Tuesday, December 16, 2025
By Jason Reich
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NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Library acquisition
- 5Insta and Snap
- 9Start
- 14Roughly equivalent (to)
- 15Homie
- 16Maine-to-Florida hwy.
- 17What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard
- 18Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps
- 20Hockey feints
- 22Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe
- 23Prefix with cache or tag
- 24Person in hot pants?
- 26Name on a prestigious award
- 28It may be blond or pale
- 31Disgusting
- 33C-suite types
- 36Last stop before security, often
- 38Words of communal support
- 39Texter's "Then again ..."
- 40Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film
- 42Orchestra-tuning instrument
- 43Negligent
- 45Turnabout, they say
- 47Tiny amount
- 48Pay taxes via the internet
- 49Air traveler's info
- 50Drinks served at fountains
- 52Govt. IDs
- 54Down Under land: Abbr.
- 56Computer acronym since the 1960s
- 58Inventor Nikola
- 62The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one
- 65Couple, in gossip
- 66"Aw, shucks!"
- 67Decorative pitcher
- 68Wacky
- 69Lords' lands
- 70Tells (on)
- 71After 1-Across, shelf accessories ... or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases?
Down
- 1Genesis or Yes
- 2Many a character in "The Grapes of Wrath"
- 3Barnyard sound
- 4Prepare to be knighted
- 5Epitome of simplicity
- 6Genre for Genesis or Yes, informally
- 7Lead (the way)
- 8Glossy finishes
- 9Active and enthusiastic sort
- 10Approx.
- 11Easily found on the internet, say
- 12Memo heading
- 13Grammy-winning R&B; artist whose stage name is said to have been inspired by "The Matrix"
- 19Golden Age studio known for many Astaire/Rogers films
- 21You might heave a big one
- 25Places
- 27Mike in "Breaking Bad," for example
- 28Cancel, as a space launch
- 29Procrastinator's mantra
- 30What someone seeking validation might need
- 32Shallow boat with a square stern
- 34Neighbor of a Slovene
- 35"Take it easy!"
- 37Brother to Groucho
- 38Mournful cries
- 41One in a box at the theater?
- 44Tranquilizes
- 46Penalty in Monopoly
- 48Artist known for his "impossible staircases"
- 51Symbol of divine authority in hieroglyphics
- 53Grab control of
- 54Words before a date
- 55Tentative greeting
- 57The Hawkeye State
- 59Show extreme fandom for, in slang
- 60Give temporarily
- 61Ryan and Adams of Hollywood
- 63Whistle blower or flag thrower
- 64Hosp. hot spots
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Library acquisition — Answer: BOOK
- 5. Insta and Snap — Answer: APPS
- 9. Start — Answer: BEGIN
- 14. Roughly equivalent (to) — Answer: AKIN
- 15. Homie — Answer: BRAH
- 16. Maine-to-Florida hwy. — Answer: USONE
- 17. What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard — Answer: NINE
- 18. Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps — Answer: COVERSTORY
- 20. Hockey feints — Answer: DEKES
- 22. Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe — Answer: GEEKY
- 23. Prefix with cache or tag — Answer: GEO
- 24. Person in hot pants? — Answer: LIAR
- 26. Name on a prestigious award — Answer: NOBEL
- 28. It may be blond or pale — Answer: ALE
- 31. Disgusting — Answer: GROSS
- 33. C-suite types — Answer: EXECS
- 36. Last stop before security, often — Answer: BAGCHECK
- 38. Words of communal support — Answer: WECARE
- 39. Texter's "Then again ..." — Answer: OTOH
- 40. Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film — Answer: AKIRA
- 42. Orchestra-tuning instrument — Answer: OBOE
- 43. Negligent — Answer: REMISS
- 45. Turnabout, they say — Answer: FAIRPLAY
- 47. Tiny amount — Answer: TRACE
- 48. Pay taxes via the internet — Answer: EFILE
- 49. Air traveler's info — Answer: ETA
- 50. Drinks served at fountains — Answer: SODAS
- 52. Govt. IDs — Answer: SSNS
- 54. Down Under land: Abbr. — Answer: AUS
- 56. Computer acronym since the 1960s — Answer: ASCII
- 58. Inventor Nikola — Answer: TESLA
- 62. The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one — Answer: SMARTPHONE
- 65. Couple, in gossip — Answer: ITEM
- 66. "Aw, shucks!" — Answer: OHGEE
- 67. Decorative pitcher — Answer: EWER
- 68. Wacky — Answer: ZANY
- 69. Lords' lands — Answer: FIEFS
- 70. Tells (on) — Answer: RATS
- 71. After 1-Across, shelf accessories ... or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases? — Answer: ENDS
Down
- 1. Genesis or Yes — Answer: BAND
- 2. Many a character in "The Grapes of Wrath" — Answer: OKIE
- 3. Barnyard sound — Answer: OINK
- 4. Prepare to be knighted — Answer: KNEEL
- 5. Epitome of simplicity — Answer: ABC
- 6. Genre for Genesis or Yes, informally — Answer: PROGROCK
- 7. Lead (the way) — Answer: PAVE
- 8. Glossy finishes — Answer: SHEENS
- 9. Active and enthusiastic sort — Answer: BUSYBEE
- 10. Approx. — Answer: EST
- 11. Easily found on the internet, say — Answer: GOOGLEABLE
- 12. Memo heading — Answer: INRE
- 13. Grammy-winning R&B; artist whose stage name is said to have been inspired by "The Matrix" — Answer: NEYO
- 19. Golden Age studio known for many Astaire/Rogers films — Answer: RKO
- 21. You might heave a big one — Answer: SIGH
- 25. Places — Answer: AREAS
- 27. Mike in "Breaking Bad," for example — Answer: EXCOP
- 28. Cancel, as a space launch — Answer: ABORT
- 29. Procrastinator's mantra — Answer: LATER
- 30. What someone seeking validation might need — Answer: EGOMASSAGE
- 32. Shallow boat with a square stern — Answer: SKIFF
- 34. Neighbor of a Slovene — Answer: CROAT
- 35. "Take it easy!" — Answer: SEEYA
- 37. Brother to Groucho — Answer: CHICO
- 38. Mournful cries — Answer: WAILS
- 41. One in a box at the theater? — Answer: RAISINET
- 44. Tranquilizes — Answer: SEDATES
- 46. Penalty in Monopoly — Answer: RENT
- 48. Artist known for his "impossible staircases" — Answer: ESCHER
- 51. Symbol of divine authority in hieroglyphics — Answer: ASP
- 53. Grab control of — Answer: SEIZE
- 54. Words before a date — Answer: ASOF
- 55. Tentative greeting — Answer: UMHI
- 57. The Hawkeye State — Answer: IOWA
- 59. Show extreme fandom for, in slang — Answer: STAN
- 60. Give temporarily — Answer: LEND
- 61. Ryan and Adams of Hollywood — Answer: AMYS
- 63. Whistle blower or flag thrower — Answer: REF
- 64. Hosp. hot spots — Answer: ERS
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Tuesday, December 16, 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 16?” 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 16, 2025
The full solution for the December 16 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 Tuesday, December 16.
Hints for the December 16 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The December 16 puzzle fell on a Tuesday, 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 Tuesday 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What were the NYT Crossword answers on December 16, 2025?
Every answer for the Tuesday, December 16, 2025 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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