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NYT Crossword — October 5, 2025

Sunday’s 21 × 21 puzzle, 138 clues. The full solution is below — answers stay masked until you reveal them, one clue or all at once.

0 of 138 revealed
1B
2I
3L
4L
5Y
6G
7O
8A
9T
10A
11R
12A
13B
14I
15M
16P
17S
18C
L
E
A
R
A
S
M
U
19D
20R
I
G
A
21N
O
O
K
22C
L
A
S
S
Y
M
A
T
E
23Y
24G
O
O
D
25Y
C
O
P
Y
26S
S
N
27B
O
S
S
F
I
28G
H
T
29C
O
U
R
S
E
30S
31P
A
N
S
32Y
E
A
33D
A
U
B
34C
H
A
R
D
35F
I
L
M
36R
37E
E
L
38I
39M
40A
41Y
42C
R
A
P
S
43H
A
N
D
Y
B
E
L
L
44Y
45O
R
A
46S
H
A
K
A
47D
A
N
G
48I
K
E
49A
50M
U
C
K
51P
I
N
E
52N
A
D
A
53B
54A
S
S
55S
W
A
T
H
E
56I
N
K
57O
V
E
R
58H
O
T
59I
T
S
A
H
I
T
60K
E
Y
61S
62F
O
R
T
Y
W
O
63R
64T
H
Y
65M
Y
M
Y
66E
S
C
A
67P
E
S
68D
E
M
E
R
O
L
69H
E
S
70B
E
A
N
I
E
71C
72H
E
R
73V
A
P
E
74T
A
D
A
75A
T
S
E
A
76P
O
I
77L
O
C
S
78F
O
R
E
X
79L
E
E
80F
81I
S
H
Y
82H
83O
O
K
Y
84B
O
O
P
S
85L
A
Y
86S
87C
A
N
O
O
D
L
E
88C
U
R
L
Y
89A
90S
K
S
91D
O
C
92S
A
G
E
S
93S
94H
95A
N
T
Y
96S
97T
A
R
A
98P
P
L
E
99J
100O
101B
102C
O
C
K
Y
P
103I
T
Y
104S
T
E
A
M
Y
105I
106R
O
N
Y
107O
M
N
I
108O
R
I
G
109S
C
R
E
E
N
T
I
M
E
110T
E
E
N
111O
K
R
A
112S
E
X
S
C
E
N
E
S

Across

65 clues
1Classic target of a troll
10Prized steed
14Little hellions
18Hard to understand
20Latvian capital
21Kindle competitor
22Sailor who drinks only the finest grog?
24Knockoff version of a sweet treat?
26ID on a credit check
27End-of-level showdown
29"When in the ___ of human events ..."
30Bridges
32Vote for
33Paint carelessly
34Alternative to kale
35Projectionist's item
38"If you ask me nicely …"
43Convenient spot for a cat nap?
45Singer Rita
46Official hand gesture of Hawaii
47"Darn it!"
49Wild
52Zilch
55Wrap up tight
56Press coverage
57Scorching
59Agent's good news
60Cryptographers' needs
62Suitable for the middle-aged?
65"Oh, dear!"
66Flies the coop
68Pain-relieving drug
70Knitted cap
73Huff and puff?
74"Look what I did!"
75Bewildered
76Polynesian staple
77Twisted do
78Global currency market, for short
79Martial artist Bruce
80Suspicious absence from school?
84Taps on the snoot
85Places
87Snuggle
88Stooge who said "Soitenly!"
89Poses
91"What's up, ___?"
92Wise guys
93Crudely built shack
96Purple fruit with a distinctive inner shape
99Barista or barrister
102"How sad. You actually think you can win," e.g.?
104A locksmith getting stuck in bedroom handcuffs, say?
107Present opener?
108Unlike a cover: Abbr.
109Something parents may try to limit for their kids
110See 95-Down
111Creole staple
112In which actors barely go through the motions?

Down

73 clues
2Troubles
3Low-fat
4___ Américas
5Many, many mos.
6Venues like New York City's Stonewall Inn
7Donny or Marie
8Stockpile
9Light rebukes
10"For crying out loud!"
11Hoot
12Before
13Referee's mistake
14Nighttime demons
15"Wuthering Heights" setting
16Is visually striking
19Death-___
23Triangular sign
28Like wild meat, sometimes
30Manage to lose, as a tail
33Proofreader's mark
34Actor Affleck when he needs a nap?
35Some nonlicensed tributes
36Sluggers' stats
37Startled cries
39Half-woman, half-bird, all attitude?
40"Eureka!" shouter
41Benny Hill theme song
42Oolong or lapsang souchong
43Actor Bill of "Barry"
44Twists side-to-side
46Hybrid sport played with a trampoline-like net
52Gratis
53Garden shelter
55"You're cramping my ___"
59Waffle House alternatives
61Sound
63Not follow suit, in bridge
67"La Vie en rose" singer
71Sports journalist Linda
72"___, Silver!"
74Gimlets and screwdrivers
76Ad Council spots, for short
77Some memes of the 2000s
78Driver's warning
81Disgusting, in totspeak
82TV journalist Kotb
86Became real, as bad news
88Southwestern culinary fusion
90Pigpen
92Extra
93Macbeth or Macduff
94Bygone iPhone button
95Common 110-Across stressor
96Move around and around
98Chest muscles, for short
99Knit
100"This round's ___"
101Effortless ways to advance
103Vex
105Close of business?
10666, for example: Abbr.

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

Stats & info

Sunday, Oct 5, 2025
21×21
Grid size
138
Total entries
78/363
Black / letter cells
5.3
Avg entry length
11 ltrs
Longest entry
Themed
Sunday difficulty
PuzzleThe Crossword
PublishedOct 5, 2025
DaySunday
ThemeAll Too Wise
ConstructorJohn Kugelman
EditorWill Shortz
Clue split65 across · 73 down
Longest entries

Sunday is the big one, a 21 by 21 grid built around a named theme rather than raw difficulty. This grid has 78 black squares and averages 5.3 letters per entry.