Most minimal

Crossword Answer — December 21, 2025

Answer
NYT Crossword Answers

NYT Crossword

Sunday, December 21, 2025

By David Kwong

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Across

  1. 1Some Arctic transportsSKIPLANES
  2. 10S.E.C. football powerhouse, for shortBAMA
  3. 141950s hangout with a jukeboxSODAOP
  4. 20Game piece made of four squaresTETROMINO
  5. 21"The Kite Runner" protagonistAMIR
  6. 22SkulksPROWLS
  7. 23Joins graduallyEASESINTO
  8. 24"Doggone it!"DARN
  9. 25TreatmentREMEDY
  10. 26Blue colorant obtained from the indigo plantANIL
  11. 27Wrangler alternativeLEE
  12. 28Brightly colored Mediterranean flowersSUNROSES
  13. 30Rap's Run-___DMC
  14. 31Course catalog?MENU
  15. 32When Aries transitions to TaurusAPRIL
  16. 34Sweetly, on scoresDOLCE
  17. 35"I'll pass"NAH
  18. 36Input of certain miningDATA
  19. 38Montalbán who played Khan in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"RICARDO
  20. 40Timer settingOVEN
  21. 42Areas of influenceSPHERES
  22. 45Mental health org.APA
  23. 46Fraudulently make seem likePOFFAS
  24. 48Covers completelyCOATS
  25. 49Wyoming peakTETON
  26. 51Like a corporation with a new logo, perhapsREBRANDED
  27. 54Comment from someone caught in the rainIMSOED
  28. 56Yellow avenue in MonopolyVENTNOR
  29. 58A bit off, sayONSALE
  30. 59Hyatt alternativeOMNI
  31. 60Hard-boiled genreNOIR
  32. 62TheForce.net for "Star Wars," for exampleFANSITE
  33. 64Dark sideYIN
  34. 65Former big name in browsersNETSCAPE
  35. 67U.F.O.-watching org.SETI
  36. 68By way of, informallyTHRU
  37. 70Kemo ___ (the Lone Ranger)SABE
  38. 71Sailor's patronSTEO
  39. 72Fleetwood Mac hit named for a Celtic goddessRHIANNON
  40. 76DaddyPOP
  41. 79Eponymous British financier James ___BARCLAY
  42. 81By saying this you mean wellBIEN
  43. 82Wrap sellerDELI
  44. 83Adopted, as a petTOOKIN
  45. 85Wasn't folded in a suitcase, sayLAYFLAT
  46. 87Developed, as baby teethGREWIN
  47. 89Sci-fi miniaturizerSHRINKRAY
  48. 91EmanationsAURAS
  49. 93Boldly faceBRAVE
  50. 94Kind of cipher in which A becomes B, B becomes C, e.g.CAESAR
  51. 95Guardians, on a scoreboardCLE
  52. 96Bit of birdspeakCHITTER
  53. 98Damp, mildewy qualityMUST
  54. 99They hold waterVESSELS
  55. 102SilenceHUSH
  56. 103Lying faceupSUP
  57. 104___ Park, Calif.MENLO
  58. 105AirETHER
  59. 107Disney subsidiaryESPN
  60. 111A little help?ELF
  61. 112Evaded, as a sensitive issueDANCOUND
  62. 114Some pings, in briefIMS
  63. 115"Fie on ___!" (Shakespearean cry)THEE
  64. 116Skips overELIDES
  65. 118Few and far betweenRARE
  66. 119Regulars at parks with ramps, informallySKATERATS
  67. 121Reply after having one's memory joggedYESYES
  68. 122Some time agoONCE
  69. 123"What's done is done!"GETOVERIT
  70. 124Stick (to)ADHERE
  71. 125Garden interloperWEED
  72. 126Church parts crossing navesTRANSEPTS

