NYT Crossword hints and answer for December 28, 2025
Hints that get gradually more specific, then the answer if you need it. Nothing is revealed until you tap.
Clues140
Across69
Down71
TitleOff Broadway Musicals
Today’s NYT Crossword clues, hints & answers
Every clue from this puzzle with a hint and the answer behind separate buttons, so you only see what you need. Click a clue for its own page.
Across
1A
Poet with a 1982 posthumous Pulitzer (5)
Starts with P, ends with HPLATH→
6A
S.L.R. insert since the early 2000s (6)
Starts with S, ends with DSDCARD→
12A
Baths in Bath (4)
Starts with L, ends with SLAVS→
16A
Comedian Notaro (3)
Starts with T, ends with GTIG→
19A
Host Tyler of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (5)
Starts with A, ends with AAISHA→
20A
One sporting an article of apparel (6)
Starts with W, ends with RWEARER→
21A
Sign in a theater (4)
Starts with E, ends with TEXIT→
23A
Rock of Ages (12)
Starts with R, ends with EROSETTASTONE→
25A
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (8)
Starts with N, ends with MNEPOTISM→
27A
Prop for a proposal (4)
Starts with K, ends with EKNEE→
28A
College credit hours (5)
Starts with U, ends with SUNITS→
29A
Far from fore (3)
Starts with A, ends with TAFT→
31A
Starting section (5)
Starts with P, ends with APARTA→
32A
Fab Four drummer (5)
Starts with S, ends with RSTARR→
34A
"I can handle that for you" (5)
Starts with L, ends with ELETME→
36A
Swallow something hook, line and sinker (7)
Starts with E, ends with PEATITUP→
38A
Subject of some modern maps (6)
Starts with G, ends with EGENOME→
41A
Boots out (6)
Starts with E, ends with SEJECTS→
43A
Ending with Butler or Bard (3)
Starts with E, ends with UEDU→
44A
A Class Act (9)
Starts with F, ends with PFIELDTRIP→
47A
A Strange Loop (11)
Starts with M, ends with PMOBIUSSTRIP→
50A
Played a part (5)
Starts with A, ends with DACTED→
51A
Baldwin of "30 Rock" (4)
Starts with A, ends with CALEC→
53A
Ran in the rain, perhaps (4)
Starts with B, ends with DBLED→
54A
Brig pair (5)
Starts with M, ends with SMASTS→
55A
New Mexico skiing locale (4)
Starts with T, ends with STAOS→
56A
Full legislative assembly (6)
Starts with P, ends with MPLENUM→
58A
Personification of darkness, in Greek myth (6)
Starts with E, ends with SEREBUS→
60A
Shapiro of public radio (3)
Starts with A, ends with IARI→
62A
Chips go-with (5)
Starts with S, ends with ASALSA→
64A
Straight up (5)
Starts with E, ends with TERECT→
67A
A Little Night Music (7)
Starts with L, ends with YLULLABY→
70A
A Chorus Line (7)
Starts with R, ends with NREFRAIN→
72A
Creatures formed from the fingers of the sea goddess Sedna, in Inuit myth (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSEALS→
73A
Personal histories (5)
Starts with P, ends with SPASTS→
74A
Automatons, informally (4)
Starts with B, ends with SBOTS→
75A
Cell letters (3)
Starts with R, ends with ARNA→
76A
"___ down the hatches!" (6)
Starts with B, ends with NBATTEN→
78A
Nursery rhyme couple (6)
Starts with S, ends with SSPRATS→
80A
Cribbage markers (4)
Starts with P, ends with SPEGS→
81A
Sine's reciprocal, in trig (5)
Starts with C, ends with CCOSEC→
84A
Bit of power (4)
Starts with W, ends with TWATT→
86A
Japanese noodle (4)
Starts with S, ends with ASOBA→
87A
Wave to, say (5)
Starts with G, ends with TGREET→
88A
The Producers (11)
Starts with P, ends with TPROLETARIAT→
91A
Into the Woods (9)
Starts with O, ends with YOUTDOORSY→
93A
___ Lingus (3)
Starts with A, ends with RAER→
94A
Intertwine (6)
Starts with E, ends with EENLACE→
95A
Halloween haul (6)
Starts with T, ends with STREATS→
