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NYT Crossword — August 8, 2025

Friday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 70 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 70 revealed

1S

2T

3O

4W

5E

6T

7E

8N

9T

10P

11O

12L

13E

14L

Y

C

R

A

15B

A

R

T

R

I

V

I

A

16O

P

T

I

C

17E

C

O

H

O

T

E

L

S

18G

E

E

T

H

19A

N

K

S

20W

A

R

T

Y

21S

A

T

E

22L

G

S

23W

E

S

T

24B

25A

B

A

26C

E

L

27U

28S

29A

30S

31C

A

M

A

L

32E

R

T

33C

R

U

X

34Y

O

U

C

A

N

C

O

U

N

35T

O

N

M

E

36T

U

S

K

37I

A

S

S

U

M

E

S

O

38D

R

S

39F

A

T

40A

R

I

D

41W

42E

A

N

43C

D

S

44S

45P

46O

47T

48S

49T

O

A

T

50S

H

E

E

51T

P

A

N

S

52N

O

R

T

H

53S

T

A

R

54W

O

N

K

A

55U

N

D

I

E

R

U

N

S

56O

R

D

E

R

57B

E

S

T

R

O

N

G

58S

T

A

Y

S

Across

33 clues

1Who wrote in an 1852 novel “Any mind that is capable of a real sorrow is capable of good”

6Stick around camp?

14Synthetic fabric sometimes called "elastane"

15Competition conducted in rounds over rounds

16Microscope component

17Establishments with many green rooms

18"Aw, that's so nice of you!"

23Way to the left?

24Rum-soaked cake

26Frameable frame

30Many an I.R.S. public service announcement

34Reassuring words when help is needed

36Means of defense for an elephant

37"That would make the most sense to me"

38Some residents: Abbr.

40Like Antarctica, notably

43Their tracks diffract light into rainbows

44Tricky situation

48Eurasian ermine

50Surfaces for making cookies

52Guiding principle, metaphorically

542023 title role for Timothée Chalamet

55Events akin to streaks

56Opposite of entropy

57"Don't give up"

58Corset supports

Down

37 clues

1Tedious trials

2Ambitious and uncompromising, say

3The planets, since 2006

4Follow to the letter?

5Grocery pricing term

6Sailing maneuvers

7Freudian drive to survive

9Part of a masonry kit

10Breads that may be used as scoops

12Pleasing cadence

13"Don't stress yourself"

15Hybrid feline whose coat may feature rosettes

19One of two official languages of Kosovo

23Caregiver known as a "nutrix" in ancient Rome

25Org. with a serpent in its logo

26Warriors for a cause

28Bouts held in a dohyo

29Medieval warrior's weapon

31#@$% and &?*!, by implication

32Sister of Helios

33Table tennis or beach volleyball

34Abbr. on a pay stub

35Letters said out of embarrassment

42Face-plant, so to speak

43Iris ___, author of "The Chinese in America"

45Animal that's mostly white, helping it hide in its natural habitat

46Pitch-perfect

47Alexis, Feodor and Peter, among others

49What's hard to read in a text

51Rare bills and dice rolls

53Sign of a sellout

Click a clue for its own page with the answer and a short explanation.

Stats & info

Friday, Aug 8, 2025

15×15

Grid size

70

Total entries

32/193

Black / letter cells

5.5

Avg entry length

15 ltrs

Longest entry

Hard

Friday difficulty

PuzzleThe Crossword

PublishedAug 8, 2025

DayFriday

ThemeThemeless

ConstructorRafael Musa and Matthew Stock

EditorWill Shortz

Clue split33 across · 37 down

Longest entries

34AReassuring words when help is needed15 ltrs 15ACompetition conducted in rounds over rounds9 ltrs 17AEstablishments with many green rooms9 ltrs 18A"Aw, that's so nice of you!"9 ltrs 30AMany an I.R.S. public service announcement9 ltrs

Friday puzzles run themeless, so the fill leans on long open entries and wordplay clues rather than a central gimmick. This grid has 32 black squares and averages 5.5 letters per entry.