Down

  1. 1Make furiousSTEAM
  2. 2"The Family Circus" cartoonist Bil ___KEANE
  3. 3Tennis line judge's rulingITSIN
  4. 4Duke Ellington classic with the lyric "That was my heart serenading you"PRELUDETOISS
  5. 5West side of L.A.?LOS
  6. 6"Is there still time for me to join you?"AMILATE
  7. 751 to the hourNINEPAST
  8. 8Stage directionENTER
  9. 9Phillipa of BroadwaySOO
  10. 10Grammy winner ErykahBADU
  11. 11___ Gorman, "The Hill We Climb" poetAMANDA
  12. 12CopyMIRROR
  13. 13Iced-tea-and-lemonade refreshmentsARNOLDPERS
  14. 14Spending rompSPREE
  15. 15Output of certain miningORES
  16. 16Counterpart of a subDOM
  17. 17Fast start?AWEDNESDAY
  18. 18Father, familiarlyOLDMAN
  19. 19Mentally overpower, with "out"PSYCH
  20. 28Like most moccasinsSLIPON
  21. 29Great Dane of cartoons, informallySCOOB
  22. 33More lividIRATER
  23. 37Keister, in LeicesterARSE
  24. 392015 chart-topping hit for the WeekndCANTFEEYFACE
  25. 40Symbolic for its timeOFANERA
  26. 41Shoe company with an iconic checkerboard designVANS
  27. 42DescendantSCION
  28. 43Apple: Fr.POMME
  29. 44Is withoutHASNT
  30. 47Rabid in appearanceFROTHING
  31. 50Woman's nickname that sounds like two lettersEVIE
  32. 51Rice-A-___RONI
  33. 52"Borderlands" director ___ RothELI
  34. 53Hiding placeDEN
  35. 55Gene pools?DNABANKS
  36. 57Org. with its own alphabetNATO
  37. 61Abbr. not found on most smartphonesOPER
  38. 63"Aren't ___ lucky one?!"ITHE
  39. 66It has a lot of secretariesCABINET
  40. 67Shirt collar stiffenerSTAY
  41. 69Where to find six "presents" in this puzzle?UNDERTHETREE
  42. 71Knock 'em deadSLAY
  43. 72Coolidge who sang the theme for "Octopussy"RITA
  44. 73Just getting started withNEWAT
  45. 74Green shadeOLIVE
  46. 75What Joe Montana was in the '80sNINER
  47. 76A TD scores six of thesePTS
  48. 77"Fancy, that!"OOH
  49. 78Prickly denizen of coral reefsPORCUPFISH
  50. 80Famed lawyer in the 1925 Scopes Monkey TrialCLARENCROW
  51. 81Most minimalBAREST
  52. 84Some Korean exportsKIAS
  53. 86Calmed deceptivelyLULLED
  54. 88Baseball slugger's statRBIS
  55. 90Bird used to deliver messages on "Game of Thrones"RAVEN
  56. 92BlueprintsSCHEMATA
  57. 97Author Zora Neale ___HURSTON
  58. 98Noodled on, with "over"MULLED
  59. 100Girlfriend in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"SLOANE
  60. 101InformantSOURCE
  61. 103"Ta-ta!"SEEYA
  62. 104Tricky pool shotMASSE
  63. 106Someone enjoying a walk in the parkHIKER
  64. 108Mentally with itSHARP
  65. 109___ fourPETIT
  66. 110Fits one inside the otherNESTS
  67. 112Porcine : pigs :: cervine : ___DEER
  68. 113EssentialNEED
  69. 117It might be good for a changeDYE
  70. 119One who knows the drill?: Abbr.SGT
  71. 120Teslas, e.g., for shortEVS

