Puts through the paces

Crossword Answer — November 20, 2025

Answer

NYT Crossword

Thursday, November 20, 2025

By Adam Wagner

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. 1Duds in bed?
  2. 4Place for a castle
  3. 9Retailer across the street from Rockefeller Center
  4. 13Bread for dipping
  5. 14Very, very
  6. 15Very, very particular
  7. 16Cubing needs
  8. 18Like an S-Tier video game character
  9. 19Computer pros
  10. 20In position
  11. 22Beurre demi-___ (salted butter, in France)
  12. 23Turns on
  13. 25___ ejemplo
  14. 26"Hail," in Latin
  15. 27Scottsbluff's state: Abbr.
  16. 28Overlook for an award, say
  17. 30Hitchhiker's hope
  18. 32Niihau neighbor
  19. 36Make, as money
  20. 38Ensnare
  21. 40Puts through the paces
  22. 41On the topic of
  23. 43Spanx founder Blakely
  24. 44Spanish diminutive suffix
  25. 46"Excuse me!"
  26. 47Video game customization, informally
  27. 48Fops
  28. 52Surfboard stabilizer
  29. 53Vesper Lynd portrayer in "Casino Royale"
  30. 54"Star Wars" character originally portrayed by a puppet that weighed over a ton
  31. 56They may be threaded
  32. 57He doesn't belong ... or a hint to the circled letters in 16-, 23-, 36-, 38- and 48-Across
  33. 60Singer with the #1 hits "Umbrella" and "Disturbia," familiarly
  34. 61Levi's Stadium player, informally
  35. 62Actor who participated in the first WrestleMania event, in 1985
  36. 63Came down to earth
  37. 64"Jumping Jehoshaphat!"
  38. 65Supporting article?

Down

  1. 1Subtle attention-getter
  2. 2"Guess I'm the dummy"
  3. 3Dry seasons?
  4. 4Signs of spring
  5. 5Yalie
  6. 6Off-road rover, for short
  7. 7Sporting a tuft of feathers
  8. 8Knows the solution
  9. 9Restaurants' "serve yourself" features
  10. 10Baker of RB
  11. 11Actress Sagal
  12. 12They make runs at the Winter Olympics
  13. 17Blues' grp.
  14. 18"I've got the answer!"
  15. 21Atomic number of neon
  16. 23Rustic wedding venue
  17. 24Musical with the showstopper "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
  18. 25Exam for some sophs.
  19. 29Humor with an edge
  20. 31First name in cosmetics
  21. 33Dish that creates an explosion of rich flavors, in modern parlance
  22. 34Narrator/antagonist in "Hamilton"
  23. 35Pixel alternative
  24. 37Perfume compounds
  25. 39Most characters in Pixar's first film
  26. 42Bash
  27. 45"___ to Joy"
  28. 48Messing around on TV?
  29. 49Mars follower, in Marseille
  30. 50Source of the word "tiki"
  31. 51Sierra ___
  32. 52Summer cooler
  33. 54Tipping points?
  34. 55Palindromic flour
  35. 58The stuff of life
  36. 59___ school

