Friday, May 23, 2025
By Kate Hawkins
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Dining at Chipotle or Panera, e.g.
- 11Hand-held 2000s Sony console, for short
- 14"The Black Unicorn" poet, 1978
- 15"Oh, that's a good one"
- 16"Actually, I have good news"
- 18Crush
- 19Punt e ___ (vermouth brand)
- 20Tight formation
- 21Express disapproval, in a way
- 23Boston University athlete
- 24Expect
- 27Inst. in Athens
- 29Color akin to camel
- 30Sucked up
- 33Class in middle or high school
- 36Yellowstone traffic stoppers
- 37Cocktails garnished with mint leaves
- 39Digitus minimus pedis, for one
- 40"Every ___ and fairy sprite / Hop as light as bird from brier": Shak.
- 41"I'm listening ..."
- 43Baboon
- 46First in command?
- 47"The Artist's Garden at Giverny" artist
- 48Uber-progressives
- 51Doppelgänger
- 53Feeling it more
- 54"Very. Funny."
- 55Drudge
- 59Something taken by many artists
- 62Fish bred by Roman nobles
- 63What might get you out of a jam?
- 641/48 cup: Abbr.
- 65What some loggers log
Down
- 1Upright
- 2Malibu, e.g.
- 3Calif. school that runs the Mount Laguna Observatory
- 4"Have a taste"
- 5Steering committee V.I.P.
- 6Quinquennial campus visitors, maybe
- 7It hurts when it comes up
- 8Digital addresses
- 9Secondary residence on a property, for short
- 10Café add-in
- 11Children's character who wears a duffle coat
- 12Cement ingredient
- 13One footing the bill
- 15Monster slain in one of Hercules' 12 labors
- 17Author Vonnegut
- 22Object
- 23Little rats
- 24Fruit that grows on Jamaican beaches
- 25Determination
- 26Request a hand
- 28Cunning
- 31Period
- 32South Korean golfer Kim
- 34Days long past
- 35Convene
- 38Place for a cabin
- 42___ Lamar Hill a.k.a. Lil Nas X
- 44Fugitive's cover
- 45Units that might be metrical or imperial
- 48Aspect
- 49A lot can be made of these
- 50Check for pieces, say
- 52Watch this space!
- 54Actress/inventor Lamarr, the so-called "mother of Wi-Fi"
- 56Kid-friendly race length, in brief
- 57"Gotcha"
- 58Some redos
- 60Compete (for)
- 61Middle: Abbr.
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Dining at Chipotle or Panera, e.g. — Answer: FASTCASUAL
- 11. Hand-held 2000s Sony console, for short — Answer: PSP
- 14. "The Black Unicorn" poet, 1978 — Answer: AUDRELORDE
- 15. "Oh, that's a good one" — Answer: HAHA
- 16. "Actually, I have good news" — Answer: ITSYOURLUCKYDAY
- 18. Crush — Answer: ROUT
- 19. Punt e ___ (vermouth brand) — Answer: MES
- 20. Tight formation — Answer: HUDDLE
- 21. Express disapproval, in a way — Answer: HISS
- 23. Boston University athlete — Answer: TERRIER
- 24. Expect — Answer: AWAIT
- 27. Inst. in Athens — Answer: UGA
- 29. Color akin to camel — Answer: TAN
- 30. Sucked up — Answer: KISSEDBUTT
- 33. Class in middle or high school — Answer: GYM
- 36. Yellowstone traffic stoppers — Answer: ELK
- 37. Cocktails garnished with mint leaves — Answer: MOJITOS
- 39. Digitus minimus pedis, for one — Answer: TOE
- 40. "Every ___ and fairy sprite / Hop as light as bird from brier": Shak. — Answer: ELF
- 41. "I'm listening ..." — Answer: TELLMEMORE
- 43. Baboon — Answer: OAF
- 46. First in command? — Answer: CEE
- 47. "The Artist's Garden at Giverny" artist — Answer: MONET
- 48. Uber-progressives — Answer: FARLEFT
- 51. Doppelgänger — Answer: TWIN
- 53. Feeling it more — Answer: ACHIER
- 54. "Very. Funny." — Answer: HAR
- 55. Drudge — Answer: TOIL
- 59. Something taken by many artists — Answer: CREATIVELICENSE
- 62. Fish bred by Roman nobles — Answer: EELS
- 63. What might get you out of a jam? — Answer: SIDESTREET
- 64. 1/48 cup: Abbr. — Answer: TSP
- 65. What some loggers log — Answer: KEYSTROKES
Down
- 1. Upright — Answer: FAIR
- 2. Malibu, e.g. — Answer: AUTO
- 3. Calif. school that runs the Mount Laguna Observatory — Answer: SDSU
- 4. "Have a taste" — Answer: TRYTHIS
- 5. Steering committee V.I.P. — Answer: CEO
- 6. Quinquennial campus visitors, maybe — Answer: ALUMS
- 7. It hurts when it comes up — Answer: SORESUBJECT
- 8. Digital addresses — Answer: URLS
- 9. Secondary residence on a property, for short — Answer: ADU
- 10. Café add-in — Answer: LECHE
- 11. Children's character who wears a duffle coat — Answer: PADDINGTON
- 12. Cement ingredient — Answer: SHALE
- 13. One footing the bill — Answer: PAYER
- 15. Monster slain in one of Hercules' 12 labors — Answer: HYDRA
- 17. Author Vonnegut — Answer: KURT
- 22. Object — Answer: ITEM
- 23. Little rats — Answer: TATTLETALES
- 24. Fruit that grows on Jamaican beaches — Answer: AKEE
- 25. Determination — Answer: WILL
- 26. Request a hand — Answer: ASKFORHELP
- 28. Cunning — Answer: GUILE
- 31. Period — Answer: DOT
- 32. South Korean golfer Kim — Answer: TOM
- 34. Days long past — Answer: YORE
- 35. Convene — Answer: MEET
- 38. Place for a cabin — Answer: SEMI
- 42. ___ Lamar Hill a.k.a. Lil Nas X — Answer: MONTERO
- 44. Fugitive's cover — Answer: ALIAS
- 45. Units that might be metrical or imperial — Answer: FEET
- 48. Aspect — Answer: FACET
- 49. A lot can be made of these — Answer: ACRES
- 50. Check for pieces, say — Answer: FRISK
- 52. Watch this space! — Answer: WRIST
- 54. Actress/inventor Lamarr, the so-called "mother of Wi-Fi" — Answer: HEDY
- 56. Kid-friendly race length, in brief — Answer: ONEK
- 57. "Gotcha" — Answer: ISEE
- 58. Some redos — Answer: LETS
- 60. Compete (for) — Answer: VIE
- 61. Middle: Abbr. — Answer: CTR
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, May 23, 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 23?” 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 23, 2025
The full solution for the May 23 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 23.
Hints for the May 23 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 23 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 23, 2025?
Every answer for the Friday, May 23, 2025 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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