NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - Dec 15

Monday, December 15, 2025

By Jeff Jerome and Andrea Carla Michaels

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1___ Nicholas
  2. 6Judge's seat, from the French
  3. 10N.Y.C. airport
  4. 13"Star Wars" droid, familiarly
  5. 14Side's length squared, for a square
  6. 15Thrilla in Manila boxer
  7. 16Recharge one's batteries
  8. 18Prepared to bathe
  9. 20Cool ___ cucumber
  10. 21"Balderdash!"
  11. 23Filled in (for), for short
  12. 24Schmoozed (with)
  13. 27Good, long bath
  14. 28Slight injury from tripping
  15. 30Bridge support
  16. 32Karl Marx's "___ Kapital"
  17. 33Do one better than
  18. 36President Hoover
  19. 39"You take credit cards?" response
  20. 42Unconventional
  21. 43Alternative to the pill, in brief
  22. 45Dog-___ (like the pages in some books)
  23. 46Foreign-language movie that you don't have to read subtitles for
  24. 50Location for a goatee or soul patch
  25. 52Enchanted
  26. 55Big-beaked tropical bird
  27. 57One-named Brazilian soccer star
  28. 58"If you ask me ...," to texters
  29. 59Camp sleeping spots ... or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters
  30. 61Sci-fi writer Isaac
  31. 63Suitable, as a unit in a bldg.?
  32. 64Tales of yore
  33. 65Join in marriage
  34. 66Lo-___ graphics
  35. 67One-named Grammy winner from Ireland
  36. 68___ Cottontail

Down

  1. 1Wife of Abraham, in the Bible
  2. 2"You ___ right!"
  3. 3"Ridiculous!"
  4. 4"I'm kidding!!," in "Wayne's World"
  5. 5Artist Henri de ___-Lautrec
  6. 6One who's rotten from the start
  7. 7Singer Grande, to fans
  8. 8Loch ___ monster
  9. 9Opera great Enrico
  10. 10Sluglike "Star Wars" crime boss
  11. 11On ___ (looking great, in slang)
  12. 12Colonial-era pirate captain
  13. 17Mr. ___ (Dr Pepper competitor)
  14. 19Orchestral woodwind
  15. 22Be on the wane
  16. 25Crash-investigating org.
  17. 26Turning point in W.W. II
  18. 29When doubled, an African fly
  19. 30But, briefly
  20. 31Like a ripe strawberry
  21. 33Re-election restriction
  22. 34Many a Wordsworth poem
  23. 35Pea holder
  24. 37Part of a barbecue rack
  25. 38Ernest in the Country Music Hall of Fame
  26. 40Suddenly stops working, as an engine
  27. 41Gov. Tim ___, 2024 running mate
  28. 44Beyond the continental shelf, say
  29. 46Comic actor Van Dyke
  30. 47Lacking the capacity
  31. 48Prez before 10-Across
  32. 49"Deck the Halls" syllables
  33. 50Two-door auto
  34. 51Outings for foxhounds
  35. 53Show feelings onstage
  36. 54Capital of Delaware
  37. 55Lift on the slopes
  38. 56Like bright signs on the Las Vegas Strip
  39. 60Funny in a subtle way
  40. 62Suffix with Benedict or elephant