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Some Arctic transports — Answer: SKIPLANES
  2. 10. S.E.C. football powerhouse, for short — Answer: BAMA
  3. 14. 1950s hangout with a jukebox — Answer: SODAOP
  4. 20. Game piece made of four squares — Answer: TETROMINO
  5. 21. "The Kite Runner" protagonist — Answer: AMIR
  6. 22. Skulks — Answer: PROWLS
  7. 23. Joins gradually — Answer: EASESINTO
  8. 24. "Doggone it!" — Answer: DARN
  9. 25. Treatment — Answer: REMEDY
  10. 26. Blue colorant obtained from the indigo plant — Answer: ANIL
  11. 27. Wrangler alternative — Answer: LEE
  12. 28. Brightly colored Mediterranean flowers — Answer: SUNROSES
  13. 30. Rap's Run-___ — Answer: DMC
  14. 31. Course catalog? — Answer: MENU
  15. 32. When Aries transitions to Taurus — Answer: APRIL
  16. 34. Sweetly, on scores — Answer: DOLCE
  17. 35. "I'll pass" — Answer: NAH. Hint: Sometimes it's a polite way to say no! 🙅‍♂️
  18. 36. Input of certain mining — Answer: DATA
  19. 38. Montalbán who played Khan in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" — Answer: RICARDO
  20. 40. Timer setting — Answer: OVEN
  21. 42. Areas of influence — Answer: SPHERES
  22. 45. Mental health org. — Answer: APA
  23. 46. Fraudulently make seem like — Answer: POFFAS
  24. 48. Covers completely — Answer: COATS
  25. 49. Wyoming peak — Answer: TETON
  26. 51. Like a corporation with a new logo, perhaps — Answer: REBRANDED
  27. 54. Comment from someone caught in the rain — Answer: IMSOED
  28. 56. Yellow avenue in Monopoly — Answer: VENTNOR
  29. 58. A bit off, say — Answer: ONSALE
  30. 59. Hyatt alternative — Answer: OMNI
  31. 60. Hard-boiled genre — Answer: NOIR
  32. 62. TheForce.net for "Star Wars," for example — Answer: FANSITE
  33. 64. Dark side — Answer: YIN
  34. 65. Former big name in browsers — Answer: NETSCAPE
  35. 67. U.F.O.-watching org. — Answer: SETI
  36. 68. By way of, informally — Answer: THRU
  37. 70. Kemo ___ (the Lone Ranger) — Answer: SABE
  38. 71. Sailor's patron — Answer: STEO
  39. 72. Fleetwood Mac hit named for a Celtic goddess — Answer: RHIANNON
  40. 76. Daddy — Answer: POP
  41. 79. Eponymous British financier James ___ — Answer: BARCLAY
  42. 81. By saying this you mean well — Answer: BIEN
  43. 82. Wrap seller — Answer: DELI
  44. 83. Adopted, as a pet — Answer: TOOKIN
  45. 85. Wasn't folded in a suitcase, say — Answer: LAYFLAT
  46. 87. Developed, as baby teeth — Answer: GREWIN
  47. 89. Sci-fi miniaturizer — Answer: SHRINKRAY
  48. 91. Emanations — Answer: AURAS
  49. 93. Boldly face — Answer: BRAVE
  50. 94. Kind of cipher in which A becomes B, B becomes C, e.g. — Answer: CAESAR
  51. 95. Guardians, on a scoreboard — Answer: CLE
  52. 96. Bit of birdspeak — Answer: CHITTER
  53. 98. Damp, mildewy quality — Answer: MUST
  54. 99. They hold water — Answer: VESSELS
  55. 102. Silence — Answer: HUSH
  56. 103. Lying faceup — Answer: SUP
  57. 104. ___ Park, Calif. — Answer: MENLO
  58. 105. Air — Answer: ETHER
  59. 107. Disney subsidiary — Answer: ESPN
  60. 111. A little help? — Answer: ELF
  61. 112. Evaded, as a sensitive issue — Answer: DANCOUND
  62. 114. Some pings, in brief — Answer: IMS
  63. 115. "Fie on ___!" (Shakespearean cry) — Answer: THEE
  64. 116. Skips over — Answer: ELIDES
  65. 118. Few and far between — Answer: RARE
  66. 119. Regulars at parks with ramps, informally — Answer: SKATERATS
  67. 121. Reply after having one's memory jogged — Answer: YESYES
  68. 122. Some time ago — Answer: ONCE
  69. 123. "What's done is done!" — Answer: GETOVERIT
  70. 124. Stick (to) — Answer: ADHERE
  71. 125. Garden interloper — Answer: WEED
  72. 126. Church parts crossing naves — Answer: TRANSEPTS

