The New York Times · 15×15 on weekdays, 21×21 on Sundays

NYT Crossword Answers for December 23, 2002

Q: What if I only want a nudge?

Open a clue’s Hints link. Its page has three hints that stop short of the answer: what the answer means, how many letters it has and how it starts, and other clues that had the same answer.

Monday, December 23, 2002 · 78 clues

This page lists the NYT Crossword from Monday, December 23, 2002: 78 clues, each with its answer behind a reveal button. For the newest puzzle, go to today's NYT Crossword answers.

Jump to Across or Down. Tap a square for one letter, or Answer for the whole word.

Across clues

1
Polio vaccine developer
4 letters Hints for Polio vaccine developer Clue page for Polio vaccine developer
5
"Step aside, I'll do it"
5 letters Hints for "Step aside, I'll do it" Clue page for "Step aside, I'll do it"
10
Unexciting
4 letters Hints for Unexciting Clue page for Unexciting
14
Have ___ to one's head
4 letters Hints for Have ___ to one's head Clue page for Have ___ to one's head
15
Bird-related
5 letters Hints for Bird-related Clue page for Bird-related
16
Where Pearl Harbor is
4 letters Hints for Where Pearl Harbor is Clue page for Where Pearl Harbor is
17
Popular cookbook author
10 letters Hints for Popular cookbook author Clue page for Popular cookbook author
19
"Thin" coin
4 letters Hints for "Thin" coin Clue page for "Thin" coin
20
Come into view
6 letters Hints for Come into view Clue page for Come into view
21
Emergency situation
7 letters Hints for Emergency situation Clue page for Emergency situation
23
Lock opener
3 letters Hints for Lock opener Clue page for Lock opener
24
Lock location
4 letters Hints for Lock location Clue page for Lock location
27
Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf ___"
3 letters Hints for Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf ___" Clue page for Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf ___"
28
Lad
12 letters Hints for Lad Clue page for Lad
33
Muckety-muck
5 letters Hints for Muckety-muck Clue page for Muckety-muck
36
"Bolero" composer
5 letters Hints for "Bolero" composer Clue page for "Bolero" composer
37
Advance in years
3 letters Hints for Advance in years Clue page for Advance in years
38
Isn't solvent
4 letters Hints for Isn't solvent Clue page for Isn't solvent
39
Dove houses
5 letters Hints for Dove houses Clue page for Dove houses
40
What's harvested
4 letters Hints for What's harvested Clue page for What's harvested
41
Remote control abbr.
3 letters Hints for Remote control abbr. Clue page for Remote control abbr.
42
Filmmaker Woody
5 letters Hints for Filmmaker Woody Clue page for Filmmaker Woody
43
"If you ___" (words of deference)
5 letters Hints for "If you ___" (words of deference) Clue page for "If you ___" (words of deference)
44
Worked up
12 letters Hints for Worked up Clue page for Worked up
47
Fuel additive
3 letters Hints for Fuel additive Clue page for Fuel additive
48
Manipulative one
4 letters Hints for Manipulative one Clue page for Manipulative one
49
File folder feature
3 letters Hints for File folder feature Clue page for File folder feature
52
Excellence
7 letters Hints for Excellence Clue page for Excellence
56
Formally renounce
6 letters Hints for Formally renounce Clue page for Formally renounce
58
___ Minor (constellation)
4 letters Hints for ___ Minor (constellation) Clue page for ___ Minor (constellation)
59
Somerset Maugham novel, with "The"
10 letters Hints for Somerset Maugham novel, with "The" Clue page for Somerset Maugham novel, with "The"
62
Mideast's Gulf of ___
4 letters Hints for Mideast's Gulf of ___ Clue page for Mideast's Gulf of ___
63
Native Alaskan
5 letters Hints for Native Alaskan Clue page for Native Alaskan
64
Like a lime
4 letters Hints for Like a lime Clue page for Like a lime
65
Pair
4 letters Hints for Pair Clue page for Pair
66
Duke, earl, etc.
5 letters Hints for Duke, earl, etc. Clue page for Duke, earl, etc.
67
Three, in cards
4 letters Hints for Three, in cards Clue page for Three, in cards

