📰

New York Times, Thursday, December 25, 2025

December 26, 2025

By Sam Ezersky • 72 Clues

Across Clues

1. Response to discovering the theme of a crossword → AHA

4. Dashing through the ___ ... → SNOW

8. Foam on a seashore → SURF

12. One who runs, informally → POL

13. Possible base for a Caesar salad → KALE

14. Of help → UTILE

16. Dawdle → LOLLYGAG

18. Some anxious behavior on one's feet → PACING

20. Stew (over) → OBSESS

21. In a ___ open sleigh ... → ONEHORSE

23. Where Bart Simpson directs his prank calls → MOES

24. Buffet stand vessel → URN

25. Rare day for an N.F.L. game: Abbr. → TUE

26. One way to take a bull → BYTHEHORNS

31. Old dagger carried by Scottish Highlanders → DIRK

32. Michael of "Barbie" → CERA

33. Hits from the side, informally → TBONES

35. First portrayer of Albus Dumbledore, the final live-action role in his long film career → RICHARDHARRIS

39. Stretch → PERIOD

40. Letter after three consecutive rhyming letters → IOTA

41. Right-eous path? → EAST

42. Footwear for a bride, perhaps → WHITEHEELS

48. JFK or EWR alternative → LGA

49. Cable lead-in to TV → TRU

50. Jump in skates → AXEL

51. What's seen "all the way" through this puzzle? → LAUGHING

54. Ryan with swimming gold medals in four straight Olympics → LOCHTE

56. "All that being said ..." → ANDYET

57. Ado → BROUHAHA

59. "Yes ___!" → SIREE

60. Something typed in this field: YYYY → YEAR

61. Fashion designer Lange → LIZ

62. Many a vacation package → TOUR

63. Transcript ruiners → EFFS

64. ___ pop (hybrid music genre) → EMO

Down Clues

1. Chillness → APLOMB

2. "Oh me, oh my!" → HOOBOY

3. Ready to go → ALLSET

4. "___ the Limit" (posthumous hit for the Notorious B.I.G.) → SKYS

5. Horses studied by touts → NAGS

6. Portuguese greeting → OLA

7. O'er the fields ___ ... → WEGO

8. Eurasia or Oceania, in "1984" → SUPERSTATE

9. Like many Mormons → UTAHN

10. The "R" of P.R. → RICO

11. Vodka-and-pineapple juice cocktail popularized on "Sex and the City" → FLIRTINI

15. Sews up → ENSURES

17. Phil of the Grateful Dead → LESH

19. Uber-enthusiasts → GEEKS

22. Someone who might ask "Mother, may I?" → NUN

27. Zoom call issue → ECHO

28. "S.N.L." V.I.P. → HEADWRITER

29. Pilot who shares a tent with Yossarian in "Catch-22" → ORR

30. Sides of pie slices, essentially → RADII

31. Ballon ___ (soccer star's award) → DOR

34. Slangy "dude" → BRAH

35. White House family of the 1980s → REAGANS

36. Tax dodger's fear → IRSAUDIT

37. Loc. ___ (footnote abbr.) → CIT

38. Very in → HOT

39. Big name in windows and doors → PELLA

43. Raider in times past → HUN

44. A person → EACH

45. Go "Phew!," say → EXHALE

46. "He has my permission" → LETHIM

47. Total slimeball → SLEAZO

49. Intl. org. with 12 stars on its flag → THEEU

52. Halal cart offering → GYRO

53. Elided farewell → GBYE

54. Do pretty much nothing → LOAF

55. Between you and me → OURS

58. At whom you might yell "Are we watching the same game?!" → REF