Pilots a plane

Crossword Answer — June 17, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

By Tarun Krishnamurthy

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

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Ride-or-dies, in brief
  2. 5Healthy ones may be square
  3. 10Lively party
  4. 14Came down to earth
  5. 15Skate park trick
  6. 16Defaulter's loss, in brief
  7. 17Classic Beatles song written and sung by George Harrison
  8. 20Windstorm often accompanied by rain
  9. 21Shakespeare's Globe, e.g.
  10. 22Auction offer
  11. 23Outdoor gear giant
  12. 25Volcanic output
  13. 26Mathematician/philosopher who wrote "I think, therefore I am"
  14. 30Sidekick
  15. 31Talks in all caps, say
  16. 32Pedicured digit
  17. 34Pilots a plane
  18. 37Experience humiliation
  19. 40With 41-Across, popular candy represented by the circled letters in 17-, 26- and 57-Across?
  20. 41See 40-Across
  21. 42Like Santa's helpers
  22. 43Many an I.R.S. employee
  23. 46Like many dorm rooms
  24. 47Went through the air like a perfectly thrown football
  25. 50Shady, in modern lingo
  26. 53Aware of, as dangers
  27. 54Insta upload
  28. 57Does some door-to-door campaigning
  29. 60Own up to
  30. 61Reason for overtime
  31. 62Bloke
  32. 63Spades or diamonds
  33. 64"Chandelier" singer, 2014
  34. 65Typical high school student ... like this puzzle's constructor!

Down

  1. 1Money in Thailand
  2. 2Skedaddle
  3. 3Something one probably won't change one's mind on
  4. 4Intervene
  5. 5Cattle calls
  6. 6Street liners in parts of New England
  7. 7Word after ginger or pale
  8. 8Online post whose title may begin "The Top 10 Best ..."
  9. 9Rogen of "The Studio" and "The Interview"
  10. 10Choice at KFC
  11. 11They're a matter of taste
  12. 12Cowboy boot attachment
  13. 13Sharpen, as skills
  14. 18Surrender
  15. 19Learn by word of mouth
  16. 24Subj. for some new U.S. residents
  17. 26Get tangled up
  18. 27Easter egg colorings
  19. 28"Make it snappy!"
  20. 29Sensitive skin spots
  21. 30Cut back
  22. 33Handicrafts site
  23. 35Garage sale caveat
  24. 36A sixth of the way through the hour
  25. 38RR
  26. 39Proof of ownership
  27. 43Wave peaks
  28. 44Sequel title ender
  29. 45Tennis's Gibson who won back-to-back Wimbledons and U.S. Opens
  30. 48Suffix with percent
  31. 49Wireless standard inits.
  32. 50Relaxing retreats
  33. 51Language in which the first four counting numbers are ek, do, tin, char
  34. 5218-wheeler
  35. 54Sports star who debuted with the New York Cosmos in 1975
  36. 55Tahiti, e.g.
  37. 56Jackie of "Rush Hour"
  38. 58Host's directive to a guest
  39. 59Tennis do-over

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Ride-or-dies, in brief — Answer: BFFS
  2. 5. Healthy ones may be square — Answer: MEALS
  3. 10. Lively party — Answer: BASH
  4. 14. Came down to earth — Answer: ALIT
  5. 15. Skate park trick — Answer: OLLIE
  6. 16. Defaulter's loss, in brief — Answer: REPO
  7. 17. Classic Beatles song written and sung by George Harrison — Answer: HERECOMESTHESUN
  8. 20. Windstorm often accompanied by rain — Answer: TEMPEST
  9. 21. Shakespeare's Globe, e.g. — Answer: THEATRE
  10. 22. Auction offer — Answer: BID
  11. 23. Outdoor gear giant — Answer: REI
  12. 25. Volcanic output — Answer: ASH
  13. 26. Mathematician/philosopher who wrote "I think, therefore I am" — Answer: RENEDESCARTES
  14. 30. Sidekick — Answer: PAL
  15. 31. Talks in all caps, say — Answer: YELLS
  16. 32. Pedicured digit — Answer: TOE
  17. 34. Pilots a plane — Answer: AVIATES
  18. 37. Experience humiliation — Answer: EATDIRT
  19. 40. With 41-Across, popular candy represented by the circled letters in 17-, 26- and 57-Across? — Answer: REESES
  20. 41. See 40-Across — Answer: PIECES
  21. 42. Like Santa's helpers — Answer: ELFIN
  22. 43. Many an I.R.S. employee — Answer: CPA
  23. 46. Like many dorm rooms — Answer: MESSY
  24. 47. Went through the air like a perfectly thrown football — Answer: SPIRALLED
  25. 50. Shady, in modern lingo — Answer: SUS
  26. 53. Aware of, as dangers — Answer: ALERTTO
  27. 54. Insta upload — Answer: PIC
  28. 57. Does some door-to-door campaigning — Answer: PRESSESTHEFLESH
  29. 60. Own up to — Answer: ADMIT
  30. 61. Reason for overtime — Answer: TIE
  31. 62. Bloke — Answer: FELLA
  32. 63. Spades or diamonds — Answer: SUIT
  33. 64. "Chandelier" singer, 2014 — Answer: SIA
  34. 65. Typical high school student ... like this puzzle's constructor! — Answer: TEEN

