Basketball's O'Neal, to fans

Crossword Answer — September 22, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Monday, September 22, 2025

By Dena R. Verkuil and Andrea Carla Michaels

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1School stat like 3.5 or 4.0
  2. 4Yeast, mold and mushrooms
  3. 9Desert plants with needles
  4. 14Tree with "American" and "slippery" varieties
  5. 15Alaskan native
  6. 16Synthetic fabric once common in sweaters
  7. 17Born as
  8. 18Wine choice in southern France
  9. 20Bonkers
  10. 22Compete (for)
  11. 23Changes with the times
  12. 24Females that may be fleeced
  13. 26Cinema showing
  14. 27Canadian P.M. who is the son of another Canadian P.M.
  15. 32Cyber Monday sector
  16. 33Put to work
  17. 34Ask God (for)
  18. 37Identify in a Facebook photo
  19. 38Where canines sleep
  20. 42"Du-u-ude!"
  21. 43Basketball's O'Neal, to fans
  22. 45Keanu Reeves's character in "The Matrix"
  23. 46To no ___ (ineffectively)
  24. 48Platform for Donkey Kong Country
  25. 52Ingredient in many hand lotions
  26. 53The lion's share
  27. 54Cigarette butt receptacle
  28. 57Major N.Y.C. concert venue
  29. 58Do the backstroke or breaststroke
  30. 62Chunks found in Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream
  31. 65Avant-garde musical artist Yoko
  32. 66Fixed, as a piano
  33. 67"The Godfather" author Puzo
  34. 68Frequently, to a poet
  35. 69Winter coasters
  36. 70Surgical tube
  37. 71Cry from Homer ... or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across

Down

  1. 1Kids these days
  2. 2"Not guilty," e.g.
  3. 3"You got that right, sister!"
  4. 4Certain evergreen
  5. 5Like some bars in gymnastics
  6. 6One who is barely seen?
  7. 7Jeer
  8. 8"How was ___ know?"
  9. 9Pamper
  10. 10Tour guide?
  11. 11Crash of thunder
  12. 12Promote enthusiastically
  13. 13"Need You Tonight" rock band
  14. 19Like speakeasies and refrigerators, at times
  15. 21Brand of cooler that shares its name with a Himalayan legend
  16. 25Opposite of tame
  17. 26Join into one
  18. 27Jacuzzi features
  19. 28Where to find the Jazz
  20. 29Long-winded tales
  21. 30Apply, as ointment
  22. 31City-related
  23. 35Desertlike
  24. 36Carefree motto, in modern lingo
  25. 39Low-scoring deadlock
  26. 40Richard of "Pretty Woman"
  27. 41Hurdles for srs.
  28. 44Sounded like a duck
  29. 47Farm docs
  30. 49Tartan patterns
  31. 50"Yeah, right"
  32. 51Bean
  33. 54Does some theater work
  34. 55Word before food or mate
  35. 56Refine, as a skill
  36. 57Castle defense
  37. 59What a whittler whittles
  38. 60Facts
  39. 61Relative of a butterfly
  40. 63Private online chats, for short
  41. 64Spicy

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. School stat like 3.5 or 4.0 — Answer: GPA
  2. 4. Yeast, mold and mushrooms — Answer: FUNGI
  3. 9. Desert plants with needles — Answer: CACTI
  4. 14. Tree with "American" and "slippery" varieties — Answer: ELM
  5. 15. Alaskan native — Answer: INUIT
  6. 16. Synthetic fabric once common in sweaters — Answer: ORLON
  7. 17. Born as — Answer: NEE
  8. 18. Wine choice in southern France — Answer: REDBORDEAUX
  9. 20. Bonkers — Answer: ZANY
  10. 22. Compete (for) — Answer: VIE
  11. 23. Changes with the times — Answer: ADAPTS
  12. 24. Females that may be fleeced — Answer: EWES
  13. 26. Cinema showing — Answer: FILM
  14. 27. Canadian P.M. who is the son of another Canadian P.M. — Answer: JUSTINTRUDEAU
  15. 32. Cyber Monday sector — Answer: ETAIL
  16. 33. Put to work — Answer: USE
  17. 34. Ask God (for) — Answer: PRAY
  18. 37. Identify in a Facebook photo — Answer: TAG
  19. 38. Where canines sleep — Answer: DOGBEDS
  20. 42. "Du-u-ude!" — Answer: BRO
  21. 43. Basketball's O'Neal, to fans — Answer: SHAQ
  22. 45. Keanu Reeves's character in "The Matrix" — Answer: NEO
  23. 46. To no ___ (ineffectively) — Answer: AVAIL
  24. 48. Platform for Donkey Kong Country — Answer: SUPERNINTENDO
  25. 52. Ingredient in many hand lotions — Answer: ALOE
  26. 53. The lion's share — Answer: MOST
  27. 54. Cigarette butt receptacle — Answer: ASHCAN
  28. 57. Major N.Y.C. concert venue — Answer: MSG
  29. 58. Do the backstroke or breaststroke — Answer: SWIM
  30. 62. Chunks found in Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream — Answer: COOKIEDOUGH
  31. 65. Avant-garde musical artist Yoko — Answer: ONO
  32. 66. Fixed, as a piano — Answer: TUNED
  33. 67. "The Godfather" author Puzo — Answer: MARIO
  34. 68. Frequently, to a poet — Answer: OFT
  35. 69. Winter coasters — Answer: SLEDS
  36. 70. Surgical tube — Answer: STENT
  37. 71. Cry from Homer ... or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across — Answer: DOH

