Cheerful air

Crossword Answer — July 17, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Thursday, July 17, 2025

By Sam Brody

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

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Top tier
  2. 6Environmental concern in Dr. Seuss's "The Lorax"
  3. 10Mild cheese
  4. 14Search engine giant based in China
  5. 15Flaky white fish
  6. 16Drag
  7. 17Microsoft offering whose name sounds like two letters of the alphabet
  8. 18Ones who are out of cite, in brief?
  9. 19Skip over
  10. 20Hang outdoors, say
  11. 22Expensive topper
  12. 23Subject of evaluation by a college panel, informally
  13. 26Intrusive
  14. 27Like respect for a parent
  15. 28It has its ups and downs
  16. 30Characters in "There Will Be Blood"
  17. 32Navigate
  18. 33Talking point at a political debate
  19. 34Small sticking point
  20. 37Layout of solar panels, e.g.
  21. 38Elvis Costello hit featured in "Notting Hill"
  22. 39Film heroine in search of the demigod Maui
  23. 41Precursor of the International Space Station
  24. 42Similar
  25. 44Something carried into battle
  26. 45Section at the end of a textbook, often
  27. 47Manner of speaking
  28. 48Jet wing fasteners
  29. 50Sprint
  30. 52Word before foot, fire or free
  31. 53Grand tales
  32. 54Badlands discovery, maybe
  33. 56Surface ___
  34. 57Afflicts
  35. 58Explosive stuff, familiarly
  36. 62Setting for some White House events
  37. 63Like some chatter
  38. 64Cartoon character who says "Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet"
  39. 65Pioneering puzzle-laden computer game
  40. 66Yearbook superlative
  41. 67Smart

Down

  1. 1Prez on a penny
  2. 2Burden
  3. 3Nervous twitch
  4. 4That's a thought
  5. 5(Stops (false (not any) witness) filming)
  6. 6Makes a mess, in a way, as a pet
  7. 7Compact wooden figures ... and a hint to 5-, 11-, 22- and 25-Down
  8. 8Agree to
  9. 9Come together
  10. 10Alpha Centauri A, par exemple
  11. 11(Bucks' (lady's (roadside stopover) title) mates)
  12. 12Director Kurosawa
  13. 13Headbanger's genre
  14. 21Part of a seat assignment
  15. 22(Baseball (German (physicist Ernst) possessive) rarities)
  16. 23Region known for its silk and tea
  17. 24___ dish
  18. 25(Church (Buffalo's (minister, informally) waters) seats)
  19. 27Seasonal malady
  20. 29Pirates' sphere
  21. 31"Gotcha"
  22. 33"You sure?"
  23. 35Words often appearing after a number and a hyphen
  24. 36Jamie ___, "Ted Lasso" character
  25. 40Tolkien creature
  26. 43___ Vegan (resident of Nevada's largest city)
  27. 46Withdraw one's testimony
  28. 47Pack animal
  29. 48Kingdom
  30. 49"Here's hoping ..."
  31. 51Plus
  32. 54Classic pet name
  33. 55Cheerful air
  34. 57Target
  35. 59"You're oversharing"
  36. 60Cartoon canine
  37. 61Alternative to .com