Down

  1. 1. Money in Thailand — Answer: BAHT
  2. 2. Skedaddle — Answer: FLEE
  3. 3. Something one probably won't change one's mind on — Answer: FIRMBELIEF
  4. 4. Intervene — Answer: STEPIN
  5. 5. Cattle calls — Answer: MOOS
  6. 6. Street liners in parts of New England — Answer: ELMTREES
  7. 7. Word after ginger or pale — Answer: ALE
  8. 8. Online post whose title may begin "The Top 10 Best ..." — Answer: LISTICLE
  9. 9. Rogen of "The Studio" and "The Interview" — Answer: SETH
  10. 10. Choice at KFC — Answer: BREAST
  11. 11. They're a matter of taste — Answer: AESTHETICS
  12. 12. Cowboy boot attachment — Answer: SPUR
  13. 13. Sharpen, as skills — Answer: HONE
  14. 18. Surrender — Answer: CEDE
  15. 19. Learn by word of mouth — Answer: HEAR
  16. 24. Subj. for some new U.S. residents — Answer: ESL
  17. 26. Get tangled up — Answer: RAVEL
  18. 27. Easter egg colorings — Answer: DYES
  19. 28. "Make it snappy!" — Answer: ASAP
  20. 29. Sensitive skin spots — Answer: SORES
  21. 30. Cut back — Answer: PARE
  22. 33. Handicrafts site — Answer: ETSY
  23. 35. Garage sale caveat — Answer: ASIS
  24. 36. A sixth of the way through the hour — Answer: TENPAST
  25. 38. RR — Answer: TIMEOFF
  26. 39. Proof of ownership — Answer: DEED
  27. 43. Wave peaks — Answer: CRESTS
  28. 44. Sequel title ender — Answer: PARTII
  29. 45. Tennis's Gibson who won back-to-back Wimbledons and U.S. Opens — Answer: ALTHEA
  30. 48. Suffix with percent — Answer: ILE
  31. 49. Wireless standard inits. — Answer: LTE
  32. 50. Relaxing retreats — Answer: SPAS
  33. 51. Language in which the first four counting numbers are ek, do, tin, char — Answer: URDU
  34. 52. 18-wheeler — Answer: SEMI
  35. 54. Sports star who debuted with the New York Cosmos in 1975 — Answer: PELE
  36. 55. Tahiti, e.g. — Answer: ISLE
  37. 56. Jackie of "Rush Hour" — Answer: CHAN
  38. 58. Host's directive to a guest — Answer: SIT
  39. 59. Tennis do-over — Answer: LET

The answer to “Pilots a plane” in the New York Times crossword is AVIATES — a 7-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on June 17, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 34-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.

“Pilots a plane” answer

AVIATES (7 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 AVIATES.

Why the answer is AVIATES

AVIATES is the 7-letter solution that fits "Pilots a plane" in the NYT Crossword crossword on June 17, 2025 (34-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Pilots a plane” 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.

June 17, 2025 (this puzzle) → AVIATES. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on June 17, 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 June 17, 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 Tuesday 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 “Pilots a plane”?

The answer is AVIATES, a 7-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on June 17, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Pilots a plane”?

7 letters: AVIATES.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on June 17, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 34-Across.

Can “Pilots a plane” 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 June 17, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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