Start illegally, say

Crossword Answer — October 30, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Thursday, October 30, 2025

By Howard Neuthaler

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

NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Place for a pencil sharpener
  2. 5Argentine plain
  3. 10Prayer leader
  4. 14Droves
  5. 15Disney princess who longs to be "part of that world"
  6. 16Come to
  7. 17Either acting sibling Andrew or Elisabeth
  8. 18What pulls out all the stops?
  9. 19Food generally known outside the U.S. as "lady's fingers"
  10. 20Start illegally, say
  11. 22What every baseball inning starts with
  12. 24"Kind of" suffix
  13. 25Shore up the ranks
  14. 27Little pest
  15. 28Animal with a white rump
  16. 30Highlands hat
  17. 31Epitome of simplicity
  18. 33Binge
  19. 35"I'll ___ you!"
  20. 36Pop-pop
  21. 39Country sharing the world's longest international border
  22. 41Showed great pride, in a way
  23. 42Desirable Vegas couple?
  24. 43Lake in the homeland of the Washoe people
  25. 47___ Blaster (toy)
  26. 48Inconsequential
  27. 49Journeys by foot
  28. 50Ones eliciting knee-jerk reactions, informally?
  29. 51Exemplar
  30. 53Having a strong sense of direction?
  31. 57Likely oriented toward platonic relationships, in brief
  32. 58Members of the dolphin family that prey on dolphins
  33. 63Like a revving engine
  34. 64Skater Midori
  35. 65Words after "ding, ding, ding"
  36. 66With 68-Across, "Wicked" song suggested by the answers to the seven starred clues (and whose singer is spelled by the circled letters reading from left to right)
  37. 68See 66-Across
  38. 70Bronzed
  39. 71Not just yet
  40. 72Abjures
  41. 73Target of urban renewal, say

Down

  1. 1Soup stock in Japanese cuisine
  2. 2*The ones over there
  3. 3Washington, Jefferson or Madison
  4. 4Already heard, say
  5. 5*One selling commercial time, informally
  6. 6Takes in
  7. 7The Marlins, on scoreboards
  8. 8Lewis Carroll or George Orwell
  9. 9*It's used to scrub in the tub
  10. 10Jubilant postgame report
  11. 11Show up unannounced?
  12. 12*Some Scandinavian money
  13. 13Indicated
  14. 21Irritated
  15. 23Old enough
  16. 26Symbol for the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius
  17. 29*Stand before a meeting
  18. 32*Genre for Aretha Franklin or Usher
  19. 33One might start "Your Social Security number has been compromised"
  20. 34Rate
  21. 37Chicago exchange, for short
  22. 38Certain attachments
  23. 40Flour used in Indian flatbreads
  24. 41Kiss in a telenovela
  25. 44Calls to court
  26. 45*Your home
  27. 46Voice command to an Android device
  28. 51Fool's gold
  29. 52Write, as music
  30. 53Symbol of authority
  31. 54Small dessert sandwiches
  32. 55Left of center?
  33. 56Get ready to have one's tonsils checked, perhaps
  34. 59Wanders
  35. 60World capital on the world's longest river
  36. 61Family name with an eponymous Row, Court, Place and Avenue in New York City
  37. 62Composer Jule
  38. 67Slangy refusal
  39. 69Fish also known as a batomorph

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Place for a pencil sharpener — Answer: DESK
  2. 5. Argentine plain — Answer: PAMPA
  3. 10. Prayer leader — Answer: IMAM
  4. 14. Droves — Answer: ATON
  5. 15. Disney princess who longs to be "part of that world" — Answer: ARIEL
  6. 16. Come to — Answer: WAKE
  7. 17. Either acting sibling Andrew or Elisabeth — Answer: SHUE
  8. 18. What pulls out all the stops? — Answer: DRANO
  9. 19. Food generally known outside the U.S. as "lady's fingers" — Answer: OKRA
  10. 20. Start illegally, say — Answer: HOTWIRE
  11. 22. What every baseball inning starts with — Answer: NOONEON
  12. 24. "Kind of" suffix — Answer: ISH
  13. 25. Shore up the ranks — Answer: RESTAFF
  14. 27. Little pest — Answer: ANT
  15. 28. Animal with a white rump — Answer: ELK
  16. 30. Highlands hat — Answer: TAM
  17. 31. Epitome of simplicity — Answer: ABC
  18. 33. Binge — Answer: SPREE
  19. 35. "I'll ___ you!" — Answer: SUE
  20. 36. Pop-pop — Answer: GRAMP
  21. 39. Country sharing the world's longest international border — Answer: CANADA
  22. 41. Showed great pride, in a way — Answer: BEAMED
  23. 42. Desirable Vegas couple? — Answer: ACES
  24. 43. Lake in the homeland of the Washoe people — Answer: TAHOE
  25. 47. ___ Blaster (toy) — Answer: NERF
  26. 48. Inconsequential — Answer: MERE
  27. 49. Journeys by foot — Answer: TREKS
  28. 50. Ones eliciting knee-jerk reactions, informally? — Answer: DOCS
  29. 51. Exemplar — Answer: PARAGON
  30. 53. Having a strong sense of direction? — Answer: BOSSY
  31. 57. Likely oriented toward platonic relationships, in brief — Answer: ARO
  32. 58. Members of the dolphin family that prey on dolphins — Answer: ORCAS
  33. 63. Like a revving engine — Answer: AROAR
  34. 64. Skater Midori — Answer: ITO
  35. 65. Words after "ding, ding, ding" — Answer: TOAST
  36. 66. With 68-Across, "Wicked" song suggested by the answers to the seven starred clues (and whose singer is spelled by the circled letters reading from left to right) — Answer: DEFYING
  37. 68. See 66-Across — Answer: GRAVITY
  38. 70. Bronzed — Answer: GOTATAN
  39. 71. Not just yet — Answer: LATERON
  40. 72. Abjures — Answer: ESCHEWS
  41. 73. Target of urban renewal, say — Answer: EYESORE

