NYT Crossword Clues & Answers - Dec 22

Monday, December 22, 2025

By Suzanne Oliver

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NYT Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Deep sleeps
  2. 6High-speed Amtrak train
  3. 11Word with punching or sleeping
  4. 14One of a battery's poles
  5. 15Older but ___
  6. 16Under the weather
  7. 17Saxophone, trumpet, piano and bass, perhaps
  8. 19Day-___ paint
  9. 20"Garfield" dog
  10. 21"It's freezing!"
  11. 22Typical "Survivor" locales
  12. 24Rapper ___ Uzi Vert
  13. 25Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, for two
  14. 28Fish that may have an electric charge
  15. 29Stammering sounds
  16. 30Indignation
  17. 31What each U.S. senator represents
  18. 33Raggedy ___
  19. 34Breyers competitor
  20. 35Some exams allow them
  21. 39Cops, slangily
  22. 42Rode the bench
  23. 43Yoga pose
  24. 47Enjoying great success
  25. 49What electric cars don't use
  26. 51Like a 49-Across gauge that's near "Empty"
  27. 52Overly fussy
  28. 54Bit of forensic evidence
  29. 55Pink ___ (rock band)
  30. 56Singer DiFranco
  31. 57Bill
  32. 58Mideast export
  33. 59Cheat ... or a punny hint to the four sets of circled letters
  34. 63French "a"
  35. 64Hearing-related
  36. 65Playwright Chekhov
  37. 66Kind of lamp that's energy-efficient
  38. 67Easily irritated
  39. 68Romeo and Juliet, agewise

Down

  1. 1Persuades with flattery
  2. 2Doing keto, perhaps
  3. 3Creator of Firefox and Thunderbird
  4. 4Woodworking tool
  5. 5Orderly arrangement: Abbr.
  6. 6Oscars and Grammys, e.g.
  7. 7Wispy clouds
  8. 8Approx.
  9. 9Harper ___, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird"
  10. 10Monet or Manet
  11. 11Don't blow it!
  12. 12Reaction to pollen, e.g.
  13. 13Shiny coatings
  14. 18Lyft competitor
  15. 23Heart attack risk factor
  16. 25Cherokee maker
  17. 26"The kissing disease"
  18. 27Em, to Dorothy
  19. 32Foot, in baby talk
  20. 33Word after fire or carpenter
  21. 36Actor Morales
  22. 37Drug agent, informally
  23. 38"No sweat!"
  24. 39Ball batted up and behind the catcher, say
  25. 40Length of a pithy joke
  26. 41Released from jail early
  27. 44Pasta preference
  28. 45Nine-sided figure
  29. 46Stirs from sleep
  30. 48Is over by
  31. 49With a light touch
  32. 50Suffix with problem
  33. 53Gold standard
  34. 57Scourge
  35. 60Shade of color
  36. 61Surgery sites, in brief
  37. 62Beanie or bowler

