NYT Crossword — December 19, 2025
Friday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 72 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.
0 of 72 revealed
1E
2L
3S
4A
5B
6A
7S
8S
9D
10R
11U
12M
13D
O
T
S
14I
L
L
I
N
O
I
S
E
15G
O
U
T
16F
R
E
E
S
O
L
O
E
D
17A
M
B
I
18T
I
O
N
19I
R
A
20R
E
B
21H
A
N
D
22S
23K
N
24I
25C
26K
27D
E
28P
O
T
29E
P
30E
E
31N
A
N
32E
L
D
E
R
33I
D
E
A
L
34M
A
T
E
35N
A
T
E
36I
N
F
E
R
37E
D
I
E
38D
R
O
P
39S
D
E
A
D
40T
R
E
N
D
41A
G
E
42W
O
R
M
43F
A
C
E
T
44T
E
S
45S
A
46T
I
47P
I
N
48P
H
49I
50M
G
51S
52L
E
N
G
53T
H
E
N
54N
55E
56P
O
B
A
57B
I
E
S
58O
O
H
S
59O
P
E
R
A
G
O
E
R
60C
L
A
P
61W
A
G
E
G
A
P
S
62K
E
T
O
Across
35 cluesDown
37 clues16Diktat
Click a clue for its own page with the answer and a short explanation.
Stats & info
Friday, Dec 19, 202515×15
Grid size
72
Total entries
34/191
Black / letter cells
5.3
Avg entry length
15 ltrs
Longest entry
Hard
Friday difficulty
PuzzleThe Crossword
PublishedDec 19, 2025
DayFriday
ThemeThemeless
ConstructorHemant Mehta
EditorWill Shortz
Clue split35 across · 37 down
Longest entries
5DResults of some remarriages15 ltrs2DHad an outsize presence11 ltrs3DThey may recently have been in a jam11 ltrs24DBad place to be while gambling11 ltrs25DFictional companion of Thing One and Thing Two11 ltrs
Friday puzzles run themeless, so the fill leans on long open entries and wordplay clues rather than a central gimmick. This grid has 34 black squares and averages 5.3 letters per entry.