Down

  1. 1. Soup stock in Japanese cuisine — Answer: DASHI
  2. 2. *The ones over there — Answer: ETHOS
  3. 3. Washington, Jefferson or Madison — Answer: SOUTHERNER
  4. 4. Already heard, say — Answer: KNEW
  5. 5. *One selling commercial time, informally — Answer: PADRE
  6. 6. Takes in — Answer: ARRESTS
  7. 7. The Marlins, on scoreboards — Answer: MIA
  8. 8. Lewis Carroll or George Orwell — Answer: PENNAME
  9. 9. *It's used to scrub in the tub — Answer: ALOOF
  10. 10. Jubilant postgame report — Answer: IWON
  11. 11. Show up unannounced? — Answer: MAKEACAMEO
  12. 12. *Some Scandinavian money — Answer: AKRON
  13. 13. Indicated — Answer: MEANT
  14. 21. Irritated — Answer: IRKED
  15. 23. Old enough — Answer: OFAGE
  16. 26. Symbol for the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius — Answer: TAU
  17. 29. *Stand before a meeting — Answer: LEASE
  18. 32. *Genre for Aretha Franklin or Usher — Answer: BRAND
  19. 33. One might start "Your Social Security number has been compromised" — Answer: SCAM
  20. 34. Rate — Answer: PACE
  21. 37. Chicago exchange, for short — Answer: MERC
  22. 38. Certain attachments — Answer: PDFS
  23. 40. Flour used in Indian flatbreads — Answer: ATTA
  24. 41. Kiss in a telenovela — Answer: BESO
  25. 44. Calls to court — Answer: ARRAIGNS
  26. 45. *Your home — Answer: HEART
  27. 46. Voice command to an Android device — Answer: OKGOOGLE
  28. 51. Fool's gold — Answer: PYRITE
  29. 52. Write, as music — Answer: NOTATE
  30. 53. Symbol of authority — Answer: BADGE
  31. 54. Small dessert sandwiches — Answer: OREOS
  32. 55. Left of center? — Answer: SOFTC
  33. 56. Get ready to have one's tonsils checked, perhaps — Answer: SAYAH
  34. 59. Wanders — Answer: ROVES
  35. 60. World capital on the world's longest river — Answer: CAIRO
  36. 61. Family name with an eponymous Row, Court, Place and Avenue in New York City — Answer: ASTOR
  37. 62. Composer Jule — Answer: STYNE
  38. 67. Slangy refusal — Answer: NAW
  39. 69. Fish also known as a batomorph — Answer: RAY

The answer to “Start illegally, say” in the New York Times crossword is HOTWIRE — a 7-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on October 30, 2025, a Thursday puzzle, at 20-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.

“Start illegally, say” answer

HOTWIRE (7 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 HOTWIRE.

Why the answer is HOTWIRE

HOTWIRE is the 7-letter solution that fits "Start illegally, say" in the NYT Crossword crossword on October 30, 2025 (20-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Start illegally, say” 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.

October 30, 2025 (this puzzle) → HOTWIRE. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on October 30, 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 October 30, 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 “Start illegally, say”?

The answer is HOTWIRE, a 7-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 30, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Start illegally, say”?

7 letters: HOTWIRE.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on October 30, 2025 (a Thursday puzzle), at 20-Across.

Can “Start illegally, say” 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 October 30, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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