NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for December 14, 2005

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

Yes. Each date we have covered is in the crossword archive .

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 3:42 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Wednesday, December 14, 2005. The daily crossword is the classic: a 15×15 grid on weekdays and a larger Sunday puzzle, with difficulty rising from a gentle Monday to a fiendish Saturday. Hints come first and the solution stays hidden until you ask for it.

74 clues · jump to Across or Down. Tap a tile for one letter, or Answer for the whole word.

Across clues & answers

Down clues & answers

Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.

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Previous The Crossword answer

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

across

1. Urban pollution: SMOG
5. Booster, to a rocket: STAGE
10. Winter home of the Chicago Cubs: MESA
14. Volcanic flow: LAVA
15. Hang in the air: HOVER
16. "We deliver for you" sloganeer: Abbr.: USPS
17. Ruthless personnel director: AXER
18. The Hunter: ORION
19. Genesis twin: ESAU
20. Seasoned dancer?: GINGERROGERS
23. Frequently: OFTEN
24. Austrian peaks, locally: ALPEN
28. Ancient writing material: PAPYRUS
31. Spacecraft to Jupiter: GALILEO
33. Missed by ___ (was way off): AMILE
34. Mantra sounds: OMS
35. Cockpit datum: Abbr.: ALT
36. Seasoned singer?: ROSEMARYCLOONEY
41. Missing button on an iPod: Abbr.: REC
42. Monday night game org.: NFL
43. Extra, as a bedroom: SPARE
44. The Washington Monument, e.g.: OBELISK
47. Emily Dickinson's home, in Massachusetts: AMHERST
49. Police weapon: TASER
50. Bridge authority Charles: GOREN
51. Seasoned baseball player?: PEPPERMARTIN
57. Portend: BODE
60. ___-ground missile: AIRTO
61. Anise-flavored liqueur: OUZO
62. Sierra Club co-founder: MUIR
63. ___-O-Matic (baseball game company): STRAT
64. Sitting on: ATOP
65. Victories: WINS
66. Approval power: SAYSO
67. "Yo, ___!": DUDE

down

1. Waste material: SLAG
2. Passé skirt style: MAXI
3. Breadmaking place: OVEN
4. Quaint building decoration: GARGOYLE
5. Vowel sound in "puzzle": SHORTU
6. Spanish constructions: TORRES
7. Par ___ (how to send mail to France): AVION
8. Atlas maker's subj.: GEOG
9. White-tailed eagle: ERNE
10. Nutritious breakfast cereal: MUESLI
11. Double curve: ESS
12. Resort: SPA
13. Tempe sch.: ASU
21. ___ Zimbalist Jr.: EFREM
22. "Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-___": RAL
25. Two-dimensional: PLANAR
26. Conger catchers: EELERS
27. Possible answer to "Are we there now?": NOTYET
28. Polly, who wants a cracker: PARROT
29. Protozoan: AMOEBA
30. Sign after Aquarius: PISCES
31. Maker of Yukon SUV's: Abbr.: GMC
32. Communication for the deaf: Abbr.: ASL
34. Olive ___: OYL
37. Opposite of a ques.: ANS
38. Washington's ___ Stadium: RFK
39. Milo of "Barbarella": OSHEA
40. Route that invites speeding: OPENROAD
45. Pariahs: LEPERS
46. Rage: IRE
47. Main arteries: AORTAS
48. Peter Lorre role in eight movies: MRMOTO
50. President Ford, informally: GERRY
52. Free ticket: PASS
53. Round bread: PITA
54. Ballet attire: TUTU
55. Popular shirt label: IZOD
56. "Uh-uh!": NOPE
57. Autobahn auto: BMW
58. Yes, in Québec: OUI
59. Clamor: DIN

Hints and full breakdown for Dec 13

More daily puzzle hints

How the week is built

Monday and Tuesday: straightforward definitions and familiar answers. These are the best days to learn.
Wednesday: a step up, often with a playful theme.
Thursday: the trick day, with rebus squares (several letters in one square) and answers that turn corners or skip squares.
Friday and Saturday: themeless and tough, with sly clues and long open sections.
Sunday: a bigger 21×21 grid with a theme, about as hard as a Wednesday or Thursday.

Crossword-solving habits worth building

Learn the common fill. Short vowel-heavy words such as ERA, OREO, ALOE and ETNA appear constantly because they help constructors connect sections.
Read clue signals. "?" means wordplay, "Abbr." means an abbreviation, "e.g." means an example of a category, and a foreign word in the clue hints at a foreign answer.
Find the theme. The longest answers usually share a gimmick; the title (on Sundays) or a "revealer" clue explains it.
Erase without fear. When crossings don't work, the wrong letter is usually in the answer you were most confident about.
Use targeted help. Reveal one letter here, or try our crossword solver with a pattern like ?R?S?.

The Crossword FAQ

When is the next crossword released?

Weekday puzzles go live at 10 p.m. Eastern Time the night before; weekend puzzles are released earlier in the evening.

What is a rebus square?

A square that holds more than one letter. Sometimes it holds a whole word or a symbol. They are most common on Thursdays.

Which day is the hardest?

Saturday is generally the hardest, followed by Friday. Sunday is larger but closer to midweek difficulty.

Can I see past crossword answers?

Yes. Each date we have covered is in the crossword archive.