Much of Mauritania and Mali

Crossword Answer — November 18, 2025

Answer
NYT Crossword Answers

NYT Crossword

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

By Joe Deeney

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1First female musical artist to have a simultaneous #1 film and #1 album, familiarly
  2. 4Rebound, as a pool shot
  3. 8Requirement for domestic air travel starting in 2025
  4. 14Body part that might "pop"
  5. 15Words of understanding
  6. 16___ State, nickname for New York
  7. 17Soften, as a message
  8. 19Kitchen strainers
  9. 20"Don't go!"
  10. 21Appear gradually from the black, as a film image
  11. 23Industrialist Lilly
  12. 24Native led by Montezuma
  13. 26A very high price, so to speak
  14. 28Cereal variety from Switzerland
  15. 30Lead female character
  16. 31Summer temp, say
  17. 34River's bottom
  18. 35Dentist, colloquially
  19. 38Actress Long of "Boyz N the Hood"
  20. 39Gets back together
  21. 40Shipped without prepaid postage, for short
  22. 42Much of Mauritania and Mali
  23. 47Japanese stadium that has hosted M.L.B. and N.F.L. games
  24. 50Martian explorer
  25. 51Last number in a countdown
  26. 52Surgical stitch
  27. 54Used a loom
  28. 55Related to spiritual cause and effect
  29. 57Collection of tasks ... or what 17-, 26-, 35- and 47-Across comprise?
  30. 59Timeless, to a poet
  31. 60Small vortex
  32. 61"Thanks, Captain Obvious!"
  33. 62Best-of-seven games, say
  34. 63Make airtight
  35. 64Fancy hotel amenity

Down

  1. 1Material that's been deliberately thrown overboard
  2. 2Philosopher who wrote the "Tao Te Ching"
  3. 3Fancy and elaborate
  4. 4Auction action
  5. 5Since
  6. 6Just getting started with
  7. 7Martial art with bamboo swords
  8. 8Places to live
  9. 9Key with one sharp
  10. 10Subject of much Jane Goodall research
  11. 11More alert and energetic
  12. 12Limerick's locale
  13. 13Fancy
  14. 18They wink and blink
  15. 22Filmmaker Nora
  16. 25Advertising award
  17. 27Southwestern wolf
  18. 29Presents
  19. 32Punctual people are said to arrive on this
  20. 33End of an academic address
  21. 35One fiddling around in a workshop
  22. 36Like granola bars, typically
  23. 37Onetime leader in St. Petersburg
  24. 38Newborn child
  25. 40Excites
  26. 41Trigonometry ratio
  27. 43Coyote's cry
  28. 44Steers clear of
  29. 45Excites
  30. 46First name of the Queen of Soul
  31. 48Quiets on Zoom
  32. 49Wear away
  33. 53Classic Icelandic saga
  34. 56Scanner whose field strength is measured in teslas, for short
  35. 58Toondom's Olive

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. First female musical artist to have a simultaneous #1 film and #1 album, familiarly — Answer: JLO
  2. 4. Rebound, as a pool shot — Answer: BANK
  3. 8. Requirement for domestic air travel starting in 2025 — Answer: REALID
  4. 14. Body part that might "pop" — Answer: EAR
  5. 15. Words of understanding — Answer: ISEE
  6. 16. ___ State, nickname for New York — Answer: EMPIRE
  7. 17. Soften, as a message — Answer: TONEDOWN
  8. 19. Kitchen strainers — Answer: SIEVES
  9. 20. "Don't go!" — Answer: STAY
  10. 21. Appear gradually from the black, as a film image — Answer: FADEIN
  11. 23. Industrialist Lilly — Answer: ELI
  12. 24. Native led by Montezuma — Answer: AZTEC
  13. 26. A very high price, so to speak — Answer: TOPDOLLAR
  14. 28. Cereal variety from Switzerland — Answer: MUESLI
  15. 30. Lead female character — Answer: HEROINE
  16. 31. Summer temp, say — Answer: INTERN
  17. 34. River's bottom — Answer: BED
  18. 35. Dentist, colloquially — Answer: TOOTHDOCTOR
  19. 38. Actress Long of "Boyz N the Hood" — Answer: NIA
  20. 39. Gets back together — Answer: REUNES
  21. 40. Shipped without prepaid postage, for short — Answer: SENTCOD
  22. 42. Much of Mauritania and Mali — Answer: SAHARA
  23. 47. Japanese stadium that has hosted M.L.B. and N.F.L. games — Answer: TOKYODOME
  24. 50. Martian explorer — Answer: ROVER
  25. 51. Last number in a countdown — Answer: ONE
  26. 52. Surgical stitch — Answer: SUTURE
  27. 54. Used a loom — Answer: WOVE
  28. 55. Related to spiritual cause and effect — Answer: KARMIC
  29. 57. Collection of tasks ... or what 17-, 26-, 35- and 47-Across comprise? — Answer: TODOLIST
  30. 59. Timeless, to a poet — Answer: ETERNE
  31. 60. Small vortex — Answer: EDDY
  32. 61. "Thanks, Captain Obvious!" — Answer: DUH
  33. 62. Best-of-seven games, say — Answer: SERIES
  34. 63. Make airtight — Answer: SEAL
  35. 64. Fancy hotel amenity — Answer: SPA