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Duds in bed? — Answer: PJS
  2. 4. Place for a castle — Answer: BEACH
  3. 9. Retailer across the street from Rockefeller Center — Answer: SAKS
  4. 13. Bread for dipping — Answer: SOP
  5. 14. Very, very — Answer: ULTRA
  6. 15. Very, very particular — Answer: ANAL
  7. 16. Cubing needs — Answer: SKINDIVES
  8. 18. Like an S-Tier video game character — Answer: ELITE
  9. 19. Computer pros — Answer: TECHS
  10. 20. In position — Answer: SITUATED
  11. 22. Beurre demi-___ (salted butter, in France) — Answer: SEL
  12. 23. Turns on — Answer: BETTERDAYS
  13. 25. ___ ejemplo — Answer: POR
  14. 26. "Hail," in Latin — Answer: AVE
  15. 27. Scottsbluff's state: Abbr. — Answer: NEB
  16. 28. Overlook for an award, say — Answer: SNUB
  17. 30. Hitchhiker's hope — Answer: RIDE
  18. 32. Niihau neighbor — Answer: KAUAI
  19. 36. Make, as money — Answer: AMBIENT
  20. 38. Ensnare — Answer: STARMAP
  21. 40. Puts through the paces — Answer: TESTS
  22. 41. On the topic of — Answer: ASTO
  23. 43. Spanx founder Blakely — Answer: SARA
  24. 44. Spanish diminutive suffix — Answer: ITO. Hint: Think of a cute way to make names sound smaller or more affectionate in Spanish! 🐾
  25. 46. "Excuse me!" — Answer: HEY
  26. 47. Video game customization, informally — Answer: MOD
  27. 48. Fops — Answer: DAMNEDLIES
  28. 52. Surfboard stabilizer — Answer: FIN
  29. 53. Vesper Lynd portrayer in "Casino Royale" — Answer: EVAGREEN
  30. 54. "Star Wars" character originally portrayed by a puppet that weighed over a ton — Answer: JABBA
  31. 56. They may be threaded — Answer: BROWS
  32. 57. He doesn't belong ... or a hint to the circled letters in 16-, 23-, 36-, 38- and 48-Across — Answer: ODDMANOUT
  33. 60. Singer with the #1 hits "Umbrella" and "Disturbia," familiarly — Answer: RIRI
  34. 61. Levi's Stadium player, informally — Answer: NINER
  35. 62. Actor who participated in the first WrestleMania event, in 1985 — Answer: MRT
  36. 63. Came down to earth — Answer: ALIT
  37. 64. "Jumping Jehoshaphat!" — Answer: EGADS
  38. 65. Supporting article? — Answer: BRA

Down

  1. 1. Subtle attention-getter — Answer: PSST
  2. 2. "Guess I'm the dummy" — Answer: JOKESONME
  3. 3. Dry seasons? — Answer: SPICERUBS
  4. 4. Signs of spring — Answer: BUDS
  5. 5. Yalie — Answer: ELI
  6. 6. Off-road rover, for short — Answer: ATV
  7. 7. Sporting a tuft of feathers — Answer: CRESTED
  8. 8. Knows the solution — Answer: HASIT
  9. 9. Restaurants' "serve yourself" features — Answer: SALADBARS
  10. 10. Baker of RB — Answer: ANITA
  11. 11. Actress Sagal — Answer: KATEY
  12. 12. They make runs at the Winter Olympics — Answer: SLEDS
  13. 17. Blues' grp. — Answer: NHL
  14. 18. "I've got the answer!" — Answer: EUREKA
  15. 21. Atomic number of neon — Answer: TEN
  16. 23. Rustic wedding venue — Answer: BARN
  17. 24. Musical with the showstopper "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" — Answer: EVITA
  18. 25. Exam for some sophs. — Answer: PSAT
  19. 29. Humor with an edge — Answer: BITINGWIT
  20. 31. First name in cosmetics — Answer: ESTEE
  21. 33. Dish that creates an explosion of rich flavors, in modern parlance — Answer: UMAMIBOMB
  22. 34. Narrator/antagonist in "Hamilton" — Answer: AARONBURR
  23. 35. Pixel alternative — Answer: IPAD
  24. 37. Perfume compounds — Answer: ESTERS
  25. 39. Most characters in Pixar's first film — Answer: TOYS
  26. 42. Bash — Answer: SHINDIG
  27. 45. "___ to Joy" — Answer: ODE
  28. 48. Messing around on TV? — Answer: DEBRA
  29. 49. Mars follower, in Marseille — Answer: AVRIL
  30. 50. Source of the word "tiki" — Answer: MAORI
  31. 51. Sierra ___ — Answer: LEONE
  32. 52. Summer cooler — Answer: FAN
  33. 54. Tipping points? — Answer: JARS
  34. 55. Palindromic flour — Answer: ATTA
  35. 58. The stuff of life — Answer: DNA
  36. 59. ___ school — Answer: MED

The answer to “Puts through the paces” in the New York Times crossword is TESTS — a 5-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on November 20, 2025, a Thursday puzzle, at 40-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.

“Puts through the paces” answer

TESTS (5 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 TESTS.

Why the answer is TESTS

TESTS is the 5-letter solution that fits "Puts through the paces" in the NYT Crossword crossword on November 20, 2025 (40-Across). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Puts through the paces” 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 20, 2025 (this puzzle) → TESTS. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword crossword on November 20, 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 20, 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 “Puts through the paces”?

The answer is TESTS, a 5-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on November 20, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Puts through the paces”?

5 letters: TESTS.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on November 20, 2025 (a Thursday puzzle), at 40-Across.

Can “Puts through the paces” 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 20, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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