Ripening agent

Crossword Answer — September 17, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

By Jackson Matz

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

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1State trees of North Dakota
  2. 5Ditto, in footnotes
  3. 9Measure (up)
  4. 14First in a line of 14 popes
  5. 15Some garage jobs
  6. 17Olympian Strug
  7. 18Start of a joke
  8. 20Elder brother of Moses
  9. 21Brand whose name is derived from the French phrase "sans caféine"
  10. 22Perfectly pitched?
  11. 24Sound effect in a slapstick routine
  12. 25One might hit it or raise it, metaphorically
  13. 27Vodka cocktails with orange liqueur and lime juice
  14. 29Awakening
  15. 32World Cup champs of 1978, 1986 and 2022: Abbr.
  16. 33Knowing what not to say, say
  17. 34Regional life forms
  18. 38Kitchen appliance brand
  19. 42Cry of dismay
  20. 43Grammy-winning Bruno Mars album of 2016 ... or a hint to an unusual feature of this puzzle's answer grid
  21. 45"Fat chance!"
  22. 46Classroom assignments
  23. 48Encouraged, with "on"
  24. 49Very pressing
  25. 50Cred
  26. 52One-named Barbadian superstar
  27. 54Title nickname in a classic 1984 sports film
  28. 60Time when streetlights turn on
  29. 61"All right already, I'll do it!"
  30. 62Punk or funk
  31. 64Joined, as a table
  32. 67Edmonton athlete
  33. 69Trinket
  34. 71Swedish coin
  35. 72Nursery song refrain
  36. 73Really loving
  37. 74Like a smart aleck
  38. 75Pushing against a boundary ... like this answer?
  39. 76"Shreds," in winter sports lingo

Down

  1. 1___ Club
  2. 2Actress Dunham
  3. 3Apollo mission mementos
  4. 4Alternative to a strike [cough cough]
  5. 5Variety
  6. 6Brooks & ___ (country duo)
  7. 7Literary download
  8. 8Anime style involving giant robots
  9. 9Rocksteady precursor
  10. 10Soothing home remedy for puffy eyes
  11. 11Spanish rice
  12. 12Sorcerous elder of folklore
  13. 13Garden hose problems
  14. 16Go over lightly
  15. 19Enemy agency in "Get Smart"
  16. 23___ Maria (liqueur)
  17. 26Beatles sobriquet
  18. 28See 68-Down
  19. 29Slightly
  20. 30Go pit-a-pat
  21. 31Enjoy
  22. 35Texter's "!!!"
  23. 36Make "it," in a kids' game
  24. 37Ripening agent
  25. 39Body of policy advisers
  26. 40Take home
  27. 41Bird named for a Titan
  28. 43Like a 6-3, 6-1 tennis match
  29. 44Contrite answer to "Who put the empty ice cream carton back in the freezer?"
  30. 47Legendary sea monsters
  31. 49Some bottled waters
  32. 51String tightener on a guitar
  33. 53Ear covering
  34. 54Screwballs
  35. 55Director Kurosawa
  36. 56Caramel-filled candies
  37. 57Actress Palmer of "Nope"
  38. 58Outie's counterpart
  39. 59Hung on the clothesline
  40. 63Vape pen, informally
  41. 65When Hamilton arrives in New York City, in "Hamilton"
  42. 66Some ring decisions, in brief
  43. 68With 28-Down, longtime McDonald's chief
  44. 70Comedian Jo

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. State trees of North Dakota — Answer: ELMS
  2. 5. Ditto, in footnotes — Answer: IDEM
  3. 9. Measure (up) — Answer: STACK
  4. 14. First in a line of 14 popes — Answer: LEOI
  5. 15. Some garage jobs — Answer: LUBES
  6. 17. Olympian Strug — Answer: KERRI
  7. 18. Start of a joke — Answer: KNOCKKNOCK
  8. 20. Elder brother of Moses — Answer: AARON
  9. 21. Brand whose name is derived from the French phrase "sans caféine" — Answer: SANKA
  10. 22. Perfectly pitched? — Answer: NOHIT
  11. 24. Sound effect in a slapstick routine — Answer: BONK
  12. 25. One might hit it or raise it, metaphorically — Answer: ROOF
  13. 27. Vodka cocktails with orange liqueur and lime juice — Answer: KAMIKAZES
  14. 29. Awakening — Answer: AROUSAL
  15. 32. World Cup champs of 1978, 1986 and 2022: Abbr. — Answer: ARG
  16. 33. Knowing what not to say, say — Answer: TACT
  17. 34. Regional life forms — Answer: BIOTA. Hint: Think of the collection of plants and animals that thrive in a specific area! 🌍
  18. 38. Kitchen appliance brand — Answer: OSTER
  19. 42. Cry of dismay — Answer: ACK
  20. 43. Grammy-winning Bruno Mars album of 2016 ... or a hint to an unusual feature of this puzzle's answer grid — Answer: 24KMAGIC
  21. 45. "Fat chance!" — Answer: HAH
  22. 46. Classroom assignments — Answer: DESKS
  23. 48. Encouraged, with "on" — Answer: EGGED
  24. 49. Very pressing — Answer: DIRE
  25. 50. Cred — Answer: REP
  26. 52. One-named Barbadian superstar — Answer: RIHANNA
  27. 54. Title nickname in a classic 1984 sports film — Answer: KARATEKID
  28. 60. Time when streetlights turn on — Answer: DUSK
  29. 61. "All right already, I'll do it!" — Answer: OKOK
  30. 62. Punk or funk — Answer: GENRE
  31. 64. Joined, as a table — Answer: SATAT
  32. 67. Edmonton athlete — Answer: OILER
  33. 69. Trinket — Answer: KNICKKNACK
  34. 71. Swedish coin — Answer: KRONA
  35. 72. Nursery song refrain — Answer: EIEIO
  36. 73. Really loving — Answer: INTO
  37. 74. Like a smart aleck — Answer: SASSY
  38. 75. Pushing against a boundary ... like this answer? — Answer: EDGY
  39. 76. "Shreds," in winter sports lingo — Answer: SKIS

