Our NYT Crossword Hints for December 21, 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 21, 2025
You’ll find hints for all of the crossword clues for the NYT Crossword on 12/21/25. 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 Arctic transports
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10A. S.E.C. football powerhouse, for short
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14A. 1950s hangout with a jukebox
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14A. 1950s hangout with a jukebox
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20A. Game piece made of four squares
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21A. "The Kite Runner" protagonist
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22A. Skulks
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23A. Joins gradually
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24A. 'Doggone it!'
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25A. Treatment
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26A. Blue colorant obtained from the indigo plant
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27A. Wrangler alternative
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28A. Brightly colored Mediterranean flowers
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30A. Rap's Run-___
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31A. Course catalog?
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32A. When Aries transitions to Taurus
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34A. Sweetly, on scores
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35A. 'I'll pass'
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36A. Input of certain mining
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38A. Montalbán who played Khan in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
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40A. Timer setting
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42A. Areas of influence
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45A. Mental health org.
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46A. Fraudulently make seem like
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46A. Fraudulently make seem like
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48A. Covers completely
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49A. Wyoming peak
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51A. Like a corporation with a new logo, perhaps
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54A. Comment from someone caught in the rain
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54A. Comment from someone caught in the rain
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56A. Yellow avenue in Monopoly
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58A. A bit off, say
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59A. Hyatt alternative
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60A. Hard-boiled genre
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62A. TheForce.net for "Star Wars," for example
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64A. Dark side
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65A. Former big name in browsers
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67A. U.F.O.-watching org.
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68A. By way of, informally
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70A. Kemo ___ (the Lone Ranger)
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71A. Sailor's patron
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71A. Sailor's patron
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72A. Fleetwood Mac hit named for a Celtic goddess
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76A. Daddy
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79A. Eponymous British financier James ___
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81A. By saying this you mean well
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82A. Wrap seller
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83A. Adopted, as a pet
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85A. Wasn't folded in a suitcase, say
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87A. Developed, as baby teeth
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89A. Sci-fi miniaturizer
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91A. Emanations
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93A. Boldly face
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94A. Kind of cipher in which A becomes B, B becomes C, e.g.
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95A. Guardians, on a scoreboard
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96A. Bit of birdspeak
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98A. Damp, mildewy quality
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99A. They hold water
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102A. Silence!
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103A. Lying faceup
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103A. Lying faceup
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104A. ___ Park, Calif.
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105A. Air
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107A. Disney subsidiary
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111A. A little help?
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112A. Evaded, as a sensitive issue
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112A. Evaded, as a sensitive issue
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114A. Some pings, in brief
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115A. "Fie on ___!" (Shakespearean cry)
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116A. Skips over
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118A. Few and far between
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119A. Regulars at parks with ramps, informally
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121A. Reply after having one's memory jogged
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122A. Some time ago
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123A. "What's done is done!"
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124A. Stick (to)
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125A. Garden interloper
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126A. Church parts crossing naves
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1D. Make furious
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2D. "The Family Circus" cartoonist Bil ___
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3D. Tennis line judge's ruling
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4D. Duke Ellington classic with the lyric "That was my heart serenading you"
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4D. Duke Ellington classic with the lyric "That was my heart serenading you"
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5D. West side of L.A.?
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6D. "Is there still time for me to join you?"
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7D. 51 to the hour
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8D. Stage direction
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9D. Phillipa of Broadway
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10D. Grammy winner Erykah
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11D. ___ Gorman, "The Hill We Climb" poet
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12D. Copy
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13D. Iced-tea-and-lemonade refreshments
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13D. Iced-tea-and-lemonade refreshments
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14D. Spending romp
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15D. Output of certain mining
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16D. Counterpart of a sub
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17D. Fast start?
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17D. Fast start?
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18D. Father, familiarly
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19D. Mentally overpower, with "out"
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28D. Like most moccasins
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29D. Great Dane of cartoons, informally
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33D. More livid
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37D. Keister in Leicester
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39D. 2015 chart-topping hit for the Weeknd
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39D. 2015 chart-topping hit for the Weeknd
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40D. Symbolic for its time
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41D. Shoe company with an iconic checkerboard design
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42D. Descendant
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43D. Apple: Fr.
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44D. Is without
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47D. Rabid in appearance
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50D. Woman's nickname that sounds like two letters
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51D. Rice-A-___
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52D. "Borderlands" director ___ Roth
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53D. Hiding place
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55D. Gene pools?
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57D. Org. with its own alphabet
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61D. Abbr. not found on most smartphones
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63D. "Aren't ___ lucky one?!"
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66D. It has a lot of secretaries
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67D. Shirt collar stiffener
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69D. Where to find six "presents" in this puzzle?
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71D. Knock 'em dead
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72D. Coolidge who sang the theme for "Octopussy"
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73D. Just getting started with
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74D. Green shade
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75D. What Joe Montana was in the '80s
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76D. A TD scores six of these
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77D. "Fancy that!":
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78D. Prickly denizen of coral reefs
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78D. Prickly denizen of coral reefs
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80D. Famed lawyer in the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial
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80D. Famed lawyer in the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial
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81D. Most minimal
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84D. Some Korean exports
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86D. Calmed deceptively
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88D. Baseball slugger's stat
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90D. Bird used to deliver messages on "Game of Thrones"
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92D. Blueprints
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97D. Author Zora Neale ___
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98D. Noodled on, with "over"
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100D. Girlfriend in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
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101D. Informant
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103D. Ta-ta!
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104D. Tricky pool shot
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106D. Someone enjoying a walk in the park
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108D. Mentally with it
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109D. ___ four
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110D. Fits one inside the other
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112D. Porcine : pigs :: cervine : ___
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113D. Essential
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117D. It might be good for a change
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119D. One who knows the drill?: Abbr.
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120D. Teslas, e.g., for short
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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