NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - Sep 16

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

By Jonathan Daly

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Relatives, informally
  2. 4Carved bit of jewelry
  3. 9Figure out
  4. 14Pub pintful
  5. 15___ Dictionary (crowdsourced online reference)
  6. 16Frog's sound
  7. 17*High-status American Express offering
  8. 19Cause of food poisoning, for short
  9. 20Thin and graceful
  10. 21Revolutionary Trotsky
  11. 23Barbie's boyfriend
  12. 24"Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" singer
  13. 25*Task for a locksmith
  14. 28Science fiction princess
  15. 30Destiny
  16. 31*Motion of receding waves
  17. 35Office paper fastener
  18. 37Spanish article
  19. 38Miss Havisham's ward in "Great Expectations"
  20. 42Lennon's love
  21. 43Japanese soup flavoring
  22. 45*Bottom of the ocean
  23. 47Drinking aids
  24. 51"At Last" singer James
  25. 52*Product of meat scraps that, despite its name, is dairy-free
  26. 54Not bad, but not great
  27. 58Donkey
  28. 59Monk's hood
  29. 60Theater employee
  30. 61Shade akin to cream
  31. 63Train conductor's cry ... or a hint to each word in the answers to the starred clues
  32. 66Strung along
  33. 67Rock with a crystal-filled cavity
  34. 68Hwy.
  35. 69Highly skilled
  36. 70Opposite of delete
  37. 71Floppy part of a beagle

Down

  1. 1Story with a moral
  2. 2Bold poker bet
  3. 3Substantial
  4. 4Long, green veggie
  5. 5Curved path
  6. 6Wall St. credential
  7. 7Premature
  8. 8Next to bat
  9. 9Aromas
  10. 10Elf's foe
  11. 11A shopper, not a buyer, informally
  12. 12Fashion house named for its founder, Signor Garavani
  13. 13Scraping (by)
  14. 18Sidewalk writing medium
  15. 22Non's opposite
  16. 25Soul and Sorento
  17. 26Sunrise direction
  18. 27Cable inits. for cinephiles
  19. 29Farm mother
  20. 31Mooch, as a cigarette
  21. 32Licorice-flavored spice
  22. 33Rejected
  23. 34"___ Just Not That Into You" (2009 film)
  24. 36___ favor
  25. 39Levi's alternative
  26. 40Behind
  27. 41Rear, in the boat
  28. 44Chicago airport code
  29. 46Rodeo rope
  30. 48Southern drawl, for example
  31. 49Owl's question?
  32. 50Waste that's been flushed
  33. 52"Se ___ español"
  34. 53Actress Pompeo of "Grey's Anatomy"
  35. 55Chicago airport
  36. 56Sealy competitor
  37. 57Big Mac meal with a Coke, e.g.
  38. 60Ride from an airport, maybe
  39. 62Republicans, for short
  40. 64Place to park
  41. 65Citrus drink suffix

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Relatives, informally — Answer: FAM
  2. 4. Carved bit of jewelry — Answer: CAMEO
  3. 9. Figure out — Answer: SOLVE
  4. 14. Pub pintful — Answer: ALE
  5. 15. ___ Dictionary (crowdsourced online reference) — Answer: URBAN
  6. 16. Frog's sound — Answer: CROAK
  7. 17. *High-status American Express offering — Answer: BLACKCARD
  8. 19. Cause of food poisoning, for short — Answer: ECOLI
  9. 20. Thin and graceful — Answer: LITHE
  10. 21. Revolutionary Trotsky — Answer: LEON
  11. 23. Barbie's boyfriend — Answer: KEN
  12. 24. "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" singer — Answer: ENYA
  13. 25. *Task for a locksmith — Answer: KEYCUTTING
  14. 28. Science fiction princess — Answer: LEIA
  15. 30. Destiny — Answer: KISMET
  16. 31. *Motion of receding waves — Answer: BACKWASH
  17. 35. Office paper fastener — Answer: CLIP
  18. 37. Spanish article — Answer: UNA
  19. 38. Miss Havisham's ward in "Great Expectations" — Answer: ESTELLA
  20. 42. Lennon's love — Answer: ONO
  21. 43. Japanese soup flavoring — Answer: MISO
  22. 45. *Bottom of the ocean — Answer: SEAFLOOR
  23. 47. Drinking aids — Answer: STRAWS
  24. 51. "At Last" singer James — Answer: ETTA
  25. 52. *Product of meat scraps that, despite its name, is dairy-free — Answer: HEADCHEESE
  26. 54. Not bad, but not great — Answer: SOSO
  27. 58. Donkey — Answer: ASS
  28. 59. Monk's hood — Answer: COWL
  29. 60. Theater employee — Answer: USHER
  30. 61. Shade akin to cream — Answer: BEIGE
  31. 63. Train conductor's cry ... or a hint to each word in the answers to the starred clues — Answer: ALLABOARD
  32. 66. Strung along — Answer: LEDON
  33. 67. Rock with a crystal-filled cavity — Answer: GEODE
  34. 68. Hwy. — Answer: RTE
  35. 69. Highly skilled — Answer: ADEPT
  36. 70. Opposite of delete — Answer: ENTER
  37. 71. Floppy part of a beagle — Answer: EAR

