NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - Oct 21

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

By Spencer Leach

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1A right one is 90°
  2. 6Hairstyle for Questlove
  3. 10___ de plume
  4. 13Luxury watch brand
  5. 14Half of a classic lunch special
  6. 15Donate
  7. 16Reward for rolling over, perhaps
  8. 17Redwood or cottonwood
  9. 18Best starting hand in Texas hold 'em
  10. 19Device for capturing thermal images
  11. 22Little locking brick
  12. 23Radical religious groups
  13. 24Where you might dance to some underground music?
  14. 30Specialty coffee order
  15. 31Make a speech
  16. 32Buck's mate
  17. 35Valuable Minecraft blocks
  18. 36Entertain
  19. 37Postseason college football game
  20. 38Fig. on a college transcript
  21. 39Latin phrase that's often abbreviated
  22. 40Big name in briefs
  23. 41Venue for combatants wearing vests with sensors
  24. 44Maki or temaki
  25. 46Belgrade resident
  26. 47Wild guess ... or what 19-, 24- and 41-Across let you take?
  27. 53Bobber in a lake
  28. 54Peeved
  29. 55Nut-brown hue
  30. 57Head-butts
  31. 58"Summer of ___," Questlove documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival
  32. 59Cone or sphere
  33. 60Pub order
  34. 61The brother in "Am I my brother's keeper?"
  35. 62It might be picante

Down

  1. 1The "A" of MoMA
  2. 2Seaweed wrap for maki
  3. 3Secluded valley
  4. 4Some info sheets
  5. 5Radical
  6. 6One doing stellar work?
  7. 7Golfer's warning
  8. 8Regretted
  9. 9Major oil cartel, in brief
  10. 10"Bravo!"
  11. 11Blatant
  12. 12Flat-topped landforms
  13. 15Full range
  14. 20Tinder account datum that can't be edited
  15. 21The Hundred ___ Wood (storybook setting)
  16. 24Post to an online journal
  17. 25Org. for seniors
  18. 26Advances from third while the pitcher is distracted, say
  19. 27What team-building activities are designed to build
  20. 28Noodle that might be stuffed
  21. 29Dined
  22. 33Actor Wilson
  23. 34"Frozen" queen
  24. 36Suffix with lemon or stock
  25. 37Slow-cooked taco filling
  26. 39"___ just me, or ...?"
  27. 40Rigorously demanding sort
  28. 42Nautical greetings
  29. 43"Gosh!"
  30. 44Popular hummus brand
  31. 45Run-of-the-mill
  32. 48Rae of "Barbie"
  33. 49Inexperienced gamer, informally
  34. 50Factual
  35. 51What "maki" means in Japanese
  36. 52Kardashian matriarch
  37. 56Contract enforcing secrecy, for short

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. A right one is 90° — Answer: ANGLE
  2. 6. Hairstyle for Questlove — Answer: AFRO
  3. 10. ___ de plume — Answer: NOM
  4. 13. Luxury watch brand — Answer: ROLEX
  5. 14. Half of a classic lunch special — Answer: SOUP
  6. 15. Donate — Answer: GIVE
  7. 16. Reward for rolling over, perhaps — Answer: TREAT
  8. 17. Redwood or cottonwood — Answer: TREE
  9. 18. Best starting hand in Texas hold 'em — Answer: ACES
  10. 19. Device for capturing thermal images — Answer: INFRAREDCAMERA
  11. 22. Little locking brick — Answer: LEGO
  12. 23. Radical religious groups — Answer: CULTS
  13. 24. Where you might dance to some underground music? — Answer: BASEMENTPARTY
  14. 30. Specialty coffee order — Answer: LATTE
  15. 31. Make a speech — Answer: ORATE
  16. 32. Buck's mate — Answer: DOE
  17. 35. Valuable Minecraft blocks — Answer: ORES
  18. 36. Entertain — Answer: AMUSE
  19. 37. Postseason college football game — Answer: BOWL
  20. 38. Fig. on a college transcript — Answer: GPA
  21. 39. Latin phrase that's often abbreviated — Answer: IDEST
  22. 40. Big name in briefs — Answer: HANES
  23. 41. Venue for combatants wearing vests with sensors — Answer: LASERTAGARENA
  24. 44. Maki or temaki — Answer: SUSHI
  25. 46. Belgrade resident — Answer: SERB
  26. 47. Wild guess ... or what 19-, 24- and 41-Across let you take? — Answer: ASHOTINTHEDARK
  27. 53. Bobber in a lake — Answer: BUOY
  28. 54. Peeved — Answer: SORE
  29. 55. Nut-brown hue — Answer: ACORN
  30. 57. Head-butts — Answer: RAMS
  31. 58. "Summer of ___," Questlove documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival — Answer: SOUL
  32. 59. Cone or sphere — Answer: SOLID
  33. 60. Pub order — Answer: ALE. Hint: This frothy beverage is a classic choice for many at the bar! 🍻
  34. 61. The brother in "Am I my brother's keeper?" — Answer: ABEL
  35. 62. It might be picante — Answer: SALSA

Down

  1. 1. The "A" of MoMA — Answer: ART
  2. 2. Seaweed wrap for maki — Answer: NORI
  3. 3. Secluded valley — Answer: GLEN
  4. 4. Some info sheets — Answer: LEAFLETS
  5. 5. Radical — Answer: EXTREME
  6. 6. One doing stellar work? — Answer: ASTRONOMER
  7. 7. Golfer's warning — Answer: FORE
  8. 8. Regretted — Answer: RUED
  9. 9. Major oil cartel, in brief — Answer: OPEC
  10. 10. "Bravo!" — Answer: NICELYDONE
  11. 11. Blatant — Answer: OVERT
  12. 12. Flat-topped landforms — Answer: MESAS
  13. 15. Full range — Answer: GAMUT
  14. 20. Tinder account datum that can't be edited — Answer: AGE
  15. 21. The Hundred ___ Wood (storybook setting) — Answer: ACRE
  16. 24. Post to an online journal — Answer: BLOG
  17. 25. Org. for seniors — Answer: AARP
  18. 26. Advances from third while the pitcher is distracted, say — Answer: STEALSHOME
  19. 27. What team-building activities are designed to build — Answer: TRUST
  20. 28. Noodle that might be stuffed — Answer: PASTASHELL
  21. 29. Dined — Answer: ATE
  22. 33. Actor Wilson — Answer: OWEN
  23. 34. "Frozen" queen — Answer: ELSA
  24. 36. Suffix with lemon or stock — Answer: ADE
  25. 37. Slow-cooked taco filling — Answer: BARBACOA
  26. 39. "___ just me, or ...?" — Answer: ISIT
  27. 40. Rigorously demanding sort — Answer: HARDASS
  28. 42. Nautical greetings — Answer: AHOYS
  29. 43. "Gosh!" — Answer: GEE
  30. 44. Popular hummus brand — Answer: SABRA
  31. 45. Run-of-the-mill — Answer: USUAL
  32. 48. Rae of "Barbie" — Answer: ISSA
  33. 49. Inexperienced gamer, informally — Answer: NOOB
  34. 50. Factual — Answer: TRUE
  35. 51. What "maki" means in Japanese — Answer: ROLL
  36. 52. Kardashian matriarch — Answer: KRIS
  37. 56. Contract enforcing secrecy, for short — Answer: NDA

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Tuesday, October 21, 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 October 21?” 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 October 21, 2025

The full solution for the October 21 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, October 21.

Hints for the October 21 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The October 21 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 October 21, 2025?

Every answer for the Tuesday, October 21, 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?

Use the previous/next links above to step day by day, or open the today page to browse the full dated archive.