Down

  1. 1. Make furious — Answer: STEAM
  2. 2. "The Family Circus" cartoonist Bil ___ — Answer: KEANE
  3. 3. Tennis line judge's ruling — Answer: ITSIN
  4. 4. Duke Ellington classic with the lyric "That was my heart serenading you" — Answer: PRELUDETOISS
  5. 5. West side of L.A.? — Answer: LOS
  6. 6. "Is there still time for me to join you?" — Answer: AMILATE
  7. 7. 51 to the hour — Answer: NINEPAST
  8. 8. Stage direction — Answer: ENTER
  9. 9. Phillipa of Broadway — Answer: SOO
  10. 10. Grammy winner Erykah — Answer: BADU
  11. 11. ___ Gorman, "The Hill We Climb" poet — Answer: AMANDA
  12. 12. Copy — Answer: MIRROR
  13. 13. Iced-tea-and-lemonade refreshments — Answer: ARNOLDPERS
  14. 14. Spending romp — Answer: SPREE
  15. 15. Output of certain mining — Answer: ORES
  16. 16. Counterpart of a sub — Answer: DOM
  17. 17. Fast start? — Answer: AWEDNESDAY
  18. 18. Father, familiarly — Answer: OLDMAN
  19. 19. Mentally overpower, with "out" — Answer: PSYCH
  20. 28. Like most moccasins — Answer: SLIPON
  21. 29. Great Dane of cartoons, informally — Answer: SCOOB
  22. 33. More livid — Answer: IRATER
  23. 37. Keister, in Leicester — Answer: ARSE. Hint: In British slang, it's a cheeky term for your backside! 🍑
  24. 39. 2015 chart-topping hit for the Weeknd — Answer: CANTFEEYFACE
  25. 40. Symbolic for its time — Answer: OFANERA
  26. 41. Shoe company with an iconic checkerboard design — Answer: VANS
  27. 42. Descendant — Answer: SCION
  28. 43. Apple: Fr. — Answer: POMME
  29. 44. Is without — Answer: HASNT
  30. 47. Rabid in appearance — Answer: FROTHING
  31. 50. Woman's nickname that sounds like two letters — Answer: EVIE
  32. 51. Rice-A-___ — Answer: RONI
  33. 52. "Borderlands" director ___ Roth — Answer: ELI
  34. 53. Hiding place — Answer: DEN
  35. 55. Gene pools? — Answer: DNABANKS
  36. 57. Org. with its own alphabet — Answer: NATO
  37. 61. Abbr. not found on most smartphones — Answer: OPER
  38. 63. "Aren't ___ lucky one?!" — Answer: ITHE
  39. 66. It has a lot of secretaries — Answer: CABINET
  40. 67. Shirt collar stiffener — Answer: STAY
  41. 69. Where to find six "presents" in this puzzle? — Answer: UNDERTHETREE
  42. 71. Knock 'em dead — Answer: SLAY
  43. 72. Coolidge who sang the theme for "Octopussy" — Answer: RITA
  44. 73. Just getting started with — Answer: NEWAT
  45. 74. Green shade — Answer: OLIVE
  46. 75. What Joe Montana was in the '80s — Answer: NINER
  47. 76. A TD scores six of these — Answer: PTS
  48. 77. "Fancy, that!" — Answer: OOH
  49. 78. Prickly denizen of coral reefs — Answer: PORCUPFISH
  50. 80. Famed lawyer in the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial — Answer: CLARENCROW
  51. 81. Most minimal — Answer: BAREST
  52. 84. Some Korean exports — Answer: KIAS
  53. 86. Calmed deceptively — Answer: LULLED
  54. 88. Baseball slugger's stat — Answer: RBIS
  55. 90. Bird used to deliver messages on "Game of Thrones" — Answer: RAVEN
  56. 92. Blueprints — Answer: SCHEMATA
  57. 97. Author Zora Neale ___ — Answer: HURSTON
  58. 98. Noodled on, with "over" — Answer: MULLED
  59. 100. Girlfriend in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" — Answer: SLOANE
  60. 101. Informant — Answer: SOURCE
  61. 103. "Ta-ta!" — Answer: SEEYA
  62. 104. Tricky pool shot — Answer: MASSE
  63. 106. Someone enjoying a walk in the park — Answer: HIKER
  64. 108. Mentally with it — Answer: SHARP
  65. 109. ___ four — Answer: PETIT
  66. 110. Fits one inside the other — Answer: NESTS
  67. 112. Porcine : pigs :: cervine : ___ — Answer: DEER
  68. 113. Essential — Answer: NEED
  69. 117. It might be good for a change — Answer: DYE
  70. 119. One who knows the drill?: Abbr. — Answer: SGT
  71. 120. Teslas, e.g., for short — Answer: EVS

The answer to “Most minimal” in the New York Times crossword is BAREST — a 6-letter word. This clue ran in the New York Times crossword on December 21, 2025, a Sunday puzzle, at 81-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.

“Most minimal” answer

BAREST (6 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 BAREST.

Why the answer is BAREST

BAREST is the 6-letter solution that fits "Most minimal" in the NYT Crossword crossword on December 21, 2025 (81-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Most minimal” 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 21, 2025 (this puzzle) → BAREST. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the NYT Crossword on December 21, 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 21, 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 Sunday 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 “Most minimal”?

The answer is BAREST, a 6-letter word. It appeared in the New York Times crossword on December 21, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Most minimal”?

6 letters: BAREST.

Where did this clue appear?

In the New York Times crossword on December 21, 2025 (a Sunday puzzle), at 81-Down.

Can “Most minimal” 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 21, 2025 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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