Thursday, December 18, 2025
By Joseph Gangi
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"We're the best!," e.g.
- 6Lengthy pitch
- 11Web access co.
- 14Mushroom in ramen
- 15Trunks
- 16Platoon sgt., e.g.
- 17Feats performed on knights' quests
- 19"Platoon" setting, for short
- 20___ tight
- 21Dig in
- 22Appropriate inappropriately
- 24Go off on
- 27Bear with a message
- 29"Colorful" Atlantic Coast Conference team
- 32Helpful
- 35Some radar blips
- 36Reveal private data of, in modern lingo
- 37Mama's mama
- 38Jake's love in "The Sun Also Rises"
- 40Bit of aerial arts equipment
- 41Word with ball or card
- 42Lake ___, body formerly known as Lac du Chat
- 43Botch
- 44Follow-up to an oath
- 48Fluid for a lighter
- 49Crosses off
- 52Get schooled
- 53Volleyball team count
- 54OK signal
- 56Off-line, online
- 57Point at the wrong person
- 62The time of one's life?
- 63He said "Every great film should seem new every time you see it"
- 64Smooth transition
- 65Visibly embarrassed
- 66Alley components
- 67Preserved, in a way
Down
- 1Some queens
- 2Live
- 3It comes from the heart
- 4Glide down a piste
- 5___ soldier
- 6Levels
- 7One versed in verse
- 8Agcy. that takes many forms
- 9Title for a J.D.
- 10Spirits
- 11"That's what she said" and others
- 12Beyond impressive, informally
- 13Ceremony
- 18One of several in a watch
- 23Caribbean music genre
- 25Rae of "Insecure"
- 26NaOH
- 27About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr.
- 28No longer relevant
- 30___ Nation (activist organization since 1990)
- 31Fair
- 32T.H. White's "The ___ and Future King"
- 33Knockoff version of a bejeweled Imperial egg, e.g.
- 34In a class by oneself
- 38___ Mawr
- 39Teeming (with)
- 40Greeting from Kermit
- 42Name that sounds like a computer guidebook
- 43Hosts, for short
- 45N.F.L. div.
- 46Lives
- 47Coming right up
- 50Eel, at a sushi bar
- 51"Ratatouille" topper
- 52Fabrication expert
- 53"I guess so"
- 55Barred from competing, for short
- 58Trail Blazers' grp.
- 59"Severance" actress Tullock
- 60Microdosing drug
- 61"Quit ___ yappin'!"
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. "We're the best!," e.g. — Answer: BOAST
- 6. Lengthy pitch — Answer: SPIEL
- 11. Web access co. — Answer: ISP
- 14. Mushroom in ramen — Answer: ENOKI
- 15. Trunks — Answer: TORSI
- 16. Platoon sgt., e.g. — Answer: NCO
- 17. Feats performed on knights' quests — Answer: DARINGRESQQ
- 19. "Platoon" setting, for short — Answer: NAM
- 20. ___ tight — Answer: SIT
- 21. Dig in — Answer: EAT
- 22. Appropriate inappropriately — Answer: USURP
- 24. Go off on — Answer: RAILAT
- 27. Bear with a message — Answer: SMOKEY
- 29. "Colorful" Atlantic Coast Conference team — Answer: SYRAQQORANGE
- 32. Helpful — Answer: OFUSE
- 35. Some radar blips — Answer: UFOS
- 36. Reveal private data of, in modern lingo — Answer: DOX
- 37. Mama's mama — Answer: NANA
- 38. Jake's love in "The Sun Also Rises" — Answer: BRETT
- 40. Bit of aerial arts equipment — Answer: HOOP
- 41. Word with ball or card — Answer: CUE
- 42. Lake ___, body formerly known as Lac du Chat — Answer: ERIE
- 43. Botch — Answer: MISDO
- 44. Follow-up to an oath — Answer: EXQQMYFRENCH
- 48. Fluid for a lighter — Answer: BUTANE
- 49. Crosses off — Answer: XESOUT
- 52. Get schooled — Answer: LEARN
- 53. Volleyball team count — Answer: SIX
- 54. OK signal — Answer: NOD
- 56. Off-line, online — Answer: IRL
- 57. Point at the wrong person — Answer: UNJUSTLYAQQ
- 62. The time of one's life? — Answer: AGE
- 63. He said "Every great film should seem new every time you see it" — Answer: EBERT
- 64. Smooth transition — Answer: SEGUE
- 65. Visibly embarrassed — Answer: RED
- 66. Alley components — Answer: LANES
- 67. Preserved, in a way — Answer: DRIED
Down
- 1. Some queens — Answer: BEDS
- 2. Live — Answer: ONAIR
- 3. It comes from the heart — Answer: AORTA
- 4. Glide down a piste — Answer: SKI
- 5. ___ soldier — Answer: TIN
- 6. Levels — Answer: STRATA
- 7. One versed in verse — Answer: POET
- 8. Agcy. that takes many forms — Answer: IRS
- 9. Title for a J.D. — Answer: ESQ
- 10. Spirits — Answer: LIQUORS
- 11. "That's what she said" and others — Answer: INNUENDOS
- 12. Beyond impressive, informally — Answer: SCARYGOOD
- 13. Ceremony — Answer: POMP
- 18. One of several in a watch — Answer: GEAR
- 23. Caribbean music genre — Answer: SKA
- 25. Rae of "Insecure" — Answer: ISSA
- 26. NaOH — Answer: LYE
- 27. About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr. — Answer: SQFT
- 28. No longer relevant — Answer: MOOT
- 30. ___ Nation (activist organization since 1990) — Answer: QUEER
- 31. Fair — Answer: EXPO
- 32. T.H. White's "The ___ and Future King" — Answer: ONCE
- 33. Knockoff version of a bejeweled Imperial egg, e.g. — Answer: FAUXBERGE
- 34. In a class by oneself — Answer: UNEQUALED
- 38. ___ Mawr — Answer: BRYN
- 39. Teeming (with) — Answer: RIFE
- 40. Greeting from Kermit — Answer: HIHO
- 42. Name that sounds like a computer guidebook — Answer: EMANUEL
- 43. Hosts, for short — Answer: MCS
- 45. N.F.L. div. — Answer: QTR
- 46. Lives — Answer: EXISTS
- 47. Coming right up — Answer: NEXT
- 50. Eel, at a sushi bar — Answer: UNAGI
- 51. "Ratatouille" topper — Answer: TOQUE
- 52. Fabrication expert — Answer: LIAR
- 53. "I guess so" — Answer: SURE
- 55. Barred from competing, for short — Answer: DQED
- 58. Trail Blazers' grp. — Answer: NBA
- 59. "Severance" actress Tullock — Answer: JEN
- 60. Microdosing drug — Answer: LSD
- 61. "Quit ___ yappin'!" — Answer: YER
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Thursday, December 18, 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 18?” 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 18, 2025
The full solution for the December 18 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 Thursday, December 18.
Hints for the December 18 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The December 18 puzzle fell on a Thursday, 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 Thursday 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?
- ← NYT Crossword answers for December 17
- → NYT Crossword answers for December 19
- Today's NYT Crossword answers — the live puzzle
- Browse the full archive of past NYT Crossword answers from the today page, or step through the dates above.
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 18, 2025?
Every answer for the Thursday, December 18, 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.