NYT Crossword · The New York Times

The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for May 25, 2016

Q: Can I see past crossword answers?

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

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated Nov 3, 2026 at 2:26 PM ETHow we make hints

This archive page covers the The Crossword from Wednesday, May 25, 2016. 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.

78 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, May 24, 2016

across

1. Frat party staples: KEGS
5. Wrote a four-star review: RAVED
10. Open a smidge: AJAR
14. TV's "___ Betty": UGLY
15. Singer Turner's memoir: ITINA
16. Doughnut feature: HOLE
17. It can be left 10-Across: DOOR
18. "Open" things for a call-in show: PHONELINES
20. Not recommended: UNWISE
22. Resort near Venice: LIDO
23. Get rid of: AXE
24. "___ bet?": WANNA
26. "Huh?": SAYWHAT
28. Scare word: BOO
30. ___ buco (veal dish): OSSO
32. China's Chou En-___: LAI
33. End in ___ (not be resolved): ADRAW
35. Places for shawls: SHOULDERS
40. Canyon vantage points: RIMS
41. Phony: BOGUS
42. O.T. book before Daniel: EZEK
43. Coal and natural gas: RESOURCES
45. Like bratty comments: SNIDE
46. Reverse of SSW: NNE
47. Rebuke to a traitor: ETTU
49. Unusual: ODD
50. Petite dress specification: SIZETWO
54. Absorb, as gravy: SOPUP
56. "Il était ___ fois" ("Once upon a time": Fr.): UNE
57. Kids' guessing game: ISPY
59. Some vintage photos: SEPIAS
62. Syrup comes from them: MAPLETREES
65. Suddenly lose patience: SNAP
66. Competitor of Pedigree: ALPO
67. Totally wipe out: EATIT
68. Poet Pound: EZRA
69. Blood worry: CLOT
70. Safari sighting, for short: RHINO
71. Bugle tune ... or what one does to 1-, 18-, 35-, 43- and 62-Across: TAPS

down

1. African antelope with curvy horns: KUDU
2. Dr. ___ Spengler, "Ghostbusters" role: EGON
3. Luminescent larvae: GLOWWORMS
4. Origin of much 2015-16 emigration: SYRIA
5. Gets redder, say: RIPENS
6. N.C.A.A. part: Abbr.: ATH
7. Baroque stringed instrument: VIOL
8. ___ Del Mar, "Brokeback Mountain" role: ENNIS
9. Icarus' father, in myth: DAEDALUS
10. Hawaiian yellowfin tuna: AHI
11. Biblical prophet who had a whale of a time?: JONAH
12. Vega of "Spy Kids": ALEXA
13. Put back to 0, say: RESET
19. True-blue: LOYAL
21. Forecast eagerly awaited by schoolkids: SNOW
25. N.C.A.A. part: Abbr.: ASSOC
27. Make broader: WIDEN
28. Roseanne of "Roseanne": BARR
29. Slobbering cartoon character: ODIE
31. "Well, I'll be!": OHGEE
34. In unison: ASONE
36. Ejects from office: OUSTS
37. "South Pacific" co-star: EZIOPINZA
38. Comic Foxx: REDD
39. Timetable, informally: SKED
41. William ___, Pilgrim Father: BREWSTER
44. Loosen, as neckwear: UNTIE
45. Apartment building V.I.P., for short: SUPE
48. Throw at: TOSSTO
50. Poison oak cousin: SUMAC
51. Entirely: INALL
52. One of Groucho's brothers: ZEPPO
53. Show on which Dr. Phil became famous, familiarly: OPRAH
55. Surprise win: UPSET
58. Himalayan mystery: YETI
60. ___ The Magazine (bimonthly with 35+ million readers): AARP
61. Massage spots: SPAS
63. Parking area: LOT
64. German article: EIN

Hints and full breakdown for May 24

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.