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Top tier — Answer: ATTIC
  2. 6. Environmental concern in Dr. Seuss's "The Lorax" — Answer: SMOG
  3. 10. Mild cheese — Answer: EDAM
  4. 14. Search engine giant based in China — Answer: BAIDU
  5. 15. Flaky white fish — Answer: HAKE
  6. 16. Drag — Answer: TOKE
  7. 17. Microsoft offering whose name sounds like two letters of the alphabet — Answer: EXCEL
  8. 18. Ones who are out of cite, in brief? — Answer: ETAL
  9. 19. Skip over — Answer: OMIT
  10. 20. Hang outdoors, say — Answer: AIRDRY
  11. 22. Expensive topper — Answer: TIARA
  12. 23. Subject of evaluation by a college panel, informally — Answer: APP
  13. 26. Intrusive — Answer: NOSY
  14. 27. Like respect for a parent — Answer: FILIAL
  15. 28. It has its ups and downs — Answer: SEESAW
  16. 30. Characters in "There Will Be Blood" — Answer: OILMEN
  17. 32. Navigate — Answer: STEER
  18. 33. Talking point at a political debate — Answer: ISSUE
  19. 34. Small sticking point — Answer: NIT
  20. 37. Layout of solar panels, e.g. — Answer: ARRAY
  21. 38. Elvis Costello hit featured in "Notting Hill" — Answer: SHE
  22. 39. Film heroine in search of the demigod Maui — Answer: MOANA
  23. 41. Precursor of the International Space Station — Answer: MIR
  24. 42. Similar — Answer: ALIKE
  25. 44. Something carried into battle — Answer: ARMOR
  26. 45. Section at the end of a textbook, often — Answer: ERRATA
  27. 47. Manner of speaking — Answer: ACCENT
  28. 48. Jet wing fasteners — Answer: RIVETS
  29. 50. Sprint — Answer: DASH
  30. 52. Word before foot, fire or free — Answer: SET
  31. 53. Grand tales — Answer: EPICS
  32. 54. Badlands discovery, maybe — Answer: FOSSIL
  33. 56. Surface ___ — Answer: AREA
  34. 57. Afflicts — Answer: AILS
  35. 58. Explosive stuff, familiarly — Answer: NITRO
  36. 62. Setting for some White House events — Answer: LAWN
  37. 63. Like some chatter — Answer: IDLE
  38. 64. Cartoon character who says "Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet" — Answer: ELMER
  39. 65. Pioneering puzzle-laden computer game — Answer: MYST
  40. 66. Yearbook superlative — Answer: MOST
  41. 67. Smart — Answer: STING

Down

  1. 1. Prez on a penny — Answer: ABE
  2. 2. Burden — Answer: TAX
  3. 3. Nervous twitch — Answer: TIC
  4. 4. That's a thought — Answer: IDEA
  5. 5. (Stops (false (not any) witness) filming) — Answer: CULINARYARTS
  6. 6. Makes a mess, in a way, as a pet — Answer: SHEDS
  7. 7. Compact wooden figures ... and a hint to 5-, 11-, 22- and 25-Down — Answer: MATRYOSHKADOLLS
  8. 8. Agree to — Answer: OKAY
  9. 9. Come together — Answer: GEL
  10. 10. Alpha Centauri A, par exemple — Answer: ETOILE
  11. 11. (Bucks' (lady's (roadside stopover) title) mates) — Answer: DOMAINNAMES
  12. 12. Director Kurosawa — Answer: AKIRA
  13. 13. Headbanger's genre — Answer: METAL
  14. 21. Part of a seat assignment — Answer: ROW
  15. 22. (Baseball (German (physicist Ernst) possessive) rarities) — Answer: TIMEMACHINES
  16. 23. Region known for its silk and tea — Answer: ASSAM
  17. 24. ___ dish — Answer: PETRI
  18. 25. (Church (Buffalo's (minister, informally) waters) seats) — Answer: PEERREVIEWS
  19. 27. Seasonal malady — Answer: FLU
  20. 29. Pirates' sphere — Answer: SEA
  21. 31. "Gotcha" — Answer: ISEE
  22. 33. "You sure?" — Answer: ISIT
  23. 35. Words often appearing after a number and a hyphen — Answer: INONE
  24. 36. Jamie ___, "Ted Lasso" character — Answer: TARTT
  25. 40. Tolkien creature — Answer: ORC
  26. 43. ___ Vegan (resident of Nevada's largest city) — Answer: LAS
  27. 46. Withdraw one's testimony — Answer: RECANT
  28. 47. Pack animal — Answer: ASS
  29. 48. Kingdom — Answer: REALM
  30. 49. "Here's hoping ..." — Answer: IPRAY
  31. 51. Plus — Answer: ASSET
  32. 54. Classic pet name — Answer: FIDO
  33. 55. Cheerful air — Answer: LILT
  34. 57. Target — Answer: AIM
  35. 59. "You're oversharing" — Answer: TMI
  36. 60. Cartoon canine — Answer: REN
  37. 61. Alternative to .com — Answer: ORG

The answer to “Cheerful air” in the New York Times crossword is LILT — a 4-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on July 17, 2025, a Thursday puzzle, at 55-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.

“Cheerful air” answer

LILT (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 LILT.

Why the answer is LILT

LILT is the 4-letter solution that fits "Cheerful air" in the NYT Crossword crossword on July 17, 2025 (55-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Cheerful air” 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.

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

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on July 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 July 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 Thursday 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 “Cheerful air”?

The answer is LILT, a 4-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on July 17, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Cheerful air”?

4 letters: LILT.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on July 17, 2025 (a Thursday puzzle), at 55-Down.

Can “Cheerful air” 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 July 17, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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