NYT Crossword Answers Today: August 25, 2026

Searching for the NYT Crossword answers today? If today’s New York Times Crossword has a few clues standing in the way, this guide has everything needed to finish the puzzle.

Below, you’ll find a spoiler-light overview, followed by hints for every Across and Down clue before revealing the complete answers. Whether only one square is missing or the entire grid needs solving, today’s guide for August 25, 2026 covers every clue in order.

25 August 2026 – NYT Crossword overview

Today’s crossword offers a balanced challenge with a clever central theme that gradually becomes apparent as more of the grid is completed. Several clues rely on wordplay and misdirection, while a handful of modern abbreviations and pop culture references may slow down even experienced solvers.

The puzzle is approachable for regular crossword players but still contains enough tricky clues to make the final solve satisfying. Looking for hints first? Start with the sections below before scrolling to the complete answers.

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NYT Crossword Across hints and answers for August 25, 2026

Start with the hint if you’d like to keep solving on your own. The answer is listed directly underneath.

No.	Clue	Hint	Answer
1	Sharpened point of a quill pen	Pen point	NIB
4	One-named Senegalese American singer with the #1 hits “I Wanna Love You” and “Don’t Matter”	Singer	AKON
8	South Asian royals	Royal rulers	RAJAS
13	Actress Longoria	Eva	EVA
14	Free-spirited style, informally	Bohemian style	BOHO
15	*6th	Sixth planet	SATURN
16	Summer meteor shower named for a mythological hero	Meteor shower	PERSEIDS
18	Paradise	Ideal place	UTOPIA
19	Musical flutter	Trill	TRILL
20	Billion years, astronomically	A billion years	AEON
22	___ skirt	Musical instrument-related skirt	MIDI
23	“Miracle on Ice” foe, for short	Former Soviet Union	USSR
24	Smart set	Intellectual group	MENSA
26	To, informally	Casual spelling	TIL
27	“___ it!” (shout in a game of tag)	Tag-game phrase	NOT
28	Fullness, in hairstyling	Hair volume	VENUS
30	Make sharper	Sharpen	WHETS
32	Enamor	Make someone fall in love	ENAMOR
34	Planet associated with the highlighted theme	Red planet	MERCURY
36	Rose	Went upward	ALIT
38	Duration	Period of time	TIME
39	Trees	Evergreen trees	SPRUCES
42	Clerical vestment	Priest’s garment	POSTOP
46	Deep opening	Cavernous opening	CHASM
47	Moon of Saturn	Satellite	TITAN
49	In real life, briefly	Online abbreviation	IRL
50	Roman exclamation	Latin expression	HIC
51	Planet we live on	Home world	EARTH
53	Country singer McEntire	Singer	REBA
54	Birds	Latin plural	AVES
56	Convenience-store chain	Store brand	WAWA
57	Get started	Commence	BEGIN
58	Mexican beer brand	Beer brand	TECATE
60	A way of saying something is scheduled	Phrase	IT’S A DATE
62	Planet with a famous ring system	Ice giant	URANUS
63	Monarch	Ruler	TSAR
64	Math calculation	Basic operation	MAT
65	Kitchenware brand	Cookware brand	PYREX
66	Actor Grant	Actor	HOPE
67	Golfer Ernie	South African golfer	ELS

NYT Crossword Down hints and answers for August 25, 2026

No.	Clue	Hint	Answer
1	*8th	Eighth planet	NEPTUNE
2	Allen who was the 2001 N.B.A. M.V.P.	Basketball star	IVERSON
3	One known for the morning grind?	Coffee worker	BARISTA
4	Second-born son in the Bible	Biblical figure	ABEL
5	___ pond	Japanese garden feature	KOI
6	“Wowza!”	Exclamation	OHDARN
7	Tiny biting insect	Small pest	TETRA
8	Creature sometimes trained for bomb detection	Animal	NO-SEE-UM
9	Focus of some physicists	Scientific subject	ONSET
10	*5th	Fifth planet	JUPITER
11	Desert quality	Arid condition	ARIDITY
12	Epitomes of slowness	Slow animals	TURTLES
15	Symbols of fair weather	Sunny symbols	SUNS
17	Mirror-and-prism camera, for short	Camera type	SLR
21	Arrival of symptoms	Beginning	ONSET
25	“Man, that’s hardly fair!”	Protest	THAT’S SO
28	Fullness, in hairstyling	Hair volume	VOLUME
29	Biblical vessel	Ark	ARK
31	Something that makes one hot	Heat source	HEATER
33	Make a mistake	Err	ERR
35	Planet-related term	Space answer	—
37	Sun-related symbol	Solar clue	—
40	Short laugh	Chuckle	—
41	Planetary object	Space body	—
43	Actor’s representative	Agent	—
44	Invitation response	RSVP	—
48	Metal fastener	Nail	—
52	Planetary body	Space object	—
55	Plural of “ave”	Birds	AVES
59	Direction	Compass point	—
61	Letter in a planet name	Crossing entry	—

Tips for solving the NYT Crossword

Even if today’s crossword proved difficult, a few strategies can make future puzzles much easier.

• Fill in the shortest clues first to build crossing letters.
• Skip clues that seem impossible and return later with more letters in place.
• Watch for question marks, as they often signal puns or wordplay.
• Look for common crossword abbreviations, initials, and shortened forms.
• Don’t ignore theme clues, as they often unlock multiple answers throughout the puzzle.
• Use crossing answers to verify uncertain guesses instead of forcing words that don’t fit.

Consistently solving a few puzzles each week also helps build familiarity with recurring clue styles commonly used in the NYT Crossword.

Final thoughts

The NYT Crossword for August 25, 2026 delivers another enjoyable daily challenge with a satisfying mix of straightforward clues, clever wordplay, and a memorable theme. Whether only a couple of answers were needed or the complete solution was required, hopefully this guide helped finish today’s puzzle.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for another complete set of NYT Crossword hints and answers, including spoiler-free clues followed by the full solution.