Home/Archive/Mar 29, 2025

NYT Crossword — March 29, 2025

Saturday’s 15 × 15 puzzle, 68 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 68 revealed

1I

2R

3O

4N

5M

6I

7N

8E

9S

10A

11B

12A

13S

14H

15T

O

P

B

A

N

A

N

A

16T

A

N

T

O

17C

L

E

A

R

S

I

G

N

18A

C

T

U

P

19H

E

N

20R

E

V

21D

22I

N

K

I

N

S

23T

I

R

E

24B

L

E

S

S

25S

26A

27C

H

E

T

28C

O

I

N

T

O

29S

30S

31A

C

H

E

D

32T

U

X

E

D

O

C

A

T

33I

T

E

M

34O

R

B

E

D

35R

I

C

E

36N

O

W

O

37R

R

I

E

S

38T

I

A

R

A

39T

R

I

N

I

D

A

D

40P

E

E

L

E

D

41N

A

V

E

L

42S

H

E

S

43A

44N

G

L

E

R

S

45K

E

N

46R

47I

48B

49L

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G

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T

50I

51D

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52C

A

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53A

M

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54Z

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R

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G

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55N

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56E

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Y

D

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Across

33 clues

1Underground venues for some heavy-metal bands?

16Short Japanese sword

17Strong indication

18Political grp. dedicated to helping people who are H.I.V. positive

21David ___, first Black mayor of New York City

23It might be flat but not sharp

25What's got about an ounce of scents?

28It requires a flipper

31Suffered, in a way

32One always seen in a fancy fur coat

33Part of an agenda

35Birdseed alternative, at times

36"That's absolutely fine"

38Pageant prize

39Birthplace of the writer V.S. Naipaul

40Barreled (out)

42"___ Got a Way" (Billy Joel hit)

43Casting experts?

45Character in a hit 2023 film who sings "Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blonde fragility?"

46Lightly roast

50"Either way's fine with me"

54Label on one Coca-Cola offering

55Itinerant one

56Cry from a cutthroat competitor

Down

35 clues

1Reason to scratch one's head

2Part of a film

3Neon sign word

5Single alternative

8Primary lang. of Gambia

9Where to get into the nitty-gritty?

11They help build characters

12Standoffish, say

14Brewer's need

22"Don't believe me"

23Only beauty to go through history and retain her reputation, per Will Rogers

25Good Samaritan, say

26One in need of some direction

27Wrigley field?

28Like some steak

29___-Coeur, historic Catholic church in Paris

32Like many free samples

34Taxonomic classification

37On the edge of one's seat

40The W.N.B.A.'s Caitlin Clark, for one

42Fashion portmanteau

43___ Moore, author of "V for Vendetta"

44Jules Verne visionary

46Soffritto-based sauce

47Parts of many $$$ portfolios

48___ Convy, host of TV's "Super Password" and "Win, Lose or Draw"

51Raiders' org.

52It's a mouthful

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

Stats & info

Saturday, Mar 29, 2025

15×15

Grid size

68

Total entries

28/197

Black / letter cells

5.8

Avg entry length

11 ltrs

Longest entry

Hardest

Saturday difficulty

PuzzleThe Crossword

PublishedMar 29, 2025

DaySaturday

ThemeThemeless

ConstructorChristina Iverson and Jacob McDermott

EditorWill Shortz

Clue split33 across · 35 down

Longest entries

11DThey help build characters11 ltrs 23DOnly beauty to go through history and retain her reputation, per Will Rogers11 ltrs 12DStandoffish, say10 ltrs 27DWrigley field?10 ltrs 1AUnderground venues for some heavy-metal bands?9 ltrs

Saturday is the hardest grid of the week, themeless and clued as obliquely as the editor allows. This grid has 28 black squares and averages 5.8 letters per entry.