Down

  1. 1. Story with a moral — Answer: FABLE
  2. 2. Bold poker bet — Answer: ALLIN
  3. 3. Substantial — Answer: MEATY
  4. 4. Long, green veggie — Answer: CUKE
  5. 5. Curved path — Answer: ARC
  6. 6. Wall St. credential — Answer: MBA
  7. 7. Premature — Answer: EARLY
  8. 8. Next to bat — Answer: ONDECK
  9. 9. Aromas — Answer: SCENTS
  10. 10. Elf's foe — Answer: ORC
  11. 11. A shopper, not a buyer, informally — Answer: LOOKIELOO
  12. 12. Fashion house named for its founder, Signor Garavani — Answer: VALENTINO
  13. 13. Scraping (by) — Answer: EKING
  14. 18. Sidewalk writing medium — Answer: CHALK
  15. 22. Non's opposite — Answer: OUI
  16. 25. Soul and Sorento — Answer: KIAS
  17. 26. Sunrise direction — Answer: EAST
  18. 27. Cable inits. for cinephiles — Answer: TMC
  19. 29. Farm mother — Answer: EWE
  20. 31. Mooch, as a cigarette — Answer: BUM
  21. 32. Licorice-flavored spice — Answer: ANISESEED
  22. 33. Rejected — Answer: CASTASIDE
  23. 34. "___ Just Not That Into You" (2009 film) — Answer: HES
  24. 36. ___ favor — Answer: POR
  25. 39. Levi's alternative — Answer: LEES
  26. 40. Behind — Answer: LATE
  27. 41. Rear, in the boat — Answer: AFT
  28. 44. Chicago airport code — Answer: ORD
  29. 46. Rodeo rope — Answer: LASSO
  30. 48. Southern drawl, for example — Answer: ACCENT
  31. 49. Owl's question? — Answer: WHO
  32. 50. Waste that's been flushed — Answer: SEWAGE
  33. 52. "Se ___ español" — Answer: HABLA
  34. 53. Actress Pompeo of "Grey's Anatomy" — Answer: ELLEN
  35. 55. Chicago airport — Answer: OHARE
  36. 56. Sealy competitor — Answer: SERTA
  37. 57. Big Mac meal with a Coke, e.g. — Answer: ORDER
  38. 60. Ride from an airport, maybe — Answer: UBER
  39. 62. Republicans, for short — Answer: GOP
  40. 64. Place to park — Answer: LOT
  41. 65. Citrus drink suffix — Answer: ADE

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Tuesday, September 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 September 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 September 16, 2025

The full solution for the September 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 Tuesday, September 16.

Hints for the September 16 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The September 16 puzzle fell on a Tuesday, 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 Tuesday 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.

Looking for a different day?

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Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Crossword answers on September 16, 2025?

Every answer for the Tuesday, September 16, 2025 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

Where can I find today's NYT Crossword answers?

Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.

How do I look up a different date?

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