But, briefly

Crossword Answer — December 15, 2025

Answer
NYT Crossword Answers

NYT Crossword

Monday, December 15, 2025

By Jeff Jerome and Andrea Carla Michaels

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Across

  1. 1___ NicholasSAINT
  2. 6Judge's seat, from the FrenchBANC
  3. 10N.Y.C. airportJFK
  4. 13"Star Wars" droid, familiarlyARTOO
  5. 14Side's length squared, for a squareAREA
  6. 15Thrilla in Manila boxerALI
  7. 16Recharge one's batteriesRESTUP
  8. 18Prepared to batheDISROBED
  9. 20Cool ___ cucumberASA
  10. 21"Balderdash!"LIES
  11. 23Filled in (for), for shortSUBBED
  12. 24Schmoozed (with)HOBNOBBED
  13. 27Good, long bathSOAK
  14. 28Slight injury from trippingSTUBBEDTOE
  15. 30Bridge supportTRUSS
  16. 32Karl Marx's "___ Kapital"DAS
  17. 33Do one better thanTOP
  18. 36President HooverHERBERT
  19. 39"You take credit cards?" responseYESWEDO
  20. 42UnconventionalODD
  21. 43Alternative to the pill, in briefIUD
  22. 45Dog-___ (like the pages in some books)EARED
  23. 46Foreign-language movie that you don't have to read subtitles forDUBBEDFILM
  24. 50Location for a goatee or soul patchCHIN
  25. 52EnchantedBEDAZZLED
  26. 55Big-beaked tropical birdTOUCAN
  27. 57One-named Brazilian soccer starPELE
  28. 58"If you ask me ...," to textersIMO
  29. 59Camp sleeping spots ... or a hint to this puzzle's circled lettersBUNKBEDS
  30. 61Sci-fi writer IsaacASIMOV
  31. 63Suitable, as a unit in a bldg.?APT
  32. 64Tales of yoreLORE
  33. 65Join in marriageUNITE
  34. 66Lo-___ graphicsRES
  35. 67One-named Grammy winner from IrelandENYA
  36. 68___ CottontailPETER

Down

  1. 1Wife of Abraham, in the BibleSARAH
  2. 2"You ___ right!"ARESO
  3. 3"Ridiculous!"ITSABSURD
  4. 4"I'm kidding!!," in "Wayne's World"NOT
  5. 5Artist Henri de ___-LautrecTOULOUSE
  6. 6One who's rotten from the startBADSEED
  7. 7Singer Grande, to fansARI
  8. 8Loch ___ monsterNESS
  9. 9Opera great EnricoCARUSO
  10. 10Sluglike "Star Wars" crime bossJABBA
  11. 11On ___ (looking great, in slang)FLEEK
  12. 12Colonial-era pirate captainKIDD
  13. 17Mr. ___ (Dr Pepper competitor)PIBB
  14. 19Orchestral woodwindOBOE
  15. 22Be on the waneEBB
  16. 25Crash-investigating org.NTSB
  17. 26Turning point in W.W. IIDDAY
  18. 29When doubled, an African flyTSE
  19. 30But, brieflyTHO
  20. 31Like a ripe strawberryRED
  21. 33Re-election restrictionTERMLIMIT
  22. 34Many a Wordsworth poemODE
  23. 35Pea holderPOD
  24. 37Part of a barbecue rackRIB
  25. 38Ernest in the Country Music Hall of FameTUBB
  26. 40Suddenly stops working, as an engineSEIZESUP
  27. 41Gov. Tim ___, 2024 running mateWALZ
  28. 44Beyond the continental shelf, sayDEEPSEA
  29. 46Comic actor Van DykeDICK
  30. 47Lacking the capacityUNABLE
  31. 48Prez before 10-AcrossDDE
  32. 49"Deck the Halls" syllablesFALA
  33. 50Two-door autoCOUPE
  34. 51Outings for foxhoundsHUNTS
  35. 53Show feelings onstageEMOTE
  36. 54Capital of DelawareDOVER
  37. 55Lift on the slopesTBAR
  38. 56Like bright signs on the Las Vegas StripNEON
  39. 60Funny in a subtle wayDRY
  40. 62Suffix with Benedict or elephantINE

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. Hint: Think of the legendary Scottish lake creature said to lurk in the deep. 🐉
  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

The answer to “But, briefly” in the New York Times crossword is THO — a 3-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on December 15, 2025, a Monday puzzle, at 30-Down. 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.

“But, briefly” answer

THO (3 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 THO.

Why the answer is THO

THO is the 3-letter solution that fits "But, briefly" in the NYT Crossword crossword on December 15, 2025 (30-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “But, briefly” 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.

December 15, 2025 (this puzzle) → THO. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on December 15, 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 December 15, 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 Monday 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 “But, briefly”?

The answer is THO, a 3-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 15, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “But, briefly”?

3 letters: THO.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on December 15, 2025 (a Monday puzzle), at 30-Down.

Can “But, briefly” 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 December 15, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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