Down

  1. 1. Material that's been deliberately thrown overboard — Answer: JETSAM
  2. 2. Philosopher who wrote the "Tao Te Ching" — Answer: LAOTZU
  3. 3. Fancy and elaborate — Answer: ORNATE
  4. 4. Auction action — Answer: BID
  5. 5. Since — Answer: ASOF
  6. 6. Just getting started with — Answer: NEWAT
  7. 7. Martial art with bamboo swords — Answer: KENDO
  8. 8. Places to live — Answer: RESIDENCES
  9. 9. Key with one sharp — Answer: EMINOR
  10. 10. Subject of much Jane Goodall research — Answer: APE
  11. 11. More alert and energetic — Answer: LIVELIER
  12. 12. Limerick's locale — Answer: IRELAND
  13. 13. Fancy — Answer: DESIRE
  14. 18. They wink and blink — Answer: EYES
  15. 22. Filmmaker Nora — Answer: EPHRON
  16. 25. Advertising award — Answer: CLIO
  17. 27. Southwestern wolf — Answer: LOBO
  18. 29. Presents — Answer: INTRODUCES
  19. 32. Punctual people are said to arrive on this — Answer: THEDOT
  20. 33. End of an academic address — Answer: EDU
  21. 35. One fiddling around in a workshop — Answer: TINKERER
  22. 36. Like granola bars, typically — Answer: OATY
  23. 37. Onetime leader in St. Petersburg — Answer: TSAR
  24. 38. Newborn child — Answer: NEONATE
  25. 40. Excites — Answer: STOKES
  26. 41. Trigonometry ratio — Answer: COSINE
  27. 43. Coyote's cry — Answer: HOWL
  28. 44. Steers clear of — Answer: AVOIDS
  29. 45. Excites — Answer: REVSUP
  30. 46. First name of the Queen of Soul — Answer: ARETHA
  31. 48. Quiets on Zoom — Answer: MUTES
  32. 49. Wear away — Answer: ERODE. Hint: Gradually diminish through friction, weather, or time. 🪨
  33. 53. Classic Icelandic saga — Answer: EDDA
  34. 56. Scanner whose field strength is measured in teslas, for short — Answer: MRI
  35. 58. Toondom's Olive — Answer: OYL

The answer to “Much of Mauritania and Mali” in the New York Times crossword is SAHARA — a 6-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on November 18, 2025, a Tuesday puzzle, at 42-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.

“Much of Mauritania and Mali” answer

SAHARA (6 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 SAHARA.

Why the answer is SAHARA

SAHARA is the 6-letter solution that fits "Much of Mauritania and Mali" in the NYT Crossword crossword on November 18, 2025 (42-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Much of Mauritania and Mali” 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.

November 18, 2025 (this puzzle) → SAHARA. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on November 18, 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 November 18, 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 Tuesday 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 “Much of Mauritania and Mali”?

The answer is SAHARA, a 6-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on November 18, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Much of Mauritania and Mali”?

6 letters: SAHARA.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on November 18, 2025 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 42-Across.

Can “Much of Mauritania and Mali” 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 November 18, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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