96A
In tears (7)
Starts with S, ends with GSOBBING→
99A
Eschew the high road, say (5)
Starts with G, ends with WGOLOW→
101A
___ Dame (5)
Starts with N, ends with ENOTRE→
104A
Repeatedly hit hard (5)
Starts with P, ends with DPOUND→
105A
Dollop (3)
Starts with G, ends with BGOB→
106A
Pop group (5)
Starts with C, ends with SCOLAS→
109A
Sitar great Shankar (4)
Starts with R, ends with IRAVI→
111A
The Wiz (8)
Starts with E, ends with NEINSTEIN→
113A
Mean Girls (12)
Starts with A, ends with SAVERAGEJANES→
116A
Chess pieces (3)
Starts with M, ends with NMEN→
117A
Bombeck who wrote "At Wit's End" (4)
Starts with E, ends with AERMA→
118A
File often installed with computer programs (6)
Starts with R, ends with EREADME→
119A
Do penance (5)
Starts with A, ends with EATONE→
121A
Hurdle for a J.D.-to-be (4)
Starts with L, ends with TLSAT→
122A
Became aware of (6)
Starts with S, ends with DSENSED→
123A
"Fiddler on the Roof" matchmaker (5)
Starts with Y, ends with EYENTE→
Down
1D
Playground area, often (4)
Starts with P, ends with KPARK→
2D
Fearsome felines (5)
Starts with L, ends with SLIONS→
4D
"One of These Nights" band (9)
Starts with T, ends with STHEEAGLES→
5D
Makeshift tip collector (3)
Starts with H, ends with THAT→
6D
Epitome of graceful beauty (4)
Starts with S, ends with NSWAN→
7D
Arnaz of "I Love Lucy" (4)
Starts with D, ends with IDESI→
8D
Certain stock holder (9)
Starts with C, ends with NCATTLEPEN→
9D
Came about (5)
Starts with A, ends with EAROSE→
10D
Kylo ___ of "Star Wars" (3)
Starts with R, ends with NREN→
11D
Gig of a lifetime (8)
Starts with D, ends with BDREAMJOB→
12D
Advanced (4)
Starts with L, ends with TLENT→
13D
Guitar, slangily (3)
Starts with A, ends with EAXE→
14D
Front-of-the-line credential (7)
Starts with V, ends with SVIPPASS→
15D
Cousin of a mink (5)
Starts with S, ends with TSTOAT→
16D
Cheep trills? (8)
Starts with T, ends with STWITTERS→
17D
Dodger's comeuppance (8)
Starts with I, ends with TIRSAUDIT→
18D
Indoor recess locale (3)
Starts with G, ends with MGYM→
24D
Super-excited, in slang (5)
Starts with T, ends with TTURNT→
26D
One "T" of TNT (3)
Starts with T, ends with ITRI→
30D
Least hale (8)
Starts with F, ends with TFEEBLEST→
33D
Foxx of 1970s TV (4)
Starts with R, ends with DREDD→
35D
Judge pro ___ (3)
Starts with T, ends with MTEM→
36D
Piano pupil's practice piece (5)
Starts with E, ends with EETUDE→
37D
Short boxers, e.g. (4)
Starts with P, ends with SPUPS→
39D
How some medicines are taken (6)
Starts with O, ends with YORALLY→
40D
Apt name for a distance runner? (5)
Starts with M, ends with SMILES→
42D
Oldsmobile Cutlass model (5)
Starts with C, ends with ACIERA→
44D
Like 45-Down's flaw (5)
Starts with F, ends with LFATAL→
45D
Mythical figure undone by hubris (6)
Starts with I, ends with SICARUS→
46D
Prima ballerina (6)
Starts with E, ends with EETOILE→
48D
Uses an alternate account to play against easier opponents, in gamer-speak (6)
Starts with S, ends with SSMURFS→
49D
Police weapon (5)
Starts with T, ends with RTASER→
52D
Transition points (5)
Starts with C, ends with SCUSPS→
56D
Blue Ribbon brand (5)
Starts with P, ends with TPABST→
57D
Ice cream parlor offerings (5)
Starts with M, ends with SMALTS→
59D
Borscht base (5)
Starts with B, ends with SBEETS→
61D
Classic theater name (6)
Starts with P, ends with EPALACE→
63D
Struggles with sibilant sounds (5)
Starts with L, ends with SLISPS→
65D
Law, but not order (6)
Starts with C, ends with RCAREER→
68D
Word with record or union (5)
Starts with L, ends with LLABEL→
69D
World capital near the Andean foothills (8)