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. ___ Nicholas — Answer: SAINT
  2. 6. Judge's seat, from the French — Answer: BANC
  3. 10. N.Y.C. airport — Answer: JFK
  4. 13. "Star Wars" droid, familiarly — Answer: ARTOO
  5. 14. Side's length squared, for a square — Answer: AREA
  6. 15. Thrilla in Manila boxer — Answer: ALI
  7. 16. Recharge one's batteries — Answer: RESTUP
  8. 18. Prepared to bathe — Answer: DISROBED
  9. 20. Cool ___ cucumber — Answer: ASA
  10. 21. "Balderdash!" — Answer: LIES
  11. 23. Filled in (for), for short — Answer: SUBBED
  12. 24. Schmoozed (with) — Answer: HOBNOBBED
  13. 27. Good, long bath — Answer: SOAK
  14. 28. Slight injury from tripping — Answer: STUBBEDTOE
  15. 30. Bridge support — Answer: TRUSS
  16. 32. Karl Marx's "___ Kapital" — Answer: DAS
  17. 33. Do one better than — Answer: TOP
  18. 36. President Hoover — Answer: HERBERT
  19. 39. "You take credit cards?" response — Answer: YESWEDO
  20. 42. Unconventional — Answer: ODD
  21. 43. Alternative to the pill, in brief — Answer: IUD
  22. 45. Dog-___ (like the pages in some books) — Answer: EARED
  23. 46. Foreign-language movie that you don't have to read subtitles for — Answer: DUBBEDFILM
  24. 50. Location for a goatee or soul patch — Answer: CHIN
  25. 52. Enchanted — Answer: BEDAZZLED
  26. 55. Big-beaked tropical bird — Answer: TOUCAN
  27. 57. One-named Brazilian soccer star — Answer: PELE
  28. 58. "If you ask me ...," to texters — Answer: IMO
  29. 59. Camp sleeping spots ... or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters — Answer: BUNKBEDS
  30. 61. Sci-fi writer Isaac — Answer: ASIMOV
  31. 63. Suitable, as a unit in a bldg.? — Answer: APT
  32. 64. Tales of yore — Answer: LORE
  33. 65. Join in marriage — Answer: UNITE
  34. 66. Lo-___ graphics — Answer: RES
  35. 67. One-named Grammy winner from Ireland — Answer: ENYA
  36. 68. ___ Cottontail — Answer: PETER

Down

  1. 1. Wife of Abraham, in the Bible — Answer: SARAH
  2. 2. "You ___ right!" — Answer: ARESO
  3. 3. "Ridiculous!" — Answer: ITSABSURD
  4. 4. "I'm kidding!!," in "Wayne's World" — Answer: NOT
  5. 5. Artist Henri de ___-Lautrec — Answer: TOULOUSE
  6. 6. One who's rotten from the start — Answer: BADSEED
  7. 7. Singer Grande, to fans — Answer: ARI
  8. 8. Loch ___ monster — Answer: NESS
  9. 9. Opera great Enrico — Answer: CARUSO
  10. 10. Sluglike "Star Wars" crime boss — Answer: JABBA
  11. 11. On ___ (looking great, in slang) — Answer: FLEEK
  12. 12. Colonial-era pirate captain — Answer: KIDD
  13. 17. Mr. ___ (Dr Pepper competitor) — Answer: PIBB
  14. 19. Orchestral woodwind — Answer: OBOE
  15. 22. Be on the wane — Answer: EBB
  16. 25. Crash-investigating org. — Answer: NTSB
  17. 26. Turning point in W.W. II — Answer: DDAY
  18. 29. When doubled, an African fly — Answer: TSE
  19. 30. But, briefly — Answer: THO
  20. 31. Like a ripe strawberry — Answer: RED
  21. 33. Re-election restriction — Answer: TERMLIMIT
  22. 34. Many a Wordsworth poem — Answer: ODE
  23. 35. Pea holder — Answer: POD
  24. 37. Part of a barbecue rack — Answer: RIB
  25. 38. Ernest in the Country Music Hall of Fame — Answer: TUBB
  26. 40. Suddenly stops working, as an engine — Answer: SEIZESUP
  27. 41. Gov. Tim ___, 2024 running mate — Answer: WALZ
  28. 44. Beyond the continental shelf, say — Answer: DEEPSEA
  29. 46. Comic actor Van Dyke — Answer: DICK
  30. 47. Lacking the capacity — Answer: UNABLE
  31. 48. Prez before 10-Across — Answer: DDE
  32. 49. "Deck the Halls" syllables — Answer: FALA
  33. 50. Two-door auto — Answer: COUPE
  34. 51. Outings for foxhounds — Answer: HUNTS
  35. 53. Show feelings onstage — Answer: EMOTE
  36. 54. Capital of Delaware — Answer: DOVER
  37. 55. Lift on the slopes — Answer: TBAR
  38. 56. Like bright signs on the Las Vegas Strip — Answer: NEON
  39. 60. Funny in a subtle way — Answer: DRY
  40. 62. Suffix with Benedict or elephant — Answer: INE

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Monday, December 15, 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 December 15?” 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 December 15, 2025

The full solution for the December 15 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 Monday, December 15.

Hints for the December 15 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The December 15 puzzle fell on a Monday, 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 Monday 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?

Prefer to solve rather than peek? The play button opens the puzzle so you can try that day's grid yourself, then come back to check your answers. Stuck on a single clue from any puzzle, our crossword solver reveals just that answer from your known letters.

Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Crossword answers on December 15, 2025?

Every answer for the Monday, December 15, 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.