Down

  1. 1. ___ Club — Answer: ELKS
  2. 2. Actress Dunham — Answer: LENA
  3. 3. Apollo mission mementos — Answer: MOONROCKS
  4. 4. Alternative to a strike [cough cough] — Answer: SICKOUT
  5. 5. Variety — Answer: ILK. Hint: Think of different types or categories of something! 🎭
  6. 6. Brooks & ___ (country duo) — Answer: DUNN
  7. 7. Literary download — Answer: EBOOK
  8. 8. Anime style involving giant robots — Answer: MECHA
  9. 9. Rocksteady precursor — Answer: SKA
  10. 10. Soothing home remedy for puffy eyes — Answer: TEABAGS
  11. 11. Spanish rice — Answer: ARROZ
  12. 12. Sorcerous elder of folklore — Answer: CRONE
  13. 13. Garden hose problems — Answer: KINKS
  14. 16. Go over lightly — Answer: SKIM
  15. 19. Enemy agency in "Get Smart" — Answer: KAOS
  16. 23. ___ Maria (liqueur) — Answer: TIA
  17. 26. Beatles sobriquet — Answer: FAB4
  18. 28. See 68-Down — Answer: KROC
  19. 29. Slightly — Answer: ATAD
  20. 30. Go pit-a-pat — Answer: RACE
  21. 31. Enjoy — Answer: LIKE
  22. 35. Texter's "!!!" — Answer: OMG
  23. 36. Make "it," in a kids' game — Answer: TAG
  24. 37. Ripening agent — Answer: AGER
  25. 39. Body of policy advisers — Answer: THINKTANK
  26. 40. Take home — Answer: EARN
  27. 41. Bird named for a Titan — Answer: RHEA
  28. 43. Like a 6-3, 6-1 tennis match — Answer: 2SET
  29. 44. Contrite answer to "Who put the empty ice cream carton back in the freezer?" — Answer: IDID
  30. 47. Legendary sea monsters — Answer: KRAKENS
  31. 49. Some bottled waters — Answer: DASANIS
  32. 51. String tightener on a guitar — Answer: PEG
  33. 53. Ear covering — Answer: HUSK
  34. 54. Screwballs — Answer: KOOKS
  35. 55. Director Kurosawa — Answer: AKIRA
  36. 56. Caramel-filled candies — Answer: ROLOS
  37. 57. Actress Palmer of "Nope" — Answer: KEKE
  38. 58. Outie's counterpart — Answer: INNIE
  39. 59. Hung on the clothesline — Answer: DRIED
  40. 63. Vape pen, informally — Answer: ECIG
  41. 65. When Hamilton arrives in New York City, in "Hamilton" — Answer: ACTI
  42. 66. Some ring decisions, in brief — Answer: TKOS
  43. 68. With 28-Down, longtime McDonald's chief — Answer: RAY
  44. 70. Comedian Jo — Answer: KOY

The answer to “Ripening agent” in the New York Times crossword is AGER — a 4-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on September 17, 2025, a Wednesday puzzle, at 37-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.

“Ripening agent” answer

AGER (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 AGER.

Why the answer is AGER

AGER is the 4-letter solution that fits "Ripening agent" in the NYT Crossword crossword on September 17, 2025 (37-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Ripening agent” 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.

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

More clues from the NYT Crossword on September 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 September 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 Wednesday 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 “Ripening agent”?

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

How many letters is the answer to “Ripening agent”?

4 letters: AGER.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on September 17, 2025 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 37-Down.

Can “Ripening agent” 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 September 17, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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