Crossword clue
“"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a ___" (old maxim)”
This clue appeared as 54-Across in the NYT Crossword on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The answer has 4 letters.
Answer · 4 lettersFirst appearance
FIRELetters4
Starts withF
Ends withE
Vowels2
Where this clue has appeared
About this clue
The clue “"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a ___" (old maxim)” ran in the NYT Crossword on December 9, 2025 as 54-Across. Its answer is a 4-letter word that starts with F and ends with E.
See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for December 9, 2025, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.
More clues from this puzzle
FAQ
What is the answer to the “"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a ___" (old maxim)” clue?+
The answer is FIRE (4 letters), from the NYT Crossword of December 9, 2025.
Where has this clue appeared?+
We have seen it 1 time in the NYT Crossword.
How do I find other NYT Crossword answers?+
Open the full list of answers for December 9, 2025, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.