Down clues

1
Game show host Pat
5 letters Hints for Game show host Pat Clue page for Game show host Pat
2
With mouth wide open
5 letters Hints for With mouth wide open Clue page for With mouth wide open
3
Like some gravy and mattresses
5 letters Hints for Like some gravy and mattresses Clue page for Like some gravy and mattresses
4
Midleg
4 letters Hints for Midleg Clue page for Midleg
5
Maze runner
6 letters Hints for Maze runner Clue page for Maze runner
6
Preceding day
3 letters Hints for Preceding day Clue page for Preceding day
7
___ Maria liqueur
3 letters Hints for ___ Maria liqueur Clue page for ___ Maria liqueur
8
___ Antony
4 letters Hints for ___ Antony Clue page for ___ Antony
9
Signs, as a check
8 letters Hints for Signs, as a check Clue page for Signs, as a check
10
Spanish grocery
6 letters Hints for Spanish grocery Clue page for Spanish grocery
11
Den
4 letters Hints for Den Clue page for Den
12
"Life is hard ..."
4 letters Hints for "Life is hard ..." Clue page for "Life is hard ..."
13
Colored
4 letters Hints for Colored Clue page for Colored
18
Englishman in colonial India
5 letters Hints for Englishman in colonial India Clue page for Englishman in colonial India
22
Author Roald
4 letters Hints for Author Roald Clue page for Author Roald
25
Take a walk
6 letters Hints for Take a walk Clue page for Take a walk
26
Flat part of a chart line
7 letters Hints for Flat part of a chart line Clue page for Flat part of a chart line
28
___ Alamos, N.M.
3 letters Hints for ___ Alamos, N.M. Clue page for ___ Alamos, N.M.
29
Occasions
6 letters Hints for Occasions Clue page for Occasions
30
Differentiate
4 letters Hints for Differentiate Clue page for Differentiate
31
Modest people have small ones
4 letters Hints for Modest people have small ones Clue page for Modest people have small ones
32
Possible result of 40-Down nonpayment
4 letters Hints for Possible result of 40-Down nonpayment Clue page for Possible result of 40-Down nonpayment
33
Exploding star
4 letters Hints for Exploding star Clue page for Exploding star
34
Delinquent G.I.
4 letters Hints for Delinquent G.I. Clue page for Delinquent G.I.
35
Carillon part
4 letters Hints for Carillon part Clue page for Carillon part
39
Nonsense
8 letters Hints for Nonsense Clue page for Nonsense
40
Auto
3 letters Hints for Auto Clue page for Auto
42
Opposing
4 letters Hints for Opposing Clue page for Opposing
43
Most Yugoslavs
5 letters Hints for Most Yugoslavs Clue page for Most Yugoslavs
45
Cuba, e.g.
6 letters Hints for Cuba, e.g. Clue page for Cuba, e.g.
46
Red suit
6 letters Hints for Red suit Clue page for Red suit
49
Elizabeth I was the last one
5 letters Hints for Elizabeth I was the last one Clue page for Elizabeth I was the last one
50
Present a case in court
5 letters Hints for Present a case in court Clue page for Present a case in court
51
Drunken
5 letters Hints for Drunken Clue page for Drunken
52
Triplet plus one
4 letters Hints for Triplet plus one Clue page for Triplet plus one
53
Language of Pakistan
4 letters Hints for Language of Pakistan Clue page for Language of Pakistan
54
Out of sight of shore
4 letters Hints for Out of sight of shore Clue page for Out of sight of shore
55
Bush's alma mater
4 letters Hints for Bush's alma mater Clue page for Bush's alma mater
57
Joke
4 letters Hints for Joke Clue page for Joke
60
Zuider ___
3 letters Hints for Zuider ___ Clue page for Zuider ___
61
Your and my
3 letters Hints for Your and my Clue page for Your and my

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Frequently asked questions

When does the NYT Crossword come out?

A new puzzle is published every day; it usually appears the evening before its date (Eastern Time). We add the clues and answers here as soon as our editors have checked them. The next one is due on Saturday, November 14, 2026.

Can I see one answer without spoiling the rest?

Yes. Every clue has its own reveal: tap a numbered square to show one letter, or Answer to show the whole word. Nothing else on the page is uncovered until you ask for it.

What if I only want a nudge?

Open a clue’s Hints link. Its page has three hints that stop short of the answer: what the answer means, how many letters it has and how it starts, and other clues that had the same answer.

How far back does the NYT Crossword archive go?

We currently have 11923 NYT Crossword puzzles, starting from the day we began covering it. Use the date strip above or the archive list below to open an earlier day.