Our NYT Crossword Hints for December 12, 2025 puzzle will help you move through the grid if you’ve found yourself stuck on a clue. The NYT Crossword is a daily crossword that tests solvers’ knowledge and vocabulary. It’s one of the most popular crosswords in the world, known for its challenging clues and clever wordplay. The puzzle is published in the print edition of the paper and is also available online.
NYT Crossword Hints, December 12, 2025
You’ll find hints for all of the crossword clues for the NYT Crossword on 12/12/25. The clues are listed below, and you can click/tap on a clue to go to its page for more detail, including definitions, but if you don’t want to be immediately spoiled, you can reveal letter by letter to still offer yourself more of a challenge before revealing the full solution.
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1A. Some free spots, for short
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5A. Grounds
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10A. Doesn't just talk
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14A. “You’re telling me!”
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16A. Word with wet or sweat
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17A. Conspiracy theorist's accessory
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18A. "Don't leave me!," e.g.
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19A. 16 in a Sweet Sixteen
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20A. Main component of a "gutbucket," a jug band instrument
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22A. Personal records
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25A. Padlocked fasteners
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26A. Variety of orange named for a European city
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29A. What blue crabs do roughly 20 times in their lifetimes
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30A. Jobs announcement of 2010
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31A. News feed, perhaps
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35A. [Waaaaah!]
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36A. Thick confection used for cake icing
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37A. Part of a golf club
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38A. See 5-Down
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40A. Binary
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41A. Succors
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42A. Photo session workers
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44A. Ace, e.g
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46A. Skater's braking method with the back foot positioned horizontally
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47A. Relative of a craft fair
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50A. "Duino Elegies" poet
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53A. Saves, as a digital location
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54A. Clichéd line from the side of a product package
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58A. It's cool to drink
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59A. "I haven't told you the best part ..."
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60A. Impressively accurate pass, in football slang
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61A. Floats
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62A. Give a bad hand?
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1D. Stone
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2D. Vaudeville highlight
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3D. Pulitzer-winning journalist Applebaum
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4D. You might pull one out for a guest
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5D. With 38-Across, one way to sit
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6D. Feel gross
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7D. 'Gross!'
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8D. Playwright who wrote "You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'"
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9D. "Tell Mama" singer James
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10D. Rocky road ingredient?
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11D. Distinction for a classic underground work
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12D. — bind
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13D. Sticks a fork in
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15D. Part of NOW
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21D. Fiddlesticks!
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23D. Disney princess in New Orleans
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24D. Workshop debris
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26D. Possible need for entry
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27D. Each
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28D. Colleague who might be solutions-oriented?
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29D. Tropical plants said to bring good fortune
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32D. 'That's the truth!'
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33D. Kids parent
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34D. Hagfish lookalikes
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36D. Company whose logo has a hidden arrow between its fourth and fifth letters
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39D. Performance that isn't prerecorded
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40D. Word from the Greek for "folded paper"
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43D. Butcher shop buys
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44D. Pleasing to the palate
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45D. "Buss It" rapper ___ Banks
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48D. Way
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49D. Arm of the Dept. of Labor
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51D. Part of a cabinet
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52D. French 101 verb
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55D. Whitehouse in D.C., e.g.: Abbr.
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56D. Physics unit equivalent to roughly 624 gigaelectronvolts
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57D. Thoroughly evaluate
We also recommend trying your hand at the NYT Mini Crossword, which is definitely easier (on all days!) as it is a 5×5, compared to the full-sized crossword (which is 15×15, and the Sunday edition is 21×21!). New crosswords are released at 10PM ET on weekdays and 6PM ET on weekends.
The New York Times crossword was first published in The New York Times in 1942 and has been a daily feature ever since. It is known for its high level of difficulty and for its clever, often playful, clues and themes. The puzzles range in size from 15x15 grids on weekdays to larger 21x21 grids on Sundays, with varying levels of difficulty.
The New York Times crossword is created by a team of skilled puzzle constructors and editors, who work to ensure that each puzzle is both entertaining and challenging for solvers. The puzzles are often themed, with clues and answers related to a particular subject or concept, and they frequently feature wordplay and puns.
Solving the New York Times crossword has become a beloved pastime for many, and there are even competitions and clubs devoted to crossword puzzle solving. The New York Times crossword is available in print in the newspaper and online, and it has a dedicated following of loyal solvers who eagerly await each day's puzzle.
If you’re still struggling to solve your NYT crosswords, consider practicing with the Eugene Sheffer and Thomas Joseph dailies first. If you’re looking for similarly challenging crosswords, we recommend the WSJ Crossword and LA Times Crossword.
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