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Deep sleeps — Answer: COMAS
  2. 6. High-speed Amtrak train — Answer: ACELA
  3. 11. Word with punching or sleeping — Answer: BAG
  4. 14. One of a battery's poles — Answer: ANODE
  5. 15. Older but ___ — Answer: WISER
  6. 16. Under the weather — Answer: ILL
  7. 17. Saxophone, trumpet, piano and bass, perhaps — Answer: JAZZQUARTET
  8. 19. Day-___ paint — Answer: GLO
  9. 20. "Garfield" dog — Answer: ODIE
  10. 21. "It's freezing!" — Answer: BRR
  11. 22. Typical "Survivor" locales — Answer: ISLES
  12. 24. Rapper ___ Uzi Vert — Answer: LIL
  13. 25. Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, for two — Answer: JEDIMASTERS
  14. 28. Fish that may have an electric charge — Answer: EEL
  15. 29. Stammering sounds — Answer: ERS
  16. 30. Indignation — Answer: OUTRAGE
  17. 31. What each U.S. senator represents — Answer: STATE
  18. 33. Raggedy ___ — Answer: ANN
  19. 34. Breyers competitor — Answer: EDYS
  20. 35. Some exams allow them — Answer: OPENNOTES
  21. 39. Cops, slangily — Answer: POPO
  22. 42. Rode the bench — Answer: SAT
  23. 43. Yoga pose — Answer: ASANA
  24. 47. Enjoying great success — Answer: ONATEAR
  25. 49. What electric cars don't use — Answer: GAS
  26. 51. Like a 49-Across gauge that's near "Empty" — Answer: LOW
  27. 52. Overly fussy — Answer: PERSNICKETY
  28. 54. Bit of forensic evidence — Answer: DNA
  29. 55. Pink ___ (rock band) — Answer: FLOYD
  30. 56. Singer DiFranco — Answer: ANI
  31. 57. Bill — Answer: BEAK
  32. 58. Mideast export — Answer: OIL
  33. 59. Cheat ... or a punny hint to the four sets of circled letters — Answer: SHORTCHANGE
  34. 63. French "a" — Answer: UNE
  35. 64. Hearing-related — Answer: AURAL
  36. 65. Playwright Chekhov — Answer: ANTON
  37. 66. Kind of lamp that's energy-efficient — Answer: LED
  38. 67. Easily irritated — Answer: TESTY
  39. 68. Romeo and Juliet, agewise — Answer: TEENS

Down

  1. 1. Persuades with flattery — Answer: CAJOLES
  2. 2. Doing keto, perhaps — Answer: ONADIET
  3. 3. Creator of Firefox and Thunderbird — Answer: MOZILLA
  4. 4. Woodworking tool — Answer: ADZE
  5. 5. Orderly arrangement: Abbr. — Answer: SEQ
  6. 6. Oscars and Grammys, e.g. — Answer: AWARDS
  7. 7. Wispy clouds — Answer: CIRRI
  8. 8. Approx. — Answer: EST
  9. 9. Harper ___, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird" — Answer: LEE. Hint: Think of a famous author whose last name sounds like a common word for the letter 'L'! 📚
  10. 10. Monet or Manet — Answer: ARTIST
  11. 11. Don't blow it! — Answer: BIGLEAD
  12. 12. Reaction to pollen, e.g. — Answer: ALLERGY
  13. 13. Shiny coatings — Answer: GLOSSES
  14. 18. Lyft competitor — Answer: UBER
  15. 23. Heart attack risk factor — Answer: STRESS
  16. 25. Cherokee maker — Answer: JEEP
  17. 26. "The kissing disease" — Answer: MONO
  18. 27. Em, to Dorothy — Answer: AUNT
  19. 32. Foot, in baby talk — Answer: TOOTSY
  20. 33. Word after fire or carpenter — Answer: ANT
  21. 36. Actor Morales — Answer: ESAI
  22. 37. Drug agent, informally — Answer: NARC
  23. 38. "No sweat!" — Answer: EASY
  24. 39. Ball batted up and behind the catcher, say — Answer: POPFOUL
  25. 40. Length of a pithy joke — Answer: ONELINE
  26. 41. Released from jail early — Answer: PAROLED
  27. 44. Pasta preference — Answer: ALDENTE
  28. 45. Nine-sided figure — Answer: NONAGON
  29. 46. Stirs from sleep — Answer: AWAKENS
  30. 48. Is over by — Answer: ENDSAT
  31. 49. With a light touch — Answer: GENTLY
  32. 50. Suffix with problem — Answer: ATIC
  33. 53. Gold standard — Answer: KARAT
  34. 57. Scourge — Answer: BANE
  35. 60. Shade of color — Answer: HUE
  36. 61. Surgery sites, in brief — Answer: ORS
  37. 62. Beanie or bowler — Answer: HAT

Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Monday, December 22, 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 22?” 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 22, 2025

The full solution for the December 22 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 22.

Hints for the December 22 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The December 22 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?

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Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Crossword answers on December 22, 2025?

Every answer for the Monday, December 22, 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.

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