good poker face
- 47Look after
- 48Cry of frustration
- 50Marie who is the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different science fields
- 51Ectoplasmic residue
- 55Many ages
- 57"Mind. Blown."
- 58Brooding music genre
- 59So far
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Word with chocolate or computer — Answer: CHIP
- 5. Thompson or Stone of 2021's "Cruella" — Answer: EMMA
- 9. Fragment — Answer: SHARD
- 14. Sci-fi novel with giant sandworms — Answer: DUNE
- 15. Help for a faltering business — Answer: LOAN
- 16. Type of hunter-gatherer diet — Answer: PALEO
- 17. "Smile for the photo, dude!" — Answer: CHEESEDOG
- 19. Able to bend smoothly — Answer: LITHE
- 20. Fragment — Answer: SLIVER
- 21. Mythological instruments of vengeance — Answer: FURIES
- 22. Contractor's pipe material, for short — Answer: PVC
- 24. "Work on your enunciation, bro!" — Answer: DELIVERYMAN
- 26. Omen — Answer: PORTENT
- 28. Little bit of work — Answer: ERG
- 29. "The most beautiful deception of all," per Debussy — Answer: ART
- 30. Tedious work — Answer: SLOG
- 31. Much social media humor — Answer: MEMES
- 33. "That is messed up, girl!" — Answer: TWISTEDSISTER
- 39. ___ and foremost — Answer: FIRST
- 40. Origin crossers — Answer: AXES
- 42. Marshland — Answer: FEN
- 45. Org. whose officers train at Camp Peary — Answer: CIA
- 46. Cause to jump, say — Answer: STARTLE
- 49. "Protect the quarterback, buddy!" — Answer: BLOCKBUSTER
- 52. Pupil's place — Answer: EYE
- 53. Best way to sing — Answer: INTUNE
- 54. What "sostenuto" means in music — Answer: LONGER
- 56. Cuba ___ (drink) — Answer: LIBRE
- 57. "That's unbelievable, love!" — Answer: WILDHONEY
- 60. Diarist Nin — Answer: ANAIS
- 61. Leave out — Answer: OMIT
- 62. Finger — Answer: NAME
- 63. Seems to point to — Answer: BODES
- 64. "Damned if ___ ..." — Answer: WEDO
- 65. Put on a schedule — Answer: SLOT
Down
- 1. Atlanta-based govt. agency — Answer: CDC
- 2. "Come again?" — Answer: HUH
- 3. How some funds are held — Answer: INESCROW
- 4. What old paint might do — Answer: PEEL
- 5. Smallest three-syllable number — Answer: ELEVEN
- 6. Tin lizzie — Answer: MODELT
- 7. Language in which "Kia ora" means "Hello" — Answer: MAORI
- 8. Director Lee — Answer: ANG
- 9. Goes for the expensive option, say — Answer: SPLURGES
- 10. Sticky, as a situation — Answer: HAIRY
- 11. Nissan sedan — Answer: ALTIMA
- 12. Try again — Answer: REHEAR
- 13. "That ___ ring a bell" — Answer: DOESNT
- 18. One of two on a record — Answer: SIDE
- 21. Physicist Enrico — Answer: FERMI
- 22. Afterthought's afterthought: Abbr. — Answer: PPS
- 23. Plug-in Chevy — Answer: VOLT
- 25. Geese formations — Answer: VEES
- 27. Cry near quittin' time — Answer: TGIF
- 31. Colorado summer hrs. — Answer: MDT
- 32. Classic cookie cutter shape — Answer: STAR
- 34. Something feigned by Ferris Bueller to get out of school — Answer: SICKNESS
- 35. Shoshone, e.g. — Answer: TRIBE
- 36. Biblical birthright barterer — Answer: ESAU
- 37. Not from within — Answer: EXTERNAL
- 38. Depend (on) — Answer: RELY
- 41. "Get it?" — Answer: SEE
- 42. Forensics HQ in Quantico, Va. — Answer: FBILAB
- 43. Cause of some turbulent weather — Answer: ELNINO
- 44. "That's halfway decent!" — Answer: NOTBAD
- 46. Like a good poker face — Answer: STOLID
- 47. Look after — Answer: TENDTO
- 48. Cry of frustration — Answer: ARGH
- 50. Marie who is the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different science fields — Answer: CURIE
- 51. Ectoplasmic residue — Answer: SLIME
- 55. Many ages — Answer: EONS
- 57. "Mind. Blown." — Answer: WOW
- 58. Brooding music genre — Answer: EMO
- 59. So far — Answer: YET
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Wednesday, May 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 May 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 May 21, 2025
The full solution for the May 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 Wednesday, May 21.
Hints for the May 21 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 21 puzzle fell on a Wednesday, 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 Wednesday 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 21, 2025?
Every answer for the Wednesday, May 21, 2025 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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