Starts with S, ends with OSANTIAGO→
70D
Give a twist (6)
Starts with R, ends with EROTATE→
71D
Downright mean (5)
Starts with N, ends with YNASTY→
73D
Bit of wisdom (5)
Starts with P, ends with LPEARL→
74D
Founder of the Mughal Empire (5)
Starts with B, ends with RBABUR→
77D
String-plucking sound (5)
Starts with T, ends with GTWANG→
79D
Sources in etymology (9)
Starts with R, ends with SROOTWORDS→
80D
Prone (9)
Starts with P, ends with EPROSTRATE→
81D
Some summers, in brief (4)
Starts with C, ends with SCPAS→
82D
Black-and-white desserts (8)
Starts with O, ends with SOREOPIES→
83D
Université with a Pierre and Marie Curie campus (8)
Starts with S, ends with ESORBONNE→
85D
Shell filling stations (8)
Starts with T, ends with STACOBARS→
87D
Basic programming command (4)
Starts with G, ends with OGOTO→
89D
Chicken pieces (7)
Starts with T, ends with STENDERS→
90D
Part of AT&T: Abbr. (3)
Starts with T, ends with LTEL→
92D
Ballet or bourrée, in Bourgogne (5)
Starts with D, ends with EDANSE→
97D
Do a diner job (3)
Starts with B, ends with SBUS→
98D
Gathering of moles (5)
Starts with I, ends with LINTEL→
100D
Setting for Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" (5)
Starts with O, ends with NOCEAN→
102D
Continued interminably (5)
Starts with R, ends with NRANON→
103D
Discus throw at the Olympics, e.g. (5)
Starts with E, ends with TEVENT→
105D
Buzzing nuisance (4)
Starts with G, ends with TGNAT→
107D
Glitzy fabric (4)
Starts with L, ends with ELAME→
108D
Like some cheese (4)
Starts with A, ends with DAGED→
110D
"Gotcha" (4)
Starts with I, ends with EISEE→
111D
Blue-necked bird (3)
Starts with E, ends with UEMU→
112D
"___ Believer" (3)
Starts with I, ends with AIMA→
114D
Flock formation (3)
Starts with V, ends with EVEE→
115D
Blue-winged bird (3)
Starts with J, ends with YJAY→
How to solve the NYT Crossword
Fill the grid so that every Across and Down answer matches its clue. Numbered squares mark where answers begin. Theme answers, usually the longest entries, share a twist that the puzzle's title or a revealer clue explains. Thursday puzzles are known for rebus squares and other tricks that bend the normal rules.
Want the full method? Read our NYT Crossword strategy and tips, or check how to play the NYT Crossword on the hub.
NYT Crossword tips for tomorrow
- Start with Monday-level clues. Even on a Saturday, a handful of clues are straightforward. Find them and build outward from the crossings.
- Hunt for the revealer. A clue that references other entries or ends in "?" often explains the theme. Solving it first unlocks the long answers.
- Respect the day of the week. Thursday means tricks like rebus squares; Friday and Saturday mean long, clever fill with misleading clues.
Done for today? Try The Mini, The Midi, LA Times Crossword, all with hints first and answers behind a reveal.
Previous NYT Crossword puzzles
NYT Crossword FAQ
How many clues are in the NYT Crossword for December 28, 2025?+
140 clues: 69 Across and 71 Down. The puzzle was constructed by Alex Eaton-Salners and edited by Will Shortz.
What are some answers in today’s NYT Crossword?+
For example: Poet with a 1982 posthumous Pulitzer (PLATH); S.L.R. insert since the early 2000s (SDCARD); Baths in Bath (LAVS).
What time does the NYT Crossword come out?+
The next day's puzzle is released at 10:00 pm Eastern Time Monday to Friday and at 6:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Where can I find past NYT Crossword answers?+
Every puzzle in our archive has its own page with all Across and Down answers, plus a page for each clue. Click any date above.
