Friday, December 26, 2025
By Andrew Spooner
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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.
NYT Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Dawdler
- 9Cuts short
- 15Typical sight in a bank robbery cartoon
- 16Kitsch
- 17Doing some theater work
- 18Cracked wheat used in tabbouleh
- 19One whose beauty is on the inside
- 20Whole kit and caboodle
- 22___-Latin (like some modern coinages)
- 23Plant that's toxic to cats
- 24Some babysitters
- 25A cold one is unexpected (and usually unappreciated)
- 26Since Jan. 1, on a pay stub
- 27Tuesday, in French
- 28Song commonly performed outdoors
- 29Food that can be prepared de canasta
- 30___ Tuesday (end of the pre-Lenten season)
- 31One toeing the line?
- 35Individually
- 36Editorialize
- 37Overly self-assertive
- 38Like a good sponge cake
- 39Down Under bird that scientists are working to "de-extinct"
- 42Singular, with or without its first letter
- 43Origin story family in DC Comics
- 44Facility
- 45Certain care provider, for short
- 46Re-fresh?
- 47It might be marked with an X
- 48Linked (with)
- 50Drive
- 52Harden and become resistant to change
- 53Life partner, perhaps?
- 54Old coin with a picture of Generalissimo Franco
- 55Treated with respect
Down
- 1How a supervillain might brag
- 2Flip
- 3Waiting for support, maybe
- 4Like untended plots
- 5Funeral ___
- 6Broad band?
- 7Royal Australian Air Force insignia
- 8Competition that combines speed with balance
- 9Professor Dumbledore
- 10Contest
- 11Bevy : quail :: parliament : ___
- 12The world's end, in Norse mythology
- 13Mr. or Ms. Right
- 14Baby sitter?
- 21Half of a classic rum cocktail's name
- 24Component of a nautilus shell
- 25Eric who wrote and illustrated "Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me"
- 27Stick by a fireplace
- 28Mantra
- 29Nearby things
- 30Like the pope's guards
- 31Area on which to eat or play cards
- 32"You can absolutely count on me"
- 33Figure in sci-fi's "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," e.g.
- 34Great illustrations
- 38Connected
- 39Sister of Moses
- 40Worth considering
- 41Made up
- 43Nation dubbed the "cradle of mankind"
- 44"Understood?"
- 46Big break
- 47Stack (up)
- 49Casting need
- 51Short diner order
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Dawdler — Answer: SLOWPOKE
- 9. Cuts short — Answer: ABORTS
- 15. Typical sight in a bank robbery cartoon — Answer: MONEYBAG
- 16. Kitsch — Answer: LOWART
- 17. Doing some theater work — Answer: USHERING
- 18. Cracked wheat used in tabbouleh — Answer: BULGUR
- 19. One whose beauty is on the inside — Answer: GEODE
- 20. Whole kit and caboodle — Answer: GAMUT
- 22. ___-Latin (like some modern coinages) — Answer: NEO
- 23. Plant that's toxic to cats — Answer: LILY
- 24. Some babysitters — Answer: NANAS
- 25. A cold one is unexpected (and usually unappreciated) — Answer: CALL
- 26. Since Jan. 1, on a pay stub — Answer: YTD
- 27. Tuesday, in French — Answer: MARDI
- 28. Song commonly performed outdoors — Answer: CAROL
- 29. Food that can be prepared de canasta — Answer: TACOS
- 30. ___ Tuesday (end of the pre-Lenten season) — Answer: SHROVE
- 31. One toeing the line? — Answer: TIGHTROPEWALKER
- 35. Individually — Answer: APIECE
- 36. Editorialize — Answer: OPINE
- 37. Overly self-assertive — Answer: BRASH
- 38. Like a good sponge cake — Answer: MOIST
- 39. Down Under bird that scientists are working to "de-extinct" — Answer: MOA
- 42. Singular, with or without its first letter — Answer: LONE
- 43. Origin story family in DC Comics — Answer: KENTS
- 44. Facility — Answer: GIFT
- 45. Certain care provider, for short — Answer: EMT
- 46. Re-fresh? — Answer: RETRO
- 47. It might be marked with an X — Answer: PORNO
- 48. Linked (with) — Answer: TIEDIN
- 50. Drive — Answer: AMBITION
- 52. Harden and become resistant to change — Answer: OSSIFY
- 53. Life partner, perhaps? — Answer: CELLMATE
- 54. Old coin with a picture of Generalissimo Franco — Answer: PESETA
- 55. Treated with respect — Answer: ESTEEMED
Down
- 1. How a supervillain might brag — Answer: SMUGLY
- 2. Flip — Answer: LOSEIT
- 3. Waiting for support, maybe — Answer: ONHOLD
- 4. Like untended plots — Answer: WEEDY
- 5. Funeral ___ — Answer: PYRE
- 6. Broad band? — Answer: OBI
- 7. Royal Australian Air Force insignia — Answer: KANGAROO
- 8. Competition that combines speed with balance — Answer: EGGANDSPOONRACE
- 9. Professor Dumbledore — Answer: ALBUS
- 10. Contest — Answer: BOUT
- 11. Bevy : quail :: parliament : ___ — Answer: OWL
- 12. The world's end, in Norse mythology — Answer: RAGNAROK
- 13. Mr. or Ms. Right — Answer: TRUELOVE
- 14. Baby sitter? — Answer: STROLLER
- 21. Half of a classic rum cocktail's name — Answer: MAI
- 24. Component of a nautilus shell — Answer: NACRE
- 25. Eric who wrote and illustrated "Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me" — Answer: CARLE
- 27. Stick by a fireplace — Answer: MATCH
- 28. Mantra — Answer: CHANT
- 29. Nearby things — Answer: THESE
- 30. Like the pope's guards — Answer: SWISS
- 31. Area on which to eat or play cards — Answer: TABLETOP
- 32. "You can absolutely count on me" — Answer: IPROMISE
- 33. Figure in sci-fi's "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," e.g. — Answer: GIANTESS
- 34. Great illustrations — Answer: EPITOMES
- 38. Connected — Answer: MET
- 39. Sister of Moses — Answer: MIRIAM
- 40. Worth considering — Answer: OFNOTE
- 41. Made up — Answer: ATONED
- 43. Nation dubbed the "cradle of mankind" — Answer: KENYA
- 44. "Understood?" — Answer: GOTME
- 46. Big break — Answer: RIFT
- 47. Stack (up) — Answer: PILE
- 49. Casting need — Answer: DIE
- 51. Short diner order — Answer: BLT
Here are the NYT Crossword answers for Friday, December 26, 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 26?” 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 26, 2025
The full solution for the December 26 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 Friday, December 26.
Hints for the December 26 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The December 26 puzzle fell on a Friday, 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 Friday 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 26, 2025?
Every answer for the Friday, December 26, 2025 NYT Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.
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