Down

  1. 1. Kids these days — Answer: GENZ
  2. 2. "Not guilty," e.g. — Answer: PLEA
  3. 3. "You got that right, sister!" — Answer: AMEN
  4. 4. Certain evergreen — Answer: FIR
  5. 5. Like some bars in gymnastics — Answer: UNEVEN
  6. 6. One who is barely seen? — Answer: NUDIST
  7. 7. Jeer — Answer: GIBE
  8. 8. "How was ___ know?" — Answer: ITO
  9. 9. Pamper — Answer: CODDLE
  10. 10. Tour guide? — Answer: AREAMAP
  11. 11. Crash of thunder — Answer: CLAP
  12. 12. Promote enthusiastically — Answer: TOUT
  13. 13. "Need You Tonight" rock band — Answer: INXS
  14. 19. Like speakeasies and refrigerators, at times — Answer: RAIDED
  15. 21. Brand of cooler that shares its name with a Himalayan legend — Answer: YETI
  16. 25. Opposite of tame — Answer: WILD
  17. 26. Join into one — Answer: FUSE
  18. 27. Jacuzzi features — Answer: JETS
  19. 28. Where to find the Jazz — Answer: UTAH
  20. 29. Long-winded tales — Answer: SAGAS
  21. 30. Apply, as ointment — Answer: RUBON
  22. 31. City-related — Answer: URBAN
  23. 35. Desertlike — Answer: ARID
  24. 36. Carefree motto, in modern lingo — Answer: YOLO
  25. 39. Low-scoring deadlock — Answer: ONEONE
  26. 40. Richard of "Pretty Woman" — Answer: GERE
  27. 41. Hurdles for srs. — Answer: SATS
  28. 44. Sounded like a duck — Answer: QUACKED
  29. 47. Farm docs — Answer: VETS
  30. 49. Tartan patterns — Answer: PLAIDS
  31. 50. "Yeah, right" — Answer: IMSURE
  32. 51. Bean — Answer: NOGGIN. Hint: Think of a playful way to refer to your head! 🧠
  33. 54. Does some theater work — Answer: ACTS
  34. 55. Word before food or mate — Answer: SOUL
  35. 56. Refine, as a skill — Answer: HONE
  36. 57. Castle defense — Answer: MOAT
  37. 59. What a whittler whittles — Answer: WOOD
  38. 60. Facts — Answer: INFO
  39. 61. Relative of a butterfly — Answer: MOTH
  40. 63. Private online chats, for short — Answer: DMS
  41. 64. Spicy — Answer: HOT

The answer to “Basketball's O'Neal, to fans” in the New York Times crossword is SHAQ — a 4-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on September 22, 2025, a Monday puzzle, at 43-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.

“Basketball's O'Neal, to fans” answer

SHAQ (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 SHAQ.

Why the answer is SHAQ

SHAQ is the 4-letter solution that fits "Basketball's O'Neal, to fans" in the NYT Crossword crossword on September 22, 2025 (43-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Basketball's O'Neal, to fans” 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 22, 2025 (this puzzle) → SHAQ. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on September 22, 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 22, 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 Monday 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 “Basketball's O'Neal, to fans”?

The answer is SHAQ, a 4-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on September 22, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Basketball's O'Neal, to fans”?

4 letters: SHAQ.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on September 22, 2025 (a Monday puzzle), at 43-Across.

Can “Basketball's O'Neal